May 11Digital Worlds Institute recognizes students and alumni during Convergence 2023 awards ceremonyWritten by: Ryan Helterhoff (MAMC ‘23) Students and alumni were recognized for their outstanding achievements over the last year during an awards ceremony at the Digital Worlds Institute’s annual Convergence event on April 27, 2023. Held at UF Innovate, Convergence is the coming together of students, alumni, and industry professionals…5 min read5 min read
May 11Digital Worlds Alum and Co-Creator of “ARK” Honored with Career Achievement Award at Convergence 2023Written by: Ryan Helterhoff (MAMC ‘23) Jesse Rapczak (BSDAS ’03) was honored with the Institute’s first Career Achievement Award during this year’s Convergence event on April 27. The award honors alumni who have reached significant career milestones and contributed to the advancement of the digital arts and sciences field. Rapczak…4 min read4 min read
May 4A Career in Motion: DAS senior Kenzie Rennemann prepares for a future in designWritten By: Ryan Helterhoff (MAMC ‘23) Growing up, graduating DAS senior Kenzie Rennemann envisioned herself animating for Disney — building new worlds and creating stories as inspiring as the ones she grew up with. Now an Entertainment Design Intern at NBC Universal, Rennemann is getting a hands-on, immersive experience that’s…4 min read4 min read
Apr 18Behind the Lens: Digital Arts & Sciences sophomore puts her passions center stageWritten by: Ryan Helterhoff (MAMC ‘23) From Sean Kingston to Shaq, DAS sophomore Kinnara Bosworth has had a front-row seat to some of the best musical acts to visit Gainesville in the last year. Kinnara has photographed over 20 concerts and dozens of events as a photography intern with Vivid…3 min read3 min read
Apr 11James Oliverio Stepping Down as Digital Worlds Institute DirectorThe UF Digital Worlds Institute today announced that James Oliverio is stepping down as Director of the Institute as of June 30, 2023. He will continue to hold full professorships in both Digital Arts & Sciences and in Music. He will be on administrative leave in Fall 2023 and will…3 min read3 min read
Mar 23Digital Worlds Institute climbs the rankings with animation and game design programsWritten by: Ryan Helterhoff (MAMC ‘23) The UF Digital Worlds Institute continues to climb the ranks of the country’s top animation and game design programs. Below are some of the Institute’s rankings from Animation Career Review’s recent annual report. #15 nationally for animation among public colleges #11 nationally for best…3 min read3 min read
Mar 23BADAS Society raises $3150 at Extra Life to benefit UF Health Shands Children’s HospitalWritten by: Ryan Helterhoff The Bachelor of Arts in Digital Arts and Sciences Society (BADAS) recently raised over $3,150 for Extra Life 2023, a 24-hour charitable gaming event benefiting UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital. Extra Life is an annual livestream gaming event that aims to raise funds for Children’s Miracle…3 min read3 min read
Mar 2UF Digital Arts & Sciences and Computer Science come together for collaborative game development classWritten By: Ryan Helterhoff (MAMC ‘23) Every Tuesday and Thursday, Digital Arts & Sciences (DAS) and Computer Science (CS) students gather in the ORC at the UF Digital Worlds Institute ready to improve the games they’ve been working on during their collaborative game production course this semester. Nick Heitzman, Senior…4 min read4 min read
Feb 28Celebrating Black Animators, Digital Artists and Game DevsWritten by: Ryan Helterhoff (MAMC ‘23) Karen Rupert Toliver Starting out as an assistant with Walt Disney Pictures, Toliver worked on “The Mighty Ducks” film series. After working as a Production Executive on Chicken Little and Meet the Robinsons, Toliver later joined 20th Century Fox Animation, where she spent 10…4 min read4 min read
Feb 17Faculty and Staff from the UF Digital Worlds Institute receive 2022 TaxWatch Productivity Award for CxUF conferenceWritten by: Ryan Helterhoff (MAMC ‘23) Faculty and staff from the UF Digital Worlds Institute were honored as recipients of the 2022 Florida TaxWatch Productivity Awards on Feb. 2 at the Harn Museum of Art for their role in facilitating the Connected by UF (CxUF) conference in May 2021. The…2 min read2 min read
