Full Sail University Proudly Announces 13th Annual Hall of Fame Induction Class

WINTER PARK, Fla., Nov. 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Full Sail University is proud to announce the 13^th Annual Full Sail University Hall of Fame induction class comprised of six graduates recognized for outstanding contributions to the world of entertainment media and emerging technologies. The induction of this new class of honorees will occur during Full Sail's 13^th Annual Hall of Fame Week, scheduled to be held April 16-21, 2023.

Full Sail's Hall of Fame is a weeklong series of hybrid events featuring campus-wide and virtual offerings including:

• Guest panels, lectures, workshops, and hands-on technology demonstrations from leading industry experts, influencers, and companies.
• Career networking events focused on employment and mentoring for Full Sail students and alumni.
• Technology Expo showcasing the latest in emerging technologies trends and interactive experiences.
• Interactive Creative Challenges for students and alumni.
• Live musical performances featuring a variety of artists and genres.
• Gaming tournaments, film screenings and more.

Several events will also be made available to the public via online streaming. The week will include an induction ceremony to celebrate and recognize this latest class of inductees.

The inductees to be honored during the 13^th Annual Hall of Fame Week are:

Brandon Blackwell

• Title: CEO & Founder of Blackwell Productions; Front of House, Monitor & Broadcast Mixer, Author
• Brandon freelanced as Audio Engineer and Production Manager for Chew Entertainment where he worked with Music Director Ray Chew and his wife Vivian. During his time there, he mixed monitors for concerts and special events that included artist such as Patti LaBelle, Chaka Khan, Usher, Pharrell, The Isley Brothers, among others.
• Brandon founded Blackwell Productions in 2014 and mixed monitors for R&B artist Ne-Yo. He then went on his first tour with one of the most iconic female groups of all time, TLC, as the Monitor Engineer and Production Manager.
• Since starting his career, Brandon has worked alongside and mixed notable industry names like A$AP Rocky, Camila Cabello, Big Sean, Lizzo, 24kGoldn, Drake, P. Diddy, Beyoncé (Oscars), Baby Keem, Kendrick Lamar, and many more.
• In 2022, Brandon and his wife Ariel wanted to bring awareness to the talented yet small audio engineering industry by writing a children's book called, "The Beat in My Head." It is the first children's book focused on becoming an audio engineer.
• 2013 Graduate (Show Production)

Aaron Hamilton Cook

• Title: Producer at Bioware
• Aaron is a U.S. Air Force veteran and began working in the military and medical simulation sector of the industry on contracts for Defense Advanced Research Projects (DARPA), Office of Naval Research (ONR), Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), and various other agencies.
• In an ongoing effort to give back to the students and graduates at Full Sail University, Aaron dedicates time to mentoring students and graduates, as well as speaking to the Veteran student population, and incoming students.
• Additionally, Aaron has served several years on both the Gaming and Entertainment Business program advisory committees (PAC) at Full Sail.
• Some of Aaron's notable credits include Dragon Age: Dreadwolf, The Witcher 3, Dying Light, The Lord of the Rings, The Wizard of Oz, The Hobbit, James Bond, Wonder Woman, and the band The Dear Hunter.
• 2012 & 2013 Graduate (Recording Arts and Game Design)

Caris Baker

• Title: Senior Technical Artist at Unity Technologies
• Within the Artificial Intelligence Organization with Unity Technologies, Caris was responsible for designing and delivering synthetic datasets and synthetic dataset generators to train Computer Vision models.
• Previously, in her role at Walter P Moore, she designed, developed, and delivered Virtual Reality (VR) tools and experiences, and improved data transformation pipelines from CAD to Unity. She became a champion for VR for the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry through numerous public speaking engagements and co-authoring research papers.
• Early in her career as a Lab Specialist in Game Design and Game Development at Full Sail University, Caris cared deeply for the students and their experience. Today, she continues to be an advocate and mentor through her volunteer work. She has served on the Game Art Program Advisory Committee (PAC), and she has taken part in countless guest lectures and panels. 
• Caris volunteers as a Unity SME at game jam competitions benefitting the medical and military simulation industries. 
• Caris represented using game skills for practical applications on the 2021 Game Developer's Conference (GDC) panel "!Games: Technical Art Outside of Games."
• She demonstrates her passion for art in her indie development career and her sole proprietorship "Caris Captures," an illustration and caricature practice.
• In 2019, Caris was awarded her place in The Walter Day Collection of Video Game and Pinball Trading Cards for her contributions to global gaming culture.
• 2013 Graduate (Game Art)

