Timeline

May 28, 2004

Governor Jeb Bush and the state legislature approve a $4.2 million grant to start FIEA.

October 11, 2004

The Orlando City Council approves lease of the Expo Centre to UCF and agrees to contribute $4.4 million to renovate the building for use by FIEA and the School of Film & Digital Media (SFDM).

March 8, 2005

FIEA names EA vice president and chief operating officer Ben Noel as executive director.

July 26, 2005

FIEA hires new faculty members with substantial industry experience: Tom Carbone, technical director; Ron Weaver, research associate; Rick Hall, production director; Brian Salisbury, art director, and Michael Gourlay, Research Associate. Each bring decades of gaming experience from studios like Microsoft, Electronic Arts, Take Two Interactive and Disney.

August 10, 2005

FIEA's curriculum and program is approved as a fully accredited master's degree in interactive entertainment. The 16-month program teaches students how to become a producer, programmer or artists for industries like gaming, film and military simulation.

August 22, 2005

FIEA welcomes its inaugural class of 12 students to the state-of-the-art downtown campus.

November 2, 2005

FIEA's grand opening is attended by large group of politicians, industry executives and UCF faculty and staff who made FIEA possible. UCF President John Hitt, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, Orange County Mayor Richard Crotty, Representatives David Simmons and David Mealor, and Senator Lee Constantine are all in attendance.

At the opening, President Hitt announces that FIEA has entered into an agreement with Microsoft that allows students to use Xbox Development Kits as part of their educational training. It's the first time Microsoft has licensed the use of the Development Kits to a school and the agreement is worth an estimated $1 million.

January 9, 2006

FIEA enrolls 17 more students in its spring cohort, bringing the total number of graduate students enrolled to 29.

February 22, 2006

Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer announces in his State of the City address that part of the Orlando Marriott hotel adjacent to the SFDM will be converted into dorms that will eventually provide living space for more than 300 UCF SFDM students.

August 11, 2006

The first expansion of the SFDM building is completed, providing classroom and workspace for more than 90 graduate students.

August 21, 2006

FIEA welcomes 36 new students into the program, including undergraduates from Princeton, Boston University and Ringling School of Art and Design.

August 22, 2006

Electronic Arts celebrates the launch of its flagship sports product, Madden NFL 07, at FIEA. More than 100 EA employees, FIEA staff, students, politicians and media get a demo of the new Madden features as well as sneak previews of upcoming releases NFL Street and Nascar 07.

August 20, 2007

FIEA welcomes 33 new students into the program, including undergraduates from Morehouse College, University of Michigan, SUNY, Ringling School of Art and Design and UCF.

September 2007

The new build-out of the SFDM building is completed and includes a 100-seat teaching and performance auditorium and gives students and the community access to full sound, motion capture, art and audio studios.

October 2008

The SFDM building is renamed the Center For Emerging Media and will house an increasing number of students, disciplines and programs.

Awards

November 15, 2005

July 6, 2005

Florida Economic Development Council
2005 Large Market "Deal of the Year" Award

April 20, 2006

Downtown Orlando Partnership
Gold Brick Award of Excellence

April 25, 2006

CoreNet Global (Professional association of corporate real-estate executives)
2006 Economic Development Leadership Award for Major Projects/Deals