Students and faculty at Penn State Fayette can tackle multimedia projects in a big way, now that the campus' new Digital Commons has opened. The Digital Commons gives the campus community a dedicated facility for filming, editing and creating videos, podcasts and other multimedia productions.
Bobby Salitrik, instructional materials designer and coordinator of the Digital Commons, explained, "It is critically important that students have access to contemporary technologies — including digital media — that will help them be competitive and give them an edge as they enter the career world. These facilities will help them maximize the technologies with which they are already familiar. It really complements their academic learning.”
Penn State Fayette’s Digital Commons includes a mini studio with a green screen, backdrops and studio lighting, two video cameras, a still camera, microphone and computer equipment for video and audio editing. Not only for student use, faculty members can use the Digital Commons to develop special lectures, online classes, and other applications.
"Most universities are adding media rooms like these to their campuses. Within the Penn State system the program began at University Park with the Studio 204 project several years ago. Since then, Penn State has been working to install digital commons facilities at all the Penn State campuses. Fayette's Digital Commons is the most recent installation," Salitrik said.
MaryAnn Walter, director of Penn State Fayette's Teaching and Learning Center, said, "Our goal is to provide students with lifelong knowledge and skills they can take with them. Through digital multimedia projects students can demonstrate learning and the ability to communicate."