Victor Herrera da Silva

• Title: CEO of Nuestra Visión and Founder & Managing Partner of ReadyAnt Studios
• Victor currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer for Nuestra Vision - a Spanish-language 24/7 television channel owned by América Móvil (NYSE: AMX), a Forbes Global 2000 company and leading telecommunications corporation, reaching millions of viewers in the United States through a network composed of over-the-air broadcast stations, MVPDs (DISH Network and DIRECTV), and digital live streaming services Sling TV, DIRECTV Stream, Televisa Univision's Vix, and Nuestra Vision's mobile app. The channel features the most important and prestigious library of Mexican movies, live sports, news, sports news, and special events.
• In addition, Victor founded ReadyAnt Studios, a full-service digital media, and marketing agency focused on the Metaverse, Advertising, Creative, and Business fields. ReadyAnt Studios serves partners and clients in various industries and also produces original intellectual properties with projects surrounding technology and creative areas, including virtual reality, augmented reality, mixed reality, marketing and advertising, business consulting, and creative content production such as mobile apps, game development, video production, motion graphics, and web development.
• Previously, Victor worked at Verizon Enterprise Solutions (formerly Terremark Worldwide, a publicly traded, multinational company, acquired by Verizon Communications). He backed the company's efforts as head of the Special Projects department and was responsible for the design, development, testing and launching of interactive virtual applications, 20+ video productions, and special project initiatives to solidify presence, increase sales, and expand market penetration with Fortune 100 companies, corporate initiatives, and compliance.
• Victor has been a member of the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences and had the opportunity to serve as Juror for the 2020 and 2021 International Emmy Awards competition.
• 2007 & 2019 Graduate (Game Development and Entertainment Business)

Devan Renea

• Title: Staff Writer for Warner Bros. Television in conjunction with the OWN Network and Founder of Boss Up Productions 
• After graduating from her third Full Sail University degree program, Devan was accepted into the Emmys' prestigious Television Academy Foundation Internship Program.
• She was later brought on as the assistant to the showrunner on shows from the Oprah Winfrey Network, and has worked as a writer's assistant for DC Universe, as well as a writer's assistant on Freeform.
• Devan is a staff writer on season 1 of the upcoming Warner Bros. TV-produced, OWN drama series entitled "Delilah," and most recently she served as the script coordinator for "Mike" the biography of Mike Tyson.
• In her personal life, Devan is an entrepreneur and advocate at heart. She is the owner and CEO of Boss Up Productions, a multi-platform production company, and a dedicated screenwriting instructor for Kids in the Spotlight, a nonprofit, filmmaking initiative for foster care youth. 
• Devan has served as the Board Co-Chair President of Black Employees of Warner Bros. and she is heavily involved in mentoring Full Sail alumni and has given back in classrooms, as well as being a panelist at campus and online events.
• 2012, 2013, & 2015 Graduate (Film, Educational Media Design & Technology, Creative Writing)

Jeff "Supa Jeff" Villanueva

• Title: Sound Designer/Recording Engineer at TyFy Studios
• Jeff's career spans every sector of the entertainment industry ranging from audio for TV/film, video games, concert tours, theme parks and attractions, and the music industry.
• To date, Jeff's work has contributed to over 110 million records sold worldwide and has earned him four Grammy Award wins.
• Some of his most notable work as an engineer/mixer has been with super Producer Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins, DJ Khaled, and The Runners of We the Best Music Group with artists such as Lionel Richie, Mary J. Blige, Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Usher, Mariah Carey, Drake, Rihanna and much more.
• Most recently Jeff's continued success and experiences have helped him cross over into the world of AAA gaming with titles such as Madden NFL 20 and NBA Live 19.
• Jeff currently works as an Engineer/Sound Designer for TyFy Studios adding his expertise to Walt Disney Parks & Resorts Worldwide with shows such as nighttime Fireworks Spectaculars, to the Walt Disney Animation Studios feature, Encanto, where he assisted in the recording of "We Don't Talk About Bruno."
• 1998 Graduate (Recording Arts)

Since 2009, Full Sail University has celebrated the now time-honored tradition that is the Full Sail University Hall of Fame. Its purpose is to acknowledge those graduates who have made outstanding contributions to the world of entertainment media and emerging technologies throughout the university's 40-plus-year history.

This honor serves as a tribute to the creative inspiration, technical brilliance, and determination of each inductee, their unyielding dedication to more than a decade of excellence in their professional career, and their heartfelt commitment to the students, faculty, staff, and alumni of Full Sail University.

Additional information regarding events and special guests will be announced closer to Hall of Fame Week. Please visit the official Full Sail Website for more details and follow @FullSail to join the #FullSailHOF conversation on Twitter.

Full Sail University is an award-winning educational leader for those pursuing careers in entertainment media and emerging technologies. Founded in 1979, Full Sail has received accolades throughout its over 40-year history, including most recently being featured on the 2021 "Top 50 Film Schools and Instructors from Around the World" list by Variety Magazine, named a 2022 "Top Undergraduate Schools to Study Game Design" by The Princeton Review, and previously recognized as the "School/College of the Year" by the Florida Association of Postsecondary Schools and Colleges. Full Sail University is a graduate and undergraduate degree-granting institution offering on-campus and online degree programs in areas related to Art & Design, Business, Film & Television, Games, Media & Communications, Music & Recording, Sports, and Technology. With over 84,982+ graduates worldwide, Full Sail alumni have worked on countless award-winning projects with individual recognition including OSCAR®, Emmy®, GRAMMY®, ADDY®, MTV Video Music Award, and Video Game Award honors.

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SOURCE Full Sail University