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Communications Design offers students a diverse set of creative and technologic skills that provide entrée into a broad range of employment opportunities, which are expected to experience an average of more than 17% growth in the near future.

Graduates of the program will be prepared for entry-level positions in advertising, motion and broadcast graphics, web design, book and magazine design, package design, corporate branding, information visualization, interactive design, exhibition and retail design, architectural and environmental graphics, apparel design, and instructional technology.

Among the many advantages of using a communications design strategy in a range of professions and industries is that it forms the foundation for the practice: organization of information is the first step in designing any communication, especially if it has visual and auditory components.

Communications design provides the ability to identify, research, evaluate, and solve problems; create prototypes; apply relevant tools and technologies; understand basic business organizational practices; and apply an understanding of design history.

This program prepares students for the broad field of communications design while allowing them to expand their knowledge in one or more areas through course groupings that provide the opportunity for depth.  Students who choose the bachelor of arts in communications design may elect to focus on instructional design, or add courses in video production, or multimedia journalism. Portfolio, senior project, professional practice, and an optional internship assure that students receive hands-on experience in their chosen area of communications design and enter the workforce with marketable skills and an interview-ready portfolio.

Computer Information Systems provides a degree in an industry that includes the top-eight growth jobs over the next eight years (Bureau of Labor Statistics). Students majoring in the bachelor of science in business administration’s computer information systems (CIS) concentration will have leading-edge tools and techniques in their grasp (MSDNAA, Rational Suite Enterprise, IBM products, and Oracle), as well as a solid foundation of business skills.

CIS students establish a robust foundation that prepares them to pursue either a business career with a strong understanding of how technology facilitates achieving business objectives, or a technology career with a strong understanding of how business objectives drive information systems toward achieving business goals.

Information systems (IS) is the use of computers and information to enable people and organizations to be more creative and productive.

Students learn to:

• identify the needs of an individual or organization
• design and develop systems to meet those requirements
• deploy these systems to solve real-world problems

These solutions can involve applying the latest technology to improve the delivery of products and services, while insuring that the systems are secure.

Students will take four additional courses in an area of specialization.  Current courses in the areas of project management and information security are available.  Students have the option of taking other approved program electives.

For more information on these, or any Becker College academic programs, contact 508.373.9400 or admissions@becker.edu, or visit http://www.becker.edu/admissions/.

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The bond between human owners and their pets may be affecting the health of both, especially when it comes to diabetes, high blood pressure, and other illnesses associated with obesity.

In the veterinary sciences field, we have observed that the epidemic of overweight humans is being mirrored in the population of pet cats and dogs. Obesity is just as threatening to the animals as it is to their owners, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Center for Veterinary Medicine.  Diseases being diagnosed in animals that are obese “are eerily similar to those reported for people,” according to the center, citing an annual study by the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP).

Fat owners, fat pets? It has long been observed that dog and cat owners often resemble the dogs and cats they own. In 2009, a scientist in England issued a study in which 70 subjects were asked to match pictures of 41 dog owners to one of several breeds. They were able to match successfully more than half the time, far better than chance. Why? Because it’s true: Many people look like their pets.

Norman Rockwell, the artist famous for his series of Americana paintings featured on Saturday Evening Post covers, did not need a study to understand how pets and owners reflect each other. He painted a group of dogs and their look-alike owners in 1952, in his famous work “Waiting for the Vet.”

But the resemblance is now being found to extend to problems like obesity and the diseases it can cause, potentially affecting millions of Americans and the animals they love.  More than half of all American households have a companion animal, for a total of 77 million dogs and 93 million cats.  There are more dogs and cats in households than children, in addition to 75 million small mammals and reptiles and millions of aquarium fish. Pets are family members, and we often treat them as loved ones with all the benefits of a great home life. But our pets are, sadly, falling victim to one of the biggest health issues facing their human owners.

Obesity is a leading epidemic in the United States, for humans and for pets. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that during the past 20 years there has been a dramatic increase in American obesity, and rates remain high. More than two-thirds (68.8 percent) of adults are considered to be overweight or obese. More than 1 in 20 (6.3 percent) have extreme obesity. Almost 3 in 4 men (74 percent) are considered to be overweight or obese, and the numbers are relatively the same for women.

Guess what? Similar trends hold true for our pets. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, obesity is the most common nutritional disorder in the dog and cat. The latest nationwide survey, conducted by the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP), found 53 percent of adult dogs and 55 percent of cats to be classified as overweight or obese by their veterinarian. That equals over 100 million pets that are too heavy, according to veterinarians.

A central part of the problem, APOP found, is the growing “fat pet gap.” Many owners are unaware that their pets are overweight. The new normal is fat and, in many cases, the problem correlates to the obesity epidemic among people. The FDA sees the pet as the sentinel for childhood obesity. When we see dogs that are overweight, we essentially should see a child that’s at risk for excess weight. Think about the lifestyles of many of our young people, and then we can readily see how their pets are emulating those lifestyles.  If a child is playing video games all day, the dog isn’t outside playing. Rather, the pet is sitting at her feet or on the sofa. If the child is lying around snacking on high-calorie treats, chances are the dog is sharing in those same excess calories—and is also likely to get something from the dinner table.

