EDMC - Graduate Success Stories

The educational environment and the ability to work with the latest technology was only part of my Art Institute experience. In addition to computer animation skills, I met many of the key people who have been instrumental in the development of my career. – Jordan Pitchon – Video Game Animator

>Home: >Programs & Campuses >Graduate Success Stories >Big Business

Character Animator Jordan Pitchon attended the Art Institute of Colorado to learn the tools of the animation trade. At Naughty Dog, Inc, a subsidiary of Sony Computer Entertainment, Jordan creates three-dimensional characters for video games. Since graduation, he has contributed to a wide variety of projects ranging from the Star Trek movie series to cartoon character Jimmy Neutron.

Firefighter Deb Talley, the captain of the Snohomish County Fire District One, outside of Seattle, has firsthand experience with the effect of stress among emergency workers. She enrolled in Argosy University’s graduate clinical psychology program. After completing her doctoral degree, Deb hopes to use her education to help fire, police and emergency personnel deal with the psychological effects of their job.

The psychology program at Argosy University ideally meets my needs. The schedule is flexible and the online courses are perfectly suited for people who hold full-time jobs. As a returning student, I was particularly impressed with the quality of Argosy’s instructors and support staff. – Deb Talley – Fire Chief

For Michael Kaschalk, the road from his small hometown to his job at Walt Disney Feature Animation in Los Angeles was paved by his visual communications degree from the Art Institute of Pittsburgh. As a 3-D effects supervisor, Michael created special visual effects for full-length feature films including Tarzan, Fantasia 2000 and Atlantis.

At the Art Institute, I was able to focus on my passion for art. Students were exposed to the latest technology and the instructors had a great attitude. With my degree, I had the confidence and the skill set to jumpstart my career. – Michael Kaschalk – Special Effects Animator


	As an enlisted aide to the Air Force Chief of Staff, Chef Stephanie Bryant serves both her country and many foreign dignitaries visiting Fort Myer in Arlington, Virginia. Stephanie earned her culinary degree from the Art Institute of Colorado while continuing to serve full-time in the military. She competes internationally as a member of the Army’s elite culinary arts team.

Robert J. Harmison, Ph.D., Department Head of Sport-Exercise Psychology at Argosy University in Phoenix, served as a consultant to the US Olympic Snowboard Team for the 2002 Olympic Games. A lifelong sports enthusiast, Dr. Harmison helped the athletes mentally prepare for their Gold Medal winning performance.

The growing field of sport psychology is expanding from the playing field to the board room. Teaching individuals to harness the positive characteristics that lead to successful outcomes is an important performance enhancement coaching tool. Performance enhancement, both within and outside of the sports arena, is a growing career track for psychology students. – Robert Harmison - Psychology Professor

Alfredo Claro traveled from Venezuela to The Art Institute of Atlanta to earn a bachelor’s degree in fine arts. In his position as a graphic artist for CNN en Espanol, a cable news channel for the Latino and Hispanic viewers, Alfredo creates images to enhance news stories on both the big and small screen.

My decision to attend The Art Institutes was driven by the enthusiasm of the faculty and admissions staff. As a student, we had access to the latest technology and lots of individual attention. As soon as I submitted my online application, I knew that I had made the right choice. – Alfredo Claro – Graphic Designer