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Quote: "I can't do that. I would like to do it, but it has to be a legitimate business. I think they would laugh at me if I told them I was going to do an internship with myself."

Quote: "I would tell them to suck my you know what, and be successful by not laying down"

Quote: "Dear Craig,

Finding an internship is giving me more of a headache everyday. This is what I want to say to Jim Woods. Please let me know if there is anything you think I should add or take away. Please understand that I am not angry with you Craig. I just think Baker has this backwards. You and Randy are easily the biggest assets Baker has, and I value you both as such. But the system is broke and it needs to be fixed. All of Baker's animation students are paying for it, quite literally. And between you and me, a few students and I feel as though Jim Woods doesn't have a clue. We do not care of about stepping on toes or bureaucracy. We are easily the best class that has come through this program, and Baker should be bending over backwards for us if they really wanted to get their program off the ground. I do appreciate you and Randy thinking of ways to internship for Baker by means of creating an animation for the various departments. But at this time, I will have to refuse. While it is a good idea, and something that probably needs to be done, it does not give me the real world experience Baker's mission statement claims to give me, and it does not fulfill the purpose behind the internship.

Baker has had a few years now since the animation program has started to find connections in local business's for their CAP students and yet they still have nothing. I had a meeting with Career Services' new counsler Renee Goldsby last Friday and we talked about my resume and what exactly I wanted to intern as. She contacted Stardock Enterprises for me, a game development company near my house, but she says they are probably not offering internships at the time. She also tells me that she is doing more research for more companies in the area, whatever that means, and will get back to me soon. The funny part is, she keeps checking to see if I want to intern as a web developer some place. The answer is 100% no. While I am talented in the area, it is not anywhere close to computer animation. I am not going to Baker for web development, I am at Baker for computer animation. If Baker can not provide me with an internship, and I can't track one down on my own, I will not being taking this class as a required part of my degree, and if Baker doesn't adjust itself as such and allow me to graduate that way, I will transfer to a school where either an internship is not part of their degree or a school that has put in the effort to befriend local companies for internships. This whole internship thing is bogus. If Baker can't offer internships that focus on what I'm going to their school they shouldn't offer them. And if that means there is nothing for them to offer, then they should take it off the schedule rotation as a required class. Plain and simple, I will not be paying for this class and wasting my time if it leads me know where. The point of the internship is to get real life experience out there in the work force. As far as I'm concerned, Baker is not equip to do that for me.

I can name several other classmates who share a similar feeling as I do. I think it is wrong for them to think they have to lay down and take this just because Baker tells them so. This program is new, and I can extend grace to Baker while it's still working out the kinks. But this is one kink that seriously needs popping, and it's about time they did so.

There is also a class wide concern about what they have learned so far and how much we have not learned. Our knowledge is a mile wide but only six feet deep. I understand this is an associates degree in animation, but we should at least have an understanding of the things that are absolutely necessary for being employable. All of us feel at some level or another that even if we do happen to get an internship around here that we would not be cut out for the job. For example: We do not know how to rig a model, which is essential to animation. Baker definitely needs a Bachelors Program, but if this is how their Associates Program is structured, it doesn't stand a chance.

Please excuse my frustration.

Best regards,
Michael
"

Quote: "I will not being taking this class as a required part of my degree"

Quote: "Dear Craig,

Finding an internship is giving me more of a headache everyday. This is what I want to say to Jim Woods. Please let me know if there is anything you think I should add or take away. Please understand that I am not angry with you Craig, I just think Baker has this backwards. You and Randy are easily the biggest assets Baker has, and I value you both as such. But the system is broke and it needs to be fixed. All of Baker's animation students are paying for it, quite literally. And between you and me, a few students and I feel as though Jim Woods doesn't have a clue. We do not care of about stepping on toes or bureaucracy. We are easily the best class that has come through this program, and Baker should be bending over backwards for us if they really wanted to get their program off the ground. I do appreciate you and Randy thinking of ways to internship for Baker by means of creating an animation for the various departments. But at this time, I will have to refuse. While it is a good idea, and something that probably needs to be done, it does not give me the real world experience Baker's mission statement claims to give me, and it does not fulfill the purpose behind the internship.

Baker has had a few years now since the animation program has started to find connections in local business's for their CAP students and yet they still have nothing. I had a meeting with Career Services' new counsler Renee Goldsby last Friday and we talked about my resume and what exactly I wanted to intern as. She contacted Stardock Enterprises for me, a game development company near my house, but she says they are probably not offering internships at the time. She also tells me that she is doing more research for more companies in the area, whatever that means, and will get back to me soon. The funny part is, she keeps checking to see if I want to intern as a web developer some place. The answer is 100% no. While I am talented in the area, it is not anywhere close to computer animation. I am not going to Baker for web development, I am at Baker for computer animation. If Baker can not provide me with an internship, and I can't track one down on my own, I will not be taking this class as a required part of my degree, and if Baker doesn't adjust itself as such and allow me to graduate that way, I will transfer to a school where either an internship is not part of their degree or a school that has put in the effort to befriend local companies for internships. This whole internship thing is bogus. If Baker can't offer internships that focus on what I'm going to their school for they shouldn't offer them. And if that means there is nothing for them to offer, then they should take it off the schedule rotation as a required class. Plain and simple, I will not be paying for this class and wasting my time if it leads me know where. The point of the internship is to get real life experience out there in the work force. As far as I'm concerned, Baker is not equip to do that for me.