What can we start doing in May—National Pet Month—the perfect occasion to begin decreasing the risk of disease and improving the overall health and wellness of both ourselves and our pets.? Just as humans who are striving to improve their health can benefit from partnering with others, so too can we partner with our pets. Make May a time to resolve to change your unhealthy habits, and those of your pet. Get outside with your dog. Go for a walk or play fetch. Run around the house with a feather on the end of a lead with your cat. Take an unflinching look at your lives TOGETHER.

Rather than sit together, play together. Exercise together. Eat right together. Picture a healthier you looking fit and trim, and do the same with your dog, cat, or other favorite pet. Make your new normal—and that of your pet—healthy.  And, as in the Norman Rockwell painting, make sure to visit your veterinarian so you can receive the guidance and assistance you both need to embark on a healthy mission together.

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Ebenezer Crafts (1740-1810) and Jacob Davis (1741-1814) co-founded Leicester Academy in 1784 and went on to found the Vermont towns of Craftsbury and Montpelier, respectively. Educator and entrepreneur E. C. A. Becker (1855-1907) founded Becker’s Business College in 1887 and introduced to Worcester the latest technology (the typewriter) and business practices of the time. Today’s Becker College traces its history from the union of those two Massachusetts educational institutions.

Robert E. Johnson, Ph.D., the tenth president of Becker College, established the President’s Medal, which is awarded at the sole discretion of the president to an individual or organization whose contributions have had a far-reaching and positive influence on the Becker College, in our communities, across the nation, or around the world.

“The history of Becker College is intertwined with the history of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts,” says President Johnson. “It is only fitting that we honor our founders—two Minutemen who founded one of the first academies in Massachusetts, with a charter signed by Samuel Adams and John Hancock, and one an innovator in business education—on this 225th Commencement Anniversary. Their entrepreneurial spirit formed the strong, enduring foundation which today ensures that the education Becker College delivers is relevant, connected, and engaged in our global society.”

The President’s Medal honors those who exemplify the ideals represented in the college’s vision, mission, and core values—globally focused and grounded in the responsibility of an educated person to not only seek personal and professional success, but also to contribute to a greater good.

The President’s Medal features a global citizenship motif—a hallmark of Dr. Johnson’s presidency that was first introduced with his inaugural medallion in September 2011. The image of the world is spanned by the words Becker College, symbolizing the College’s focus on and commitment to delivering to the world highly educated, responsible citizens who are prepared to thrive, contribute to, and lead in a global society. Laurel leaves, which are also part of the design on the college’s seal, encircle the medallion and reflect the ancient Greek tribute of using laurel leaves to form a crown of honor for scholars, heroes, and others of renown and significance.

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The resolution read, in part, “I, Mayor Joseph M. Petty, do hereby proclaim the City of Worcester, as ONE City. I encourage everyone to recognize the devastating impact extreme poverty and preventable disease have globally and to take action in our local community to bring about change around the world.”

ONE at Becker College finished the 2013 ONE Campus Challenge, an intercollegiate competition that mobilizes students to educate others and advocate for global aid funding, in seventh place nationally and first in New England, among 100 other colleges. View the ONE Campus Challenge top 25 colleges and universities.

The Becker chapter was also recognized with a Community Engagement Award from the Colleges of Worcester Consortium, which was presented to Crowley, Syner, Buck, Trent Gibson ’14, and ONE at Becker founder Rebecca Corbett ’97 ’12.

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Honor society inductions took place at a ceremony on Sunday, April 21. Thirty-six students, representing the top 10 percent of full-time juniors and seniors, were inducted into the Alpha Chi Honor Society. Of the Alpha Chi members, 16 were inducted into the Theta Chapter as Models of Excellence, having maintained a place in the top 10 percent of their class for both their junior and senior years. More than 75 high-achieving freshmen swelled the ranks of Alpha Lambda Delta, an honor society for first-time, full-time college students, with a 3.5 GPA during their first semester.

Yet to come are a number of additional awards earned by graduating seniors, to be awarded at the College’s Honors Convocation, Friday, May 10, on the Leicester Campus. In addition to two of the College’s highest awards, the Samuel May Award and the President’s Award, top honors will be presented to seniors in the 27 traditional and accelerated academic majors and concentrations, and 105 seniors who are graduating with honors—about 30% of the Class of 2013—will be recognized.

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“This has been an amazing year for Becker College’s game design programs, and recognition by The Princeton Review for the fourth consecutive year speaks to the expertise of our faculty and the knowledge and skills that our students are building,” says Robert E. Johnson, Ph.D., president of Becker College. “It confirms the value of our game design program in offering relevant course work and the real-world preparation that is valued by students and employers. We are confident that partnerships created through our affiliation with the Massachusetts Digital Games Institute (MassDiGI) will continue to build on our success and set the standard in digital games education.”

