Panel to Offer Insights on Establishing a Career in Video Games

March 4, 2011 - PRLog -- Game designers, producers, programmers and technical directors will be among the panelists at the “Establishing a Career in Video Games” event set for April 15, 2011 at Harrisburg University of Science and Technology.

The free event is scheduled for 10 a.m. to noon in the Auditorium of the University, which is located at 326 Market Street in Harrisburg.

Panelists will include representatives EA™, Schell Games, THQ, and Firaxis Games who will share insights on what it takes to bring a product to market, how to land a career in the video game industry, and provide tips on how to make it in the fastest growing segments of the entertainment industry.  Charles Palmer, executive director of the University’s Center for Advanced Entertainment and Learning Technologies, will facilitate the panel discussion.

There is no charge to attend and participation is open to all!  An RSVP is requested and can be sent to Connect@HarrisburgU.edu or online at http://www.HarrisburgU.edu/VideoGameCareers

Harrisburg University is the only higher education institution in Central Pennsylvania currently offering an academic program in video game design, development, programming and art during the 2010-11 academic year, according to research from the Entertainment Software Association (ESA).

The private comprehensive science and technology-focused university offers New Media Design and Production as an academic program for undergraduate students.

Additionally, the University is pursuing innovative approaches to games and learning for performance through its Learning Technologies Master of Science program and its Center for Advanced Entertainment and Learning Technologies.  The University also offers an annual Summer Gaming Academy and hosts the annual Learning and Entertainment Evolution Forum (LEEF).

“Prospective students interested in game design and development careers can now stay in this region and pursue the field of study which can lead to a rewarding career in healthcare, education, business or government as well as the gaming industry itself,” says Palmer.  “The engine behind some of the favorite first-person shooter games is being used to create training simulators for everyone from firefighters to dock workers to medical professionals. Public and private sector organizations in the fields of healthcare, education and business are increasingly relying on computer and video games to modernize and improve their operations."

According to the ESA's 2010 Essential Facts about Computer and Video Games Report, 67 percent of American households now play computer and video games, and 70 percent of major employers utilize interactive software and games to train employees and more than 75 percent of businesses and non-profits already offering video game-based training plan to expand their usage in the next three to five years.

You can literally take planes, trains and automobiles to the event.  The University’s location in downtown Harrisburg is near Interstates 83 and 81 and the Pennsylvania Turnpike, making it an easy drive to the University from any of Pennsylvania’s major cities. And it’s only a two-hour drive from the University to Baltimore, Washington, DC or Philadelphia. The Amtrak Passenger Train Station and Greyhound Bus Station are one block from our location. And the Harrisburg International Airport is only nine miles from the University. http://www.harrisburgu.edu/campuslife/directions.php

Harrisburg University is located at 326 Market Street in Harrisburg. Parking is available in the Harrisburg Parking Authority operated garage accessible via Fourth Street. Cost for parking in the garage is $5.00 for 0-2 hours.  Kiosk for parking accepts cash only.  More information on parking rates and directions to the University are found online at http://www.harrisburgu.net/campuslife/directions.php#parking

Founded in 2001 to address Central Pennsylvania’s need for increased opportunities for study leading to careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields, Harrisburg University is an innovative and ambitious private institution that produces graduates who provide increased competence and capacity in science and technology disciplines to Pennsylvania and the nation. Harrisburg University ensures institutional access for underrepresented students and links learning and research to practical outcomes. As a private University serving the public good, Harrisburg University remains the only STEM-focused comprehensive university located between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.

For more information on the University's demand-driven undergraduate, graduate and certificate programs in applied science and technology fields, call 717.901.5146 or email Connect@HarrisburgU.edu.

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Established in 2001 to address Central Pennsylvania’s need for increased opportunities for study leading to careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields, Harrisburg University is an innovative and ambitious private institution.