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By Jeff Wilson<\/p>\nBy Jeff Wilson<\/p>\n
When Dean Hong Cheng looks at the College of Arts and Media (CAM)<\/a>, he sees opportunities and great potential.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are going to make our college a premier destination for prospective students,\u201d he said. \u201cWe want to be a leader, both nationally and internationally, in the field of arts and media.\u201d<\/p>\n To make these aspirations a reality, Cheng outlined how the college must embrace technology, value teaching, research, and creative activity, engage itself in communities, and remain mission driven.<\/p>\n \u201cIn CAM, we have a unique blend of artists, designers, performers, scholars, and writers,\u201d he said. \u201cWe must grow our visibility, integrate holistically, and provide a meaningful contribution.\u201d<\/p>\n Always the forward thinker, Cheng noted the impact that artificial intelligence will have not only on the world, but his college specifically.<\/p>\n \u201cAI is not just for STEM programs,\u201d he said. \u201cIt will impact everyone, and we in CAM are no exception. While more work is done by machines, creativity is much harder to replace.\u201d<\/p>\n We are in the beginning of a Feeling Economy, one in which the most valuable skills are things such as empathy, communication, establishing and maintaining relationships, and spreading influence. With six unique schools \u2013 Architecture, Art and Design, Journalism and Advertising, Media Arts, Music, and Theater and Dance \u2013 Cheng said the college will be at the center of this revolution.<\/p>\n \u201cAll six of the schools within CAM are distinctive,\u201d Cheng said. \u201cWe have a glorious past and an even brighter future. What we do is going to be more important than ever before.\u201d<\/p>\n Cheng knows what it will take to ensure CAM is a leader in all its fields. A much-anticipated, state-funded upgrade to the Communications Building, one of the college\u2019s major facilities, is just one step.<\/p>\n \u201cWe must elevate our facility,\u201d he said. \u201cWe must be able to upgrade our technology now, and once this building renovation is completed, we will need to fill those rooms with state-of-the-art equipment and space for interdisciplinary collaboration.\u201d<\/p>\n He is also dedicated to expanding professional development for faculty.<\/p>\n \u201cTo recruit and retain the best students, we must be able to recruit and retain world-class faculty,\u201d Cheng said. \u201cDoing that means funding travel and conference attendance. To increase enrollment, we must ensure we have the best people.\u201d<\/p>\n While he may be new to campus, Cheng is grateful for CAM\u2019s illustrious history and dedicated alumni base.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m so impressed by the achievements our schools and programs have made over the years,\u201d he said. \u201cThere are so many opportunities for our alumni to make a difference. We have naming opportunities all around us \u2013 from single rooms to the entire building to the college and its six schools. With the support of anyone who is passionate about arts and media, we can make great things happen.\u201d<\/p>\n To learn more about CAM, contact Lisa Knight, Director of Development, at 618-453-4719. To make a gift online, visit cam.siu.edu\/give<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" By Jeff Wilson When Dean Hong Cheng looks at the College of Arts and Media (CAM), he sees opportunities and great potential. \u201cWe are going to make our college a premier destination for prospective students,\u201d he said. \u201cWe want to be a leader, both nationally and internationally, in the field of arts and media.\u201d To … Continue reading Cheng looks toward CAM\u2019s bright future<\/span>