Robert Franek, The Princeton Review’s senior vice president/publisher, noted the burgeoning interest among students in game design and the exceptional study options available from specialized college majors to concentrated graduate degrees. “We salute the schools on our 2013 list for their commitment to this professional field.  We hope our project will guide students considering careers in game design to schools best for them on our lists and on to companies at which they can apply their creative ideas and skills for the next generation of game players.”

“It’s a great honor for Becker College to be the only school in New England to have been named to Princeton Review’s Top Undergraduate Schools to Study Game Design list every year for the last four years,” says Paul D. Cotnoir, Ph.D., director of design programs at Becker. “To be consistently regarded so highly among some very tough competition speaks very well of our innovative and engaging video game curriculum, our faculty, and most of all, our talented students.”

Cotnoir went on to describe the elements that add to the value of the Becker programs, “I feel that Becker’s standing in this regard is due in large part to its cutting-edge game design curriculum, which allows students to choose a variety of specializations including programming, 3D modeling, sound design, and story development. Add to all of this the groundbreaking impact Becker has had on the video game industry with the Massachusetts Digital Games Institute, and you have a hard-to-beat formula for success.”

Alumni of the game programs at Becker have gone on to work for numerous entertainment companies such as Harmonix, Blizzard, Demiurge, and Blue Fang Games, as well as in other digital technology applications for Courion Corporation, John Hancock, Meditech, Oracle, the Santa Ana Police Department (Calif.),  The Internal Revenue Service and the United States Army.

Becker student-created games are in use by the UMass Medical School-City of Worcester Mobile Safety Street Bus, Old Sturbridge Village, and the Danforth Museum, with similar projects in the works for the Worcester Historical Museum, Worcester Youth Center, and the Why Not Stop Project. Students have also shared their skills with the Easter Seals and Center for Living and Working’s Tech Savvy Group and helped build game development communities in local public high schools.

Student work will also be showcased at the Becker College booth at the game conference and exhibition, PAX East, now in its fourth year in Boston, March 22-24 at the Boston Convention Center.

The Princeton Review, one of America’s best-known education services companies, compiled the 2012 list, which names 10 undergraduate and 10 graduate schools in ranked order (1 to 10) and 22 undergraduate and 8 graduate schools as Honorable Mentions.  The list is published on The Princeton Review’s website. Criteria for The Princeton Review’s school selections covered the quality of the curriculum, faculty, facilities, and infrastructure. The company also factored in data it collected from the schools on their scholarships, financial aid, and career opportunities.

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A game developed by UMass Medical School (UMMS), the Massachusetts Digital Games Institute (MassDiGI), and Becker College was voted Best in Show at the Serious Games and Virtual Environments Showcase at the 2013 SSIH International Meeting for Simulation in Healthcare in Orlando, Fla., on Tuesday, January 29.

“We are very excited, pleased and proud to have received this recognition,” said Michele Pugnaire, MD, UMMS senior associate dean for educational affairs and professor of family medicine & community health. The interprofessional Center for Experiential Learning and Simulation (iCELS) at UMMS played a key role in the game’s development.

The training, communication, and assessment game, titled “On Call,” simulates an Emergency Department and is designed to be played by medical and nursing students.  The multiplayer, asynchronous game allows students to use social or Facebook-style game mechanics to play different medical team roles in a fast-paced setting. Students have an opportunity to “virtually” assess, evaluate, and treat patients while balancing factors such as time, efficiency, and resources.

“By combining gaming technology with medical education, ‘On Call’ represents a special opportunity for innovation in simulation,” said Melinda Taylor, senior engineer in simulation at UMMS.

“On Call” was built by students from Becker College, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Springfield College, Mt. Holyoke College, and Berklee College of Music, with support from UMMS experts and game industry professionals during MassDiGI’s 2012 Summer Innovation Program at Becker College in Worcester, according to MassDiGI Executive Director Timothy Loew.

Loew said the “On Call” game will enter a closed beta testing period next semester, allowing for further data to be gathered. With data in hand, the partners plan to continue the development and commercialization process.

“Not only was it a fun project to be a part of,” said Barbara Walsh, MD, UMMS assistant professor of pediatrics, “it was great to work with game designers, artists and programmers.”

“Building ‘On Call’ was a great experience for me and everyone on our team,” said Cordell Zebrose, a Worcester Polytechnic Institute student who worked on the game.

“As we know from our experiences and outcomes at UMMS, simulation technologies are having a positive impact across the healthcare professions on many levels. And, in the case of serious games like ‘On Call,’ we are eager to explore new opportunities,” said Dr. Pugnaire.

About the University of Massachusetts Medical School

The University of Massachusetts Medical School has built a reputation as a world-class research institution, consistently producing noteworthy advances in clinical and basic research.  The Medical School attracts more than $250 million in research funding annually, 80 percent of which comes from federal funding sources. UMMS is the academic partner of UMass Memorial Health Care, the largest health care provider in Central Massachusetts. For more information, visit www.umassmed.edu.

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