UTech, Jamaica 2015-16 Annual Report

Page 103 University of Technology, Jamaica ANNUAL REPORT 2015-2016 Development Corporation. Over 40 Alumni were in attendance. • Facilitated the growth of the online Job Club on Facebook to foster networking among alumni, with interests in job search, personal, professional and business development content. Membership grew by 144 members from 400 to 544, representing a 36 % increase. • Facilitated support network for alumni with various needs, the most common issue being unemployment. Connecting Alumni to the Student Body • Supported the Student Services/Alumni Relations joint coordination of the University’s Mentoring Programme, and successfully promoted the programme resulting in over 100 active mentors, representing professionals from the public, private and non-government sectors. The University’s mentor cohort also includes a strong contingent of Alumni. CENTRE FOR THE ARTS (CFA) The Centre for the Arts (CFA) is the cultural hub of the campus. The Centre offers training in the Visual and Performing Arts through elective and extra-curricular programmes. Voluntary membership of the Art and Theatre Ensemble affords would-be singers, dancers and thespians the opportunity to receive training from top-class professionals and to perform at important university events, and, on occasion, external cultural events. Visual and Performing Arts Programmes Increased Enrolment and Participation The Centre for the Arts continues to attract a number of students and staff to its visual and performing arts programmes, registering over four hundred (400) participants for the 2015/2016 academic year. The collective number of elective students in music, drama and dance increased from eighty-two (82) students in 2014/2015 to one hundred and nine (109) students for the school year. As part of their overall assessment in the programmes for the year, students performed at over 20 University events to include the Long Service Awards, Student Orientation 2015, Joan Duncan Memorial Lecture, Presentation of Graduates, Class of 2015 and Carols in the Park. Members of the UTech, Jamaica Instrumental Band Delivery of Visual Arts based courses for new Animation Programme The Cent r e has expanded its academic por tfolio through its collaboration with the School of Computing and Information Technology (SCIT) to deliver foundation drawing courses for the Bachelor of Science Animation Programme being offered by SCIT that commenced August 2015. The Life Drawing & Practices, 2D Dimensional Drawing and Advanced Figure Drawing modules were written and are being taught by CFA tutor, artist