Gmu Reccomended Game Design Course Plan

Does your middle school student have the passion to pursue a future career in coding, digital artistry, or game design? They have the chance to turn games into a game plan at the Envision Game & Technology Academy. There, they will learn from the computer game design pros in George Mason University's state-of-the-art labs, get hands-on experience while building the games they want to play, meet new people, and have fun!

About the Envision Game & Technology Academy

The Envision Game & Technology Academy is an amazing opportunity for your middle school student to pick up the latest next-gen game design technologies and skills. The courses, workshops, and simulations are taught by Mason's highly experienced game design experts, and were created specifically to challenge students abilities, showcase their creativity, and give them a solid foundation in game design and creation.

The Game & Technology Academy includes three courses to choose from:

3D Game Design and Entrepreneurship
Art, Modeling & Animation: Game Design and Beyond!
Virtual Reality Design & Development

Whichever course your students chooses, they will get real hands-on experience, gain valuable knowledge, meet new people, and have fun!

At the end of their time at George Mason, students put their creativity on display as they show off their original animation or game in an Indie Showcase to their fellow students and program faculty!

Get Your Game On

Virtual reality icon

Virtual Reality Development

The latest in graphic design and game technologies are literally at our students' fingertips!
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Art, Modeling & Animation

Students expand their creativity as they experiment with digital tools and create their own characters!
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3D Game Design

Students explore designing for another dimension and add depth to game play or animation with 3D!
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Program Highlights

The Future of Gaming

Students get their hands on the latest next-gen computer game design tools, software, and technologies. They'll work in state-of-the-art labs with the Unity and Unreal engines, and dive into the fascinating world of virtual reality programming.
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Game Design Gurus

Students take their gaming skills to the next level under the guidance of George Mason University's Computer Game Design faculty and experts.
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Game Changers

Students meet other game changers who have the same passion for technology and design. They will work together, bounce ideas off each other, and make friendships that could last a lifetime!
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Indie Showcase

At the end of the program, students demo their original animation, mobile app, or game to fellow students and program faculty during an Indie Showcase! LEARN MORE

Flexible Scheduling

Students learn on their schedule! The Game & Technology Academy offers convenient residential and day options. Both take place in George Mason University's cutting edge, state-of the art labs.
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ACT Engage Assessment

Use this unique assessment to create a personalize success plan that will enable you to prepare for success in high school, college, and beyond.
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Game Design Gurus

Dr. Scott Martin
Founder, Mason Computer Game Design Program

Dr. Scott Martin,
Founder, Mason Computer Game Design Program, Founding Director, Virginia Serious Game Institute ×

Dr. Martin is an educator, inventor, composer, entrepreneur, and mentor. He is the Founding Director of both the Mason Computer Game Design Program and the Virginia Serious Game Institute, a game and simulation focused start-up accelerator. Dr. Martin possesses education and research expertise in both the sciences and the arts, studying both Music Composition at the Peabody Conservatory, and Electrical and Audio Engineering at the Johns Hopkins University. At Mason, Dr. Martin has taught courses from philosophy, theory, and criticism, to audio engineering, digital arts, and business entrepreneurship. He is also a visiting fellow at the Serious Game Institute at the University of Coventry in England, and Editor-in-Chief of the peer-reviewed publication Journal of Computer Games and Communication (Macroworld Press). Doctor Martin sits on multiple for-profit and nonprofit boards in the Washington DC region, and holds several education technology-related patents. His areas of research include virtual inter-professional education and practice, game education pedagogical theories and structures, and next-gen K-12 distant education solutions and virtual pedagogical assessment.

