The academic ecosystem A guide to Orlando’s themed entertainment academic programs interviews by Judith Rubin
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olleges and universities now recognize “themed experience” as an academic field, and today some 20+ institutions are listed on the website of the Themed Experience and Attractions Academic Society (TEAAS, teaacademicsociety.org), benefiting students and the industry with tailormade programs that produce highly trained and educated candidates. As an international hub of the industry, it is fitting that Orlando has its own vibrant and diverse cluster, a unique themed entertainment education ecosystem with options to study themed experience design and production, project management, and hospitality management at both undergraduate and graduate levels. One of the pioneers of this realm is Peter Weishar of the University of Central Florida. For this roundtable, Professor Weishar brought together colleagues from several Orlandoarea institutions to share details of their programs. “We are all passionate about the industry and training the next generation of themed experience designers and managers to benefit its future,” says Weishar. “We collaborate with one another, from guest speaking in each other’s classes to sharing books and curriculum concepts. We come together annually at the Themed Experience and Attractions Academic Symposium, held the last day of the Orlando IAAPA Expo.” On the undergraduate side, the Ringling College of Art and Design offers an Entertainment Design degree and the University of Central Florida (UCF) Rosen College of Hospitality Management offers a Theme Park and Attraction Management degree track or certificate. For graduate degrees, UCF offers a Master of Science (M.S.) in
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Students learn onsite at Ringing College.
Themed Experience as well as a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) track in Themed Experience. The University of Florida (UF) has an M.S. in Architectural Studies with a concentration in Themed Environments Integration in their CityLab-Orlando. UCF Rosen College also has an M.S. in Hospitality & Tourism Management. In addition to Professor Weishar, we heard from Jamie DeRuyter (Ringling College), Dr. Ady Milman and Dr. Carissa Baker (UCF Rosen College), and Steven Grant and Stephen Bender (UF). Tell us about your background and credentials. Jamie DeRuyter: My background is in animation and visual effects. When I got the chance to intern at a small media company in Orlando working on theme park attractions, my mind was blown. Pixar and the movie industry was my original goal, but this industry really captured my attention and imagination. I am a faculty member in several disciplines at Ringling College. Ady Milman: My background includes teaching, research and publications in the fields of theme park and attraction management, marketing, strategic management, and hospitality and tourism. I have been affiliated with several international universities and developed the Theme Park and Attraction Management curriculum at UCF. I was a Disney Sabbatic Professor and a two-time winner of the Fulbright Scholar Award in addition to other awards. I am a Professor in the Tourism, Events & Attractions Department.
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