Assistant Professor Paul Lipsky wasted no time. On the first day of class, he told his computer graphics students that their work would be seen by a national television audience during the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s (NCAA) March Madness basketball tournament.

Lipsky, an award-winning animator whose work has been featured on ESPN, CBS Sports, the Disney Channel and HBO, knew the prospect of having their work televised was a huge inspiration to students. “It was the driving force behind their energy,” he says.

Doug Towey (B.F.A. ’72), creative director at CBS Sports, was the key to bringing NYIT and the NCAA together. Throughout the spring semester, Towey and Lipsky worked with the students to help them tailor computer animation designs to meet the NCAA’s requirements as the organization celebrated its 100-year anniversary.

One challenge was to transform the NCAA’s original 2-D logo into 3-D computer animation. Students were divided into six groups and developed concepts for the centennial celebration. The class then incorporated all of their creative ideas highlighting 100 years of the NCAA and its student-athlete history into promos that were featured during March Madness. Additional NYIT student pieces will be featured later this year.

“This was an opportunity that many graduate students do not get,” says Corinne Placella, who participated in the project. “Creating these animations added value to my resume and will ensure better job prospects.”

Her classmate, Erica Horning, agrees. “It was imperative that we gained real-world knowledge,” she says. “This class was a wonderful learning experience.”