The Hollywood Reporter is out with its annual list of the best 25 film schools in the country, and Ithaca College comes in ranked at number 18. This is the sixth year that the magazine — which bills itself as the most widely trusted resource for entertainment news, reviews and analysis — has assembled the list by consulting with academic experts, industry professionals and scores of film school alumni.
This is the third straight year Ithaca has made the list, and its highest ranking yet. Other institutions in the top 25 include the University of Southern California, American Film Institute and Columbia University.
Ithaca College’s film program is housed in the Roy H. Park School of Communications, and includes undergraduate degrees in cinema and photography; documentary studies and production; film, photography and visual arts; and writing for film, TV and emerging media.
Diane Gayeski, dean of the Park School, says that this recognition is especially gratifying because Park is more than just a film school, with programs spanning the full range of contemporary communications disciplines in media arts, entertainment, journalism and emerging technologies.
“The Park School offers both depth and breadth in its educational offerings,” notes Gayeski. “We’re proud to be included in the list of top film schools once again, proving that our approach to immersive and comprehensive training produces graduates who are prepared to tackle an increasingly complex territory in the communications industry.”
In its write-up on Ithaca, the Hollywood Reporter notes that some students are currently interning with NBC helping cover the Rio Olympics and that a new Innovation Lab, filled with 3D printers and eye-tracking devices, is set to open in the fall.
Alumna Nancy Daniels ’94, president of the TLC network, is quoted as saying, “My best friends in L.A. are IC grads. They’ve become my West Coast family.” Other industry alumni highlighted include Disney Chairman and CEO Bob Iger ’73, “Bones” actor David Boreanaz ’91 and television producer and director (“How to Get Away with Murder”) Bill D’Elia ’69.
For more information on the Ithaca College film program, visit www.ithaca.edu/rhp.