Networking His Way to a Career

Tariq Ameen earned his Associate degree in animation from an art school in Pennsylvania. When he went on to get his Bachelor's degree, though, Tariq was looking for a school with more diversity of curriculum and more networking opportunities. He found it at IADT Tampa.

"The animation instructors at the [other school] and at IADT are both very knowledgeable and the physical resources are about the same. What I'm getting at IADT that I didn't at the [other school], however, is exposure to more fields," Tariq says. "The Academy isn't just art. My friends here are doing a wider variety of things and, through them, I am being exposed to more and have more resources to draw upon."

Tariq says it is nice to see animation doesn't stand alone. "I might need help from a fashion designer for some clothes for one of my animation projects, or there might be a digital production student who needs some help from an animation student. There is just so much networking here. It's nice."

Tariq isn't just networking with fellow students either. Although studying Computer Animation himself, he works at the Academy in the Interactive Media department, doing 3D graphics for two instructors, and has a handful of freelance projects that he gets through teachers. "This level of interaction and networking just didn't exist at the [other school] I went to."

IADT isn't just about networking for Tariq, however. "I am learning so many little tricks in class I most likely would not have picked up on my own," he says. "I'm really sharpening my skills here."

Tariq expects to graduate in a year and would love to direct animated films. He has plenty of industry experience–in between his Associate degree and starting at the Academy, Tariq worked for two years as a lead rigger, animation lead and modeling lead on the 20-minute film A Flight Into Memory–to go with his degrees.

"With a Bachelor's degree things can only get better…especially when the degree is coming with all the new contacts I've made at the Academy."