October 5, 2002 - Expression College for Digital Arts Sound Art Program Secures 82% Job Placement for Students
Expression, the premier digital arts school in the United States and founded in 1999, just graduated is 407th student this October. The program’s graduate employment batting average boasts a 82% industry placement (typical colleges are significantly lower), and says volumes about what a degree from Expression in Sound Arts means to the post production, DVD authoring, multimedia/recording, live sound, gaming, internet audio and radio broadcast and record label communities.

Expression uses the concept of Total Immersion as its teaching philosophy. What is “total immersion”? At Expression College for Digital Arts, students live and learn in the culture of New Media for 14 continuous months. Every two months a new class starts, and each class is limited to a small number of students to insure excellent learning. Instead of a “Chinese menu” approach to learning, typical of most colleges and universities, Expression leads students into the jobs they passionately desire, by training them more as a mentor would.

“Expression recognizes our student’s need for a transition from an academic setting into a professional working environment, and particular attention is dedicated to fully preparing each student for the challenge ahead,” said Gary Platt, president and founder, Expression College for Digital Arts. “We have a very productive placement approach that has assisted many of our graduates onto externships and employment with some of the industry’s most recognized recording/multimedia facilities, post-production companies, Grammy Award winning record producers/studios and record labels, Internet audio/radio broadcasting, gaming, DVD authoring/production, live touring companies and music venues.”

“We felt it was critical to develop and implement a personalized job interview and marketing program that ultimately promotes a more confident, well-rounded graduate,” said Shiloh Hobel, director of placement, Sound Arts, Expression College for Digital Arts. “Having worked personally with nearly 300 students, it was apparent that the odds for success would increase if we could compliment the student’s newly acquired skills and education by preparing them with the necessary interviewing and marketing techniques that are essential when seeking employment in today’s highly competitive market. The placement process begins during the last two months of the program. The process is an exciting time for students as they begin recognizing their transformation from a nervous, insecure, newcomer into a more confident, motivated and desirable candidate.”

Following is a sample list of prestigious placements, which have occurred over the schools almost four years. The level of digital expertise Expression Sound Arts graduates bring to the work place is not only in great demand, but is quickly becoming the “hottest” degree in digital arts.

Some of the national Expression graduate placements include:
American Zoetrope (film post production) Clear Channel Entertainment (live event production/sound) DigiDesign (audio recording software) Dave Mathews Band (live sound touring) Electronic Arts (gaming) Enterprise Studios (multimedia/recording) Fantasy Studios (multimedia/recording studio) John Lennon Tour Bus (multimedia/recording) LucasArts (gaming) Miramax Films (film post production)
Om Records (independent record label/production)
Rocket Network (Internet Audio/recording)
Saul Zaentz Film Center (film post production)
Skywalker Sound (multimedia/recording)
Sonic Solutions (DVD authoring/production)
Sony Entertainment of America (gaming)
Tech TV (post production)
The Hit Factory N.Y. (recording studio)
The Plant Studios (multimedia/recording studio)
The Record Plant Studios (multimedia/recording)
The Village Recorder L.A. (recording studio)
Third Eye Blind - Morning Wood Studios (audio engineering)
Ultra Sound/Pro Media (live sound/touring)
Warner Brothers Studios L.A. (film studios/production “American Zoetrope is very happy working in partnership with Expression. The school’s training approach, which simulates the real working world, fits right in with our environment. We’re pleased with the quality, motivation and professional interest shown by Expression’s students. It’s evident they are eager to utilize the tools and methodologies learned at Expression in a professional setting. Additional to film, video, and audio technologies, we’re thrilled to see that Expression dedicates part of its curriculum to teaching DVD encoding and authoring. We look forward to continuing our partnership with Expression, bringing more students to American Zoetrope to contribute and experience life in a contemporary film post production facility.”

Howie Stein
Film Facility Manager, American Zoetrope
San Francisco, CA

“As the owner of Laughing Tiger and a governor of NARAS (the Grammy organization), I consider Expression College for Digital Arts to be a huge contributor to the local music community.”

Ari Rios
Owner, Laughing Tiger
San Rafael, CA

“The Saul Zaentz Film Center had been thinking about putting together an internship program for some time. Initially, we found that it was a real challenge finding students who had enough specific technical knowledge, so that the internship was both a meaningful working experience for them and for us. So when Expression opened its doors in 1999, it seemed like a perfect fit, we started an internship program and partnership with them almost right away. Once we started, we saw that the Expression Sound Arts students had the requisite technical training, but they also had something else, they had a real enthusiasm and focus for learning about the work we do, and that’s just as important. We have had many Expression interns over the years and have hired two of them to come on full-time in various departments. We have another Expression graduate currently freelancing with us as well. It’s a great partnership.”

Michael Kelly
Archivist, Saul Zaentz Film Center
Berkeley, CA

“Sonic Solutions has had experience with twelve Expression interns and have hired nine of them for full-time positions. All the Expression students have had an excellent skill set in understanding DVD technologies and have been responsive, fast learners—they are able to understand the work environment from the moment they walk in our door. Expression is right on track with developing and preparing students for work in the new media technology world. We will continue to use Expression as a valuable resource for years to come.”

Jay Simon
Director of Engineering Quality Assurance, Sonic Solutions
Novato, CA

“The Expression College for Digital Arts educational programs provides an excellent and comprehensive approach towards the world of sound arts. The staff consists of a group of highly experiences and motivated professionals, who incorporates innovative ideas and contributes towards and enthusiastic and inspirational learning environment. The Center utilizes up-to-date equipment and technology, and the students are provided with hands-on training on some of the most current and often utilized hardware and software. With that, I find that the students/graduates are indeed a successful reflection of the outstanding school and training program they have graduated from.”

F. Rose Henzel
National Recruitment Specialist, Swank Audio Visuals
St. Louis, MO

About Expression College for Digital Arts
Founded in 1999, Expression is a unique, fully licensed digital arts college. Expression College for Digital Arts teaches and grants Bachelor degrees in three programs: Sound Arts; Digital Visual Media (comprising 3DAnimation and Visual Effects); and Digital Graphic Design (emphasizing Broadcast Design and Motion Graphics.) Expression utilizes a professional accelerated program and students live and learn in the culture of digital arts for approximately 2.5 years. Each class is limited to a small number of students to insure excellent and hands-on learning and the student to computer ratio is one-to-one. Students are taught by and work with the best practitioners and equipment that the industry can offer. Expression’s close ties to top industry professionals provide students with real-world client projects, mentorship and internship opportunities and a top-rated career development track that has resulted in a 80+% placement rate for graduates. When graduates leave their Expression family behind, they are prepared to assume sought-after jobs in Silicon Valley, Hollywood, and other art and high technology centers around the world. Expression College is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Career Schools and Colleges of Technology, (ACCSCT).

Expression College for Digital Arts’ campus is located in an imagination-inspiring 85,000-square-foot building, at 6601 Shellmound St. in Emeryville, Calif., just across the Bay Bridge from San Francisco. For more information, please visit Expression’s Website at: www.expression.edu.

Contact:
Karen Wertman, Director of Marketing
Expression College for Digital Arts

Expression College for Digital Arts Website
www.expression.edu