Many students have noticed the construction currently taking place on Capital University’s campus. Over the summer, crews broke ground for the new Convergent Media Center (CMC) that is generating lots of excitement across campus.
The CMC will become the new home for many of Capital’s academic programs, including electronic media and film, music technology, communication, professional writing, creative writing, journalism, marketing, studio art, and art therapy.
Extra-curricular programs moving into the CMC include CapTV, WXCU Radio, and the Chimes.
Director of the Electronic Media and Film program, Betsy Pike, is particularly excited for the opportunities the new CMC will bring.
“The electronic media and film program has been significantly growing in recent years. With the new studios, laboratories, and radio station, the Convergent Media Center will give more room for our program to continue to grow.”
New advancements in technology will enhance students’ experience and education as electronic media and film majors.
“For CapTV, the new two-wall cyclorama will be a great advancement,” Pike said. “A cyclorama is a white wall that covers the floor and its edges are curved. This allows the viewers to see no edges. The new L.E.D. lighting system and the white cyclorama will allow the walls to be filled with any color, which opens up many new possibilities in filming.”
In the laboratory there will be numerous Mac Pros, which will allow students to perform video editing on 2.5K and 4K footage.
Another program that will benefit greatly from the CMC is the music technology program.
Assistant Professor of Music Chad Loughrige is highly anticipating the opportunities that the CMC will provide his music technology students.
“The new recording studio will be twice the size of the currently facility we use. The Center will allow for larger classes for music technology’s 160 students. The four production suites and new performance recording spaces will expand our live-sound curriculum.”
The music technology program will maintain its current space in the Conservatory as well. This way the program can continue to serve the school in recording needs for performances in the Conservatory.
One particular technological advancement that the CMC will offer caught Loughrige’s attention.
“I am excited for the ability that we will have to be able to send sound from one room to another room in the building. Many of the rooms will be interconnected via Ethernet cables that will allow us to do this.”
The new building will allow for collaboration amongst different programs, specifically all forums of campus media.
“I hope the Center will help facilitate collaboration between the Chimes, WXCU Radio, and CapTV,” Pike said. “It will open new possibilities and direction for new media.”
Loughrige agrees with the vision for the building.
“We have a vision to collaborate with areas outside of our realm, for example music technology and business. A business background can play an important role for a music technology major and can lead to different career paths and allow students to branch out.”
The CMC is expected to be completed fall of 2016. Classes are set to be held in the building for the spring semester of that academic year.
