Our passionate faculty works together to deliver the best to our students
At DigiPen Academy, we take a student-centered approach to education that focuses on each student’s growth, goals and gifts. We meet each student where they’re at, helping them to discover new talents and interests, and assigning them projects that build their confidence, while developing their creative and technical skills.
Each of our instructors is up-to-date on current industry best practices, which means that while our courses may be grounded in theory, our students graduate with “real world” skills.
DigiPen Academy Faculty
Raymond Yan
Senior Executive VP
Michelle Yan
K12 Programs Director
Tamara Estepa
K12 Programs Support Manager
Adrienne Co
Programs Coordinator
Sylvia Jurgens
Art & Animation Instructor
Michael Owens
Art & