UF Online’s Digital Arts and Sciences Program Fosters Lasting Mentorship

A shared passion for the digital arts and sciences

Both Silvey and Brown found their passion for the digital arts and sciences at an early age. 

“I think we all have that passion, as kids, for creation. We can spend hours working on something that you only see for two seconds because we feel like those little kids again during that process. Watching that come to fruition is very fun and fulfilling,” Brown said. “You can influence the perception and thought process of people just by digital creation, visualization, and storytelling.”  

After realizing his love for the intricacies of digital storytelling, Brown focused his efforts on giving back to the world and influencing people – particularly those with similar interests or backgrounds who may lack access – to positively impact their lives. 

Silvey’s favorite aspects of the digital arts and sciences field are videography and cinematography. Through Brown’s Motion Design class, Silvey re-established his passion for shooting his own videos and analyzing the science behind scene lighting, set production, and pre-production planning. He also incorporated new post-production and animation techniques to take his storytelling to another level. 

Silvey soon realized that his interests were not just in pre-production planning and working on sets, but also in how those processes are carried over and transformed in the field of post-production. 

“Virtual production is my absolute dream,” Silvey said.  

Like Silvey, Brown shares a passion for motion graphics and motion design because they are multimedia disciplines that incorporate graphic design, video editing, animation, visual effects, and sound. For Brown, telling stories through visualization is the key to his passion, with careful attention paid to how to best convey the messages.  

“You want to pick the digital mediums that serve the story and the demographic that will be interacting with it,” Brown said. “Like all the tools you have in a toolbox, you don’t want to use a hammer for everything. You want to use the best tool for the job or the infrastructure you’re trying to build.”

Impactful mentorship

Throughout the Digital Arts and Sciences program, Silvey met with Brown weekly for guidance on his final project. Silvey looked forward to their weekly meetings, always seeking advice and constructive feedback from his mentor. 

“I wanted to hear what he thought of what I had and what I could do differently, and also what my strengths and weaknesses were,” Silvey said.  

This mentorship empowered Silvey to win the Outstanding Achievement in Experience Design and Production award for his final project, which Silvey believes was heavily influenced by his meetings with Brown. The final project course, Senior Project in DAS, has received a “High Quality” designation from UF’s Center for Teaching Excellence – an accolade that highlights the course’s exceptional design and its focus on projects aimed at ensuring student success after graduation. 

Silvey found that many of the projects he created in the Digital Arts and Sciences program were not for a grade but to ultimately build a portfolio for his future career. Silvey’s portfolio class taught him how to collect and showcase finished projects for future employers, giving him the opportunity to polish the demo reels he made during his time at UF. 

Brown enjoyed witnessing Silvey’s upward progression throughout the program, which was propelled by Silvey’s hard work and dedication. As the program grows, Brown is focused on identifying and nurturing career aspirations earlier in students’ educational journeys. 

Teaching one of the earliest as well as one of the last required digital arts courses in the program allows Brown to track student progress from start to finish, helping more students like Silvey prepare to pursue their dream jobs after graduation.  

“I love to empower Jacob and other students,” Brown said. “I think, online, you must choose the way you want this program to work for you. As an online student, you must be more intentional, and there’s a very strong intentionality to build a relationship with your instructors and your mentors. Once that is built, the sky’s the limit as far as where it can go after that.”

Improving online education

Brown currently teaches six online courses in the Digital Arts and Sciences program, including Advanced Design and Production Studio (DIG 4552), Undergraduate Research Forum (DIG 4841), Motion Design (DIG 4184) in-person and online, Senior Project in DAS (DIG 4970) in-person and online, Principles of Digital Visualization (DIG 2121) in-person and online, and Production Practicum (DIG 4944). 

Production Practicum is the program’s most versatile course – a client-based, collaborative project for which Brown builds relationships with potential clients and employers who have specific project needs. Brown’s students in this class are currently collaborating with the University Athletic Association and the football team, doing virtual production for Gator Sports.  

The Digital Arts and Sciences program constantly explores and incorporates new technology to create better online learning experiences for students and instructors. Because technology is ever-evolving, faculty members frequently evaluate the best practices and methods in their coursework. The introduction of artificial intelligence has also encouraged instructors to consider new ways of reinventing online learning.  

Brown currently teaches an online course in which the navigation is structured like a video game, inspired by the class formats of UF Digital Worlds Institute interim director Tim Difato and lecturer George Heitzman. Brown’s hands-on courses require creative tech solutions, including real-time learning, engineering, and 360° videos that offer interactive experiences remotely. 

Brown’s goal is to provide online students with remote control of the program’s physical studio. For example, in a virtual production studio, one student can adjust the background remotely while another student handles the set design onsite. This hybrid collaboration blends technology with physical presence, and the program is close to implementing the concept in the classroom. 

Silvey believes UF Online’s innovative approach to Digital Arts and Sciences education – with its new and emerging practices – prepares students to be successful after graduation. 

“It’s been a great journey,” Silvey said. “But there’s still so much more left. My dream job is to be a virtual production director. I’m already in the environment where the roadmap to have that dream job is right there.”