If this sounds like shameless pimping, well, that's because it is, but it's shameless pimping in the name of something really awesome.

I'm currently studying for a Bachelors of Art degree in game art at a college in Arizona called the University of Advancing Technology. It's not as fancy as the programs you might find at something like the Art Institutes, but it works, the faculty is awesome, and I'm glad I made the choice to come here.

Recently, my Concept Art teacher sent me and the other students an email about trying to raise money for the art department to create a program to let UAT students study abroad in Italy, in addition to creating online classes related to the program for students that can't make the full trip. The school's already had a lot of success sponsoring trips to other places in Arizona, Utah, and California (including running an art workshop in Disneyland), but now they want to aim higher.

[link]

"A group of faculty from the University of Advanced Technology wishes to create a study abroad program to Italy for our students. Our intention is to stay in Italy for seven weeks, exploring the rich history, art, literature, and technological advances being made in Italy. Our goals are three:

1. To create a working game based on the famous Palio horse race of Siena.

2. To create a series of short films based on our experiences during our trip.

3. To create direct feed imagery back to the school and the public linking our faculty and students back on the Tempe campus to share in our experiences and studies to help complete our goals for this trip.

Needless to say this trip will be expensive for all concerned and we need your help and support to make this a reality. It will be the chance of a lifetime experience for our students to learn the culture of another country by living it, broadening their educational and personal growth.

Your help in this venture will add so much to these students' education. You will have the satisfaction of knowing that you helped, even in a small way, make a difference in their lives and added to the scope of their UAT experience.

We ask you to be as generous as you can, even the smallest amount will make a difference in the success of this program. We ask, too, that you help spread the word to all of your friends and associates to contribute to this program.

When it comes time for us to leave on our journey to Italy, you will be notified and given a link and times when we will be send feed back to the college so that you can share in the experience that you helped create.

Thank you for your help and financial assistance.

Sincerely,

Paul Andrus, Prof. of Art"

Even if you can't donate any money, just letting other people know about the program would be a huge boost to getting it off the ground.