Champlain College launched its new Emergent Media Center on 10/21 at the Champlain Mill in Winooski.  The EMC focuses on the power of electronic games and social networking, and the power of innovation that these two industries are bringing to our world today. 

During the afternoon, the Center opened its doors to the press and public to show off the new lab being unveiled, allowing visitors to interact with the students and discuss the projects that they are working on, including everything from: an electronic game aimed at boys in developing nations to prevent violence against women which is funded by the United Nations Population Fund, to a breathing exercise game targeted at those with cystic fibrosis and funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.  The EMC has also worked on projects for IBM, Google Earth and America’s Army.  Below are a couple of photos from the EMC lab.

The open house was followed by a dinner that attracted a number of people from the gaming industry based in Boston and Montreal, including visitors from Linden Lab (Second Life) and EA Sports.  Speakers from the dinner included the director of the EMC Ann DeMarle, Agency of Commerce Kevin Dorn, and Governor Douglas.  The vision for the Champlain Mill is to have a one-time woolen mill to be revitalized as a gaming and software incubator, with the EMC as an anchor tenant.  Ann positioned Burlington as a key geographic locale in the corridor between Montreal and Boston, and Champlain College as a premier serious games learning institution right here in our backyard.

To learn more about the Emergent Media Center, and the great things going on at the Champlain Mill, please click here: Emergent Media Center.