Sealund’s Serious Games Blog

I was honored to deliver the commencement address at the International Academy of Design and Technology’s annual Graduation Ceremony on Saturday, July 31st, 2010, at Ruth Eckerd Hall. The audience of IADT instructors, staff, student body and the graduates’ families and friends formed a sea of eager faces, and I hoped that I could inspire them onward into the wonderful careers ahead of them.

Sealund’s History with IADT

Over the years, Sealund & Associates has employed 20 IADT students as interns, contractors, and full-time employees. We’ve always been impressed with IADT students’ and graduates’ creativity, diligence and eagerness to learn new things. I told the IADT family assembled that day about our introduction to their students. We employ creative professionals to create graphics, 3D animations, and Virtual Learning Environments so that our training solutions are engaging and fun. We first learned about IADT because an IADT student wanted to intern at our company. It was love at first sight. Once we saw the first graphics and animation ideas, we were sold! As we got to know the instructors, we appreciated the way they encouraged the students to follow a methodology for their projects, including quality measures and timelines. That approach told us that IADT understands how the REAL WORLD operates. Since then, we have since offered several scholarships to students through competitions for 2D and 3D graphics.

IADT Graduates’ Shining Futures

I assured the graduates and their families that these graduates’ talents are being eagerly sought by a variety of businesses all over the world. The GAMING industry of video games is one of the fastest growing businesses in the world, earning revenue of over $20 billion in 2009. That means plenty of jobs for professionals like IADT students. Disney-Pixar’s UP brought in over $300 million. Avatar brought in over $750 million. You just put on your 3D glasses, sit back and be entertained. At Sealund, these 3D animators have designed training in 3D utilizing 3D glasses!

I advised the graduates to build their resumes through jobs at a variety of less famous companies before applying to Disney or Pixar, and I honored those who had already demonstrated the entrepreneurial spirit and started (or soon would start) their own contracting companies to offer their talent to a variety of clients. That’s what I did, and when you love your work, it usually works out well. Even when your business isn’t making double- or triple-digit gains every year, you still love the process and offer solid value to your clients, and eventually, your enthusiasm, determination and hard work will bring you a fulfilling life and a successful career that enables you to give back to the community that sustained you.

So, whatever career you build for yourself, FAITH in yourself and your advisors, HOPE for the future that lets you take the necessary risks, and CHARITY toward your professional and social community will ensure you a happy and fulfilling career.

What do you think? Please share your comments.

We all make New Year’s resolutions – and more often than not, we break them. After all the holiday meals, we often resolve to reduce our weight and increase our exercise habits. How about reducing the weight of your debts and boosting your financial muscle? If you’d like to improve your personal financial habits during the coming year, Alaris Financial Literacy™ can you actually keep that resolution. The innovative Alaris Financial Literacy custom-designed curricula arm you with the personal financial knowledge you need to strengthen your personal finances!

Beef Up Your Financial Knowledge Wherever You Are

In the comfort of your own home, you can experience the Alaris Serious Games approach to interactive learning for the most effective comprehensive personal finance courses.

These innovative and highly interactive courses are available in a highly flexible and customizable format, 24/7, in the privacy of your own home or other secure environment via your own communications devices – laptop, iPad, or cell phone.

In the Virtual Learning Environment course, 3D avatars you choose will help guide you through the games technology that makes learning about personal finances fun. And you’ll practice using tools like handy calculators get you ready to apply what you learn in real life.

Best of all, the Alaris Financial Literacy curricula are available online and won’t break the budget for your personal household or for your company as a resource for your employees.

What do you think? What do you need to know most urgently for your financial health – budgeting, debt reduction, identity theft? Please share your comments.