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n e w h a v e n b i z . c o m | M a r c h 2 0 2 2 | n e w h a v e n B I Z 25 APPLYING TO GRADUATE SCHOOL IS EASIER THAN YOU THINK! Meet individually with graduate faculty in more than 40 areas of study as well as student support services, such as Financial Aid, Student Accounts, and Career and Professional Development. REGISTER AT SOUTHERNCT.EDU/GRADOPENHOUSE THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2022 (In-person) FRIDAY, APRIL 8, 2022 (Virtual) SCSU_GOH_Spr22Ad_10x6.75.indd 1 SCSU_GOH_Spr22Ad_10x6.75.indd 1 2/23/22 7:50 AM 2/23/22 7:50 AM H i g h e r E d u c a t i o n UB's campus before the beginning of the fall semester. "We found our home down here," Bierbaum said. As part of the agreement, Paier ac- quired UB's nine-story Arnold Bernhard Center for Arts & Humanities, which houses a performing arts theater and dozens of classrooms and offices, the 140-bed Cooper Hall dormitory along with two additional buildings on the southwest side of the campus. "Last semester, a first in the history of the school was having students live on campus, which has just added a vibran- cy," Bierbaum said. Paier students are mixing with UB students, who live in nearby dorms, and they share the library, recreation and fitness centers, dining halls, health services, security and more. "Everything you'd want from a smaller college takes place in the classroom and everything you want from a bigger col- lege happens socially," Bierbaum said. Growth agenda rough the joint deal, Paier expanded its academic offerings by taking over UB's programs in industrial, graphic and interior design, digital marketing and communications, mass communications and marketing. e transition brought 120 new students into Paier, as well as former UB faculty. Paier's enrollment has climbed to 246 students this semester, its highest ever. Administrative staff combined with faculty numbers around 100, com- pared to about 60 full-time employees when it was headquartered in Ham- den, which included mostly faculty. New faculty hires are also part of the plan. Div Pithadia, an experienced tech- nology executive and entrepreneur, has been signed on as chair of the newly-created programs for web and mobile design and development. "I know what's needed in the industry today in terms of skills," said Pithadia, who has managed teams as former chief technology officer at Dun & Bradstreet as well as several tech startups. e six-month web app design certificate program requires students to focus on learning coding languages as well as concept design and tools, such as computer graphics. Students must also complete a real-world web app project. While interest is coming from both tech-centric and arts students, Pithadia said the "creatives" can be intimated by the technical side of web design. "I tell every student to treat it as another medium to deliver your art," he said. While some students may take the off ramp to the job market upon completion of the certificate, Pithadia expects others may want to build on their knowledge and continue on to earn a more traditional two- or four- year degree in disciplines such as marketing or computer science. "It depends on the student and situation," he said. New certification programs, addi- tional majors, even a master's degree program, may be among future offer- ings at Paier, which expects to more than double its current student body, said Bierbaum. He is also exploring UB collaborations that would enable students to take courses from the dif- ferent schools and disciplines housed on the campus. "We're finding out what the fits are between the institutions and stu- dents," he said. But his immediate focus is on the launch of the latest programs and the school's ongoing transition at its new location. "It's transformative," he said. n Paier College students now have access to web and mobile app design programs.

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