On Aug. 13, BRF’s Digital Media Institute (DMI) celebrated its 10th anniversary with alumni, students, staff and friends.

Guests toured the DMI campus, located in BRF’s InterTech 1 building, met with DMI staff to learn more about the school and enjoyed digital media style entertainment. Activities included a virtual reality (VR) station outfitted with video games, a 360-degree photo booth and a raffle.

DMI was founded in 2014 with the mission to deliver high-caliber training taught by industry professionals in a state-of-the-art environment and enhance workforce development in the area of digital media. DMI recently expanded to online education in addition to in-person and offers its classes to students across the United States.

“Today’s businesses are adapting to the expanding digital world, and what they need are highly trained workers who are already knowledgeable in the software used in the field. BRF’s Digital Media Institute fills a workforce need by preparing skilled workers with everything they need to be successful in their chosen fields,” said John F. George Jr., BRF President and CEO.

DMI’s central focus is its Digital Animation and Visual Effects certificate program. The one-year accelerated program model is the only one of its kind in the region and allows students to get quality, rapid training in a professional environment. DMI’s online learning platform, tolearn.dmi.edu, offers asynchronous courses where students can learn at their own pace.

“At DMI, we are constantly evolving. In the past year, we’ve implemented a new, innovative way for prospective students to take our classes, with open registration multiple times a year. We don’t just teach the software needed to work in the field of digital media, we also teach industry mindset,” said Greg Nelson, DMI Academic Director.

DMI alum Yolanda Jackson talked about the impact the school has had on her life, “I’m incredibly proud to be a DMI graduate. This school gave me more than just an education, it equipped me with the tools, confidence and vision to succeed. It has equipped me to think critically, adapt quickly and innovate continuously,” she said.

DMI alum Yolanda Jackson delivering a speech at DMI’s 10th anniversary event.

In the 2022-2023 fiscal year, 96 percent of DMI graduates were placed in digital media-related jobs. Graduates work in fields that utilize the highly adaptable skills they learned while attending DMI, and many are able to kickstart their careers at businesses in Northwest Louisiana, such as Troubled Muse Studios, or work remotely.

“As a part of our efforts to support the community of digital media professionals that we’ve built at DMI, we have significantly expanded the content of our YouTube channel. We now offer dozens of free resources that support the community we’ve built both online and in North Louisiana,” said Elizabeth Boitnott, DMI Operations Director. Check out DMI’s videos at https://www.youtube.com/@DigitalMediaInstitute.

To learn more about DMI and register today, visit dmi.edu. 

A video introducing DMI’s YouTube channel.