AJ Zane '09
By pursuing a liberal arts education at Connecticut College, I have been able to combine my wide-ranging interests of Japanese, art, and computer science.
In my freshman year, I was accepted into the unique Ammerman Center of Arts and Technology certificate program, or CAT. This interdisciplinary program was one of the main factors in my decision to attend to Connecticut College because it allows me to explore art and technology through independent studies, internship opportunities, research projects, workshops and courses specifically designed to integrate the arts and sciences.
During winter break in sophomore year, nine CAT students and I took part in a MAYA workshop taught by a senior animator from Sonalysts Studios, one of the largest multimedia production facilities in New England. MAYA is a computer animation program used to create graphics like those seen in Lord of the Rings and other films that use computer generated images. The ten of us were divided into groups of two, with each group producing a short animation.
This opportunity helped me find a Connecticut College-funded internship at Sonalysts Studios, where I continued to work with MAYA and other programs to create animations for a variety of clients. Animations can range from company commercials to video games.
Next summer, I plan on starting a search for a job in the field of arts and technology while studying abroad in Japan.