There is also a class wide concern about what we have learned so far and how much we have not learned. Our knowledge is a mile wide but only six feet deep. I understand this is an associates degree in animation, but we should at least have an understanding of the things that are absolutely necessary for being employable. All of us feel, at some level or another, that even if we do happen to get an internship around here that we would not be cut out for the job. For example: We do not know how to rig a model, which is essential to animation. Baker definitely needs a Bachelors Program, but if this is how their Associates Program is structured, it doesn't stand a chance. There should be less filler classes and more animation. There is an old saying that says, "Give a man a fish, he's fed for a day. Teach a man to fish, and he's fed for a life time." We are not being taught the things we need to be taught in order to sustain our career. There is no arguing about this. There is no hemming and hawing. Baker's animation program does not meet the requirements the industry currently has. I am not sure what model Baker has based it's program around, but it is missing the mark entirely on being that of employable skills. What the upper echelon of Baker thinks is quality work based off current student demo reels is, in actuality, no where close to being considered quality to any employer. If we showed that kind of work in a demo reel to a serious employer we would be immediately told no thank you. Were are your alumni now? How many have jobs that graduated from this program? How many have been successful in breaking into the industry? I have heard of one, maybe two that have done so. Out of how many? And how driven was this person? How much natural talent did they have? The current students in the program are very lucky to be as naturally talented as they are. I am actually very proud of my classmates. We are all driven individuals who have a passion for our education and our majors. We have taken education into our own hands and tried to fill in the gaps that are there because of these issues. But we are afraid that this isn't enough. We understand that we need to be able to figure things out on our own and do research on how to solve problems. But there are core things fundamental to getting to a job that we are not learning, and we are in panic mode because of it. It would be really nice to be formally taught the things that we need to know instead of paying Baker to be self taught.

I should have you know that my fellow classmates and I share a similar feeling. Below you will find the signatures of my classmates. We are trying to meet Baker half way in these matters. This program is new, and we can extend grace to Baker while it's still working out the kinks. It's not like we are coming out of the blue with this and complaining about these issues. We have been pointing out the problems that need to be fixed for quite some time now, but no one has listened to us yet except for Craig and Randy, and they can only do so much. I hope Baker takes this feedback with stride. Thank you for your time.

Best regards,
Michael"

Quote: "wasting my time if it leads me know where."

Quote: "I've seen interns at EA who had to relocate in order to work. I'm not sure if they helped pay for their moving expenses. It will be difficult for you to find an internship at a game studio without working onsite unfortunately. But that's what you'll have to do when you get out there after graduation and work, so it's good practice to be onsite working in a team environment."

Quote: "They said it was ok a year before I did. Then 6 months to go and I was looking forward to it and they changed there mind They should of said no streight away."

Quote: "Can you name one tech company that can tell you what they'll be doing in 6 months?"

Quote: "They should of said no streight away""

Quote: "Your still missing the point. You applied, they said yes, things changed "

Quote: "March 4, 2009

Reactor Zero
3741 Plaza Drive
Ann Arbor, MI 48108

Subject: Internship

Greetings:

I am currently a Computer Animation student at Baker College of Auburn Hills and will be finishing my Associates Degree next semester. I am looking for an internship, or entry-level position, where I can hone my abilities in 3D modeling and animation. I have an incredible passion for my work and am constantly driven to know more. I believe that Reactor Zero is the perfect place for me to learn and grow while providing my own personal touches of creativity and innovation.
In addition to taking courses at Baker, I was the founding member, and President of the schools first computer animation club. While at Baker, I was in charge of all club related tasks such as scheduling meetings, coordinating support sessions, and putting on various school-wide events. My excellent leadership and dedication continues to leave a lasting impression on the school, and is the model of excellence I wish to bring to Reactor Zero.
I hope that you will find my enclosed resume proof of how much of a valuable asset that I can be to Reactor Zero. My resume and portfolio shows that I have talent, drive, and determination. I would like the opportunity to meet with you to discuss my qualifications and discuss how I can be a contributing member of the team.
Sincerely,
Michael DeForge
14029 Brentwood Street
Livonia, MI 48154
Phone: 248-935-2734
E-mail: [email protected]
Enclosure
"

Quote: "Ann Arbor, MI"

Quote: "True but they should of said things change and that they could not guarantee I would get it."