[game_edu] Surge in college applications / Global Game Jam

[Peter Border]

I teach at a private business college and we are expanding like mad. Five years ago there were 5 campuses in the network, today there are 24 with plans for 40 by 2014. Finding staff to teach the courses and changing from a 5-campus system to a 40-campus one in a decade is quite a problem!

I think it's a combination of several factors: a lot of people are out of work and would rather go to school than sit around the house, commercial real estate is available for very cheap (all our "campuses" were originally just office buildings), interest rates on loans are very low nowadays, and the new GI bill apparently has some nice benefits (I teach a lot of veterans- who tend to be very good students).

I used to work at the U of MN, which is busily going under for the third (or is it 30th?) time. 

Peter Border
Game and Application Design Coordinator
Globe University/Minnesota School of Business
1401 West 76th St
Richfield, MN 55423
pborder at msbcollege.edu
________________________________________
From: game_edu-bounces at igda.org [game_edu-bounces at igda.org] On Behalf Of Dan Carreker [DanC at narrativedesigns.com]
Sent: Monday, January 25, 2010 12:29 AM
To: 'IGDA Game Education Listserv'
Subject: Re: [game_edu] Surge in college applications / Global Game Jam

In Los Angeles the local community colleges are jammed pack because of budget cut with more applicants than available space.  Students are then turning to private colleges as an alternative of taking 5-6 years to finish their degree. Our local community college filled all classes within the first day of enrollment which meant no new students were able to get class as the 1st few days are returning studeents enrollment, State universities evidently are experiencing the same issue.

For us enrollment seemed to spike significantly in September with Winter enrollment remaining on par with previous semesters. This is based on the sizes of the classes I teach; I don't havve number for the full program but there does definately seem to be an uptick

________________________________
From: Susan Gold [mailto:goldfile at gmail.com]
Sent: Sunday, January 24, 2010 11:34 AM
To: IGDA Game Education Listserv
Subject: [game_edu] Surge in college applications / Global Game Jam

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/24/AR2010012401624.html?nav=rss_email/components

I was wondering if other schools or areas were seeing an uptick?

Can we use this as a vehicle to help improve numbers in STEM? If so, does anyone have an idea as to how to approach using the surge in applications with the need for technology grads?

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Personally I think those of you holding a GGJ event at your school can use that as a great way to showcase your programs. I also think many locations are using GGJ as a recruiting and press opportunity.

The final number on locations for GGJ is 135 representing 38 countries - it really shows how global game development has become in the world.

During the weekend of the GGJ you can go to the website and watch us all via Ustream.tv, Twitter and Flickr. http://globalgamejam.org

Susan

--
Susan Gold
In a completely sane world, madness is the only freedom!
- J. G. Ballard