SUNNYVALE, Calif., April 21, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cogswell College, one of the world's leading regionally-accredited institutions offering a unique curriculum that fuses digital arts, engineering and entrepreneurship, today announced a college-level summer high school program for qualified juniors and seniors. Registration is currently open for the 12-week session that begins June 19.
The program is designed to allow high school students to explore fields such as animation, audio technology, software/computer programming and game development through programming and design classes while also securing WASC-approved college credits.
"The next generation of tech innovators will have to know some level of programming that will be used on a daily basis," says Abraham Chacko, executive director of admissions at Cogswell College. Chacko notes that many potential Cogswell students are from Silicon Valley with parents who work at established local tech giants such as Cisco and HP. "These students don't get excited about traditional engineering jobs," says Chacko. "They want to make animated films, create the next killer app or mobile game and work at companies like Disney, Pixar or Zynga."
High school senior Mitchell Ehrlich participated in Cogswell's summer high school pilot program in 2013 and is returning for more programming classes in June. He has been accepted to Cogswell where he will begin courses in fall 2014 with a scholarship.
"Mitchell knew he wanted to be a programmer but had no idea if he'd fit in at college," says Mitchell's mother, Pam Ehrlich. "We had researched other tech summer camps and this was the only one that gives you a real sense of what college is like. We felt we weren't wasting any time, and he secured real college credits."
Timothy Poozikala, the son of a top-notch Silicon Valley software developer and senior at The King's Academy, also participated in the 2013 pilot program where he enrolled in the Python programming class. Both of his parents were pleased with the experience and Timothy thought the professors were both positive and knowledgeable.
"The Cogswell summer program creates a tremendous opportunity for high school kids who may not have a clear path for college mapped out," says Timothy's mother, Ligi Poozikala. "This program gives these students direction while providing them with an environment in which they can find inspiration and support."
"The type of student that is attracted to Cogswell is one that has a deep passion for art, music or software and programming," says Chacko. "They are probably more like what The Big Bang Theory characters were like when they were in high school. The classes we are offering allow these students to see what kind of careers they can pursue by taking courses in Digital Animation, Python, HTML5, Audio/Music, and iOS mobile programming."
About Cogswell College
Located in Sunnyvale, Calif., in the heart of the Silicon Valley, Cogswell College is an accredited four-year institution of higher education with a curriculum that fuses art, engineering and entrepreneurship (http://www.cogswell.edu/academics/programs.php). As one of the Bay Area's premier colleges, its novel academic approach offers an integrated model that emulates the industry environment—a collaborative, project-based, learning approach that uses multidisciplinary teams to take projects from concept through the delivery pipeline.
Cogswell alumni have gone on to careers with Activision, DreamWorks, Disney, Electronic Arts, Pixar and Microsoft Game Studio as well as starting their own creative ventures.