Vera Lichtenberg
Founding Director, Mason Game & Technology Academy

Vera Lichtenberg, Founding Director, Mason Game & Technology Academy ×

Vera works closely with Mason Game Design Program faculty to develop courses and curriculum for K-12 students, to design teacher training programs for Middle and High School teachers, and to facilitate partnerships with local schools, community programs, and industry professionals. MGTA was honored with a 2015 Business Partnership of the Year Award by the Prince William County School System, for innovative school partnerships that provided student workshops and teacher training in Game Design and programming. In 2015, Vera was a finalist in the Small Business / Entrepreneur category for the 16th Annual Women in Technology (WIT) Leadership Awards. Vera brings to MGTA multiple established relationships in the mid-Atlantic region's technology, arts, philanthropic, and public and private education communities. She has over fifteen years of administrative and managerial experience developing major new organizations, building strategic and tactical partnerships, and managing multiple cutting-edge national and international projects. Her professional activities include several years designing and coordinating international training programs and policy briefings for the International Research & Exchanges Board, in conjunction with multiple U.S. government agencies including USAID, USIA, and the U.S. Department of State.

Sang Nam
Director, Mason Computer Game Design Program

Sang Nam, Director, Mason Computer Game Design Program ×

Sang Nam teaches technology-intensive courses in Computer Game Design at George Mason University. He holds an M.F.A. in Electronic Integrated Arts from NYSCC at Alfred University and a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Computing and the Arts and a B.S. in Molecular Biology from the University of California, San Diego. Nam's work metaphorically explores how technologies are used in various art disciplines and how people perceive these art products in various dynamics. Nam has explored new possibilities when art and technology merge, and his work has been exhibited worldwide, including the US, UK, Korea, and Hungary. As a teacher-scholar, Nam has actively pursued his research on the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning. He has been selected as 2010 National CASTL Teaching Scholar, 2010-2012 Elon CATL Teaching Scholar, and 2008 Wisconsin Teaching Fellow.

Eric Piccione
Assistant Professor,
Computer Game Design

Eric Piccione, Assistant Professor, Computer Game Design ×

Eric Piccione is Assistant Professor of Game Design. He has 20 years of experience developing video games for companies such as Sega, Activision, and Electronic Arts. He has launched games for mobile, PC, and console platforms, and served as art director for three massively multiplayer online projects. Eric has taught 3D animation at George Mason University and the George Washington University, and conducted workshops in visual storytelling and comic book design at the Arlington Art Academy. His approach is to adapt traditional art and storytelling techniques to the digital medium in a hands-on game development setting. He holds a BA in English from Western Michigan University, where he focused on graphic design, creative writing, and journalism. Before video games, Eric was an illustrator for comic books and various print media.

Gregory Grimsby
Assistant Professor,
Computer Game Design Program

Gregory Grimsby Assistant Professor, Computer Game Design ×

Gregory Grimsby, Assistant Professor in Computer Game Design, has 14 years of experience in computer game development. He has extensive experience in 2D and 3D artwork and creating textures, models, animations, and interface elements for various computer games. Mr. Grimsby has worked as a lead 3D Artist for Kesmai Studios and Bioware, where he most recently held the position of Art Director for 6 years. Projects have included work on games such as Air Warrior II, Aliens Online, Multiplayer Battletech: 3025, Dark Age of Camelot, and Warhammer Online. He earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a concentration in painting and drawing from James Madison University.

James Casey
Associate Director, Virginia Serious Game Institute

James Casey, Associate Director, VSGI, Assistant Professor of Computer Game Design ×

James Casey, Associate Director at VSGI and Assistant Professor Computer Game Design at George Mason, has over 12 years of experience developing video games. He has extensive knowledge in the production and live management of games, working on titles from Mythic Entertainment, Bioware, EA, and EA Mobile. James worked in a number of roles including customer service, design, content lead, and producer. The majority of his tenure in the industry was in the producer role with production experience on live and in-development titles. His portfolio of work includes such PC titles as Dark Age of Camelot, Ultima Online, Imperator Online, Warhammer Online: Age of Chaos, Warhammer Online: Wrath of Heroes, as well as the mobile titles Ultima Forever and Dungeon Keeper. In addition, James worked on a number of prototype projects and co-development titles for the studio and helped to lead the transition to mobile for the studio. He holds master's and bachelor's degrees in Business Administration as well as a creative writing minor.

Tuition

Tuition for the Envision Game & Technology Academy covers most of the expenses incurred during the program. Tuition DOES NOT cover transportation to and from the program. LEARN MORE

Scholarships

Envision offers a limited number of scholarships to qualified students each year based upon financial need, scholastic leadership, achievements, and other factors. LEARN MORE

Fundraising

Let us show you how other students use fundraising to cover some or all of their tuition costs. Make fundraising part of your personal success story. LEARN MORE

Payment Plan

You may pay in full today or choose to use one of our payment options.
PAYMENT OPTIONS AVAILABLE

Envision Game & Technology Academy FAQs

Who is the Envision Game & Technology Academy for?

This summer program is for middle school students interested in exploring the latest next-gen computer game design technologies and skills.

To attend Game & Technology Academy, students must be in grades 6–8 during the 2017–2018 school year.
What is included in tuition?

Tuition for theGame & Technology Academy includes housing (residential option only), on-campus meals, supervisory personnel, program materials, all program activities, site visits, aCertificate of Completion and local transportation during the program.

Transportation to and from home and the program location is NOT included in tuition . While attending the program, students will only need money for off-campus meals, souvenirs, snacks, and other incidentals.
How will students be supervised?
Student safety and well-being during the program is our highest priority. The program is structured so that students reside and work in a safe, controlled environment. They will be closely supervised by professionally trained staff, including advisors who serve as educational facilitators and chaperones, security personnel, operations personnel and a program coordinator.

For more than 30 years, Envision has achieved a stellar record of safely and successfully enriching the lives of students, providing them with superb educational experiences and professional supervision. Other Envision safety measures include:
- Greeting students at the designated airport upon their arrival and providing shuttle service directly to the program site, as well as providing shuttle service back to the airport on departure day (residential option only)*
- Maintaining a student-to-staff ratio of 17-to-1
- Providing same-sex rooms and same-sex floors for residential programs
- Requiring all students to attend all activities
- For residential programs, checking rooms nightly and ensuring that students remain in their rooms, and having night monitors in place to support students who may become ill or who have an emergency during the night
- Equipping all Envision team members with two-way communication devices
*There is a $70 nonrefundable roundtrip fee for shuttle service or a $35 fee for one-way shuttle service.
Where will students stay?
For the summer 2018 Game & Technology Academy program, students who choose the residential option are housed on the campus of George Mason University. Students who choose the day option will commute to and from George Mason University Fairfax, VA campus each day.
How many students share a room?
In the residential option, each room will house two to three students. Each student will have their own bed.
Can parents attend the program?
No. Parents or guardians are not allowed to accompany students during the program. Gaining independence, including experiencing new things on their own, is an essential part of the students' growth during the program. However, it is perfectly fine for family to travel with students to the program location and stay in the area while their student is attending the program.
Can a student requiring specific accommodations attend?
Yes.Envision by WorldStrides believes in working with families to accommodate student needs and encourages the participation of students who feel prepared to meet the academic, social, physical, and emotional demands of the program environment. We may be able to provide appropriate auxiliary staff and services to assist students as needed if notified in advance. We encourage families, guardians, legal representatives, or educators to contact the Office of Admissionsfor more information and to discuss particular accommodations before applying for enrollment in the program.
Do I need to make travel arrangements for my child?
Yes. Tuition does not include transportation to and from your home and the program location. We recommend that you make necessary travel arrangements only AFTER you receive confirmation that your child is officially enrolled.
Can special dietary needs be met?
Vegetarian options are always available. Kosher and Halal meals can be made available to you, provided the request is submitted prior to the start of the conference. When you complete the Student Information Form, you will have the opportunity to make special dietary requests.
What is the difference between the residential and day options?

Students have two options when enrolling in the Game & Technology Academy: a residential option and a day option.

Students who choose the residential option will work and stay on the George Mason University campus for the one-week program duration. In addition to the daily course work, lectures, and studio time, residential students will enjoy fun evening activities.

Students who choose the day option will return to the George Mason campus each day for course work, lectures, and studio time. The day option provides flexibility in scheduling and track choice. Day students enroll in weekly sessions, and can choose their course focus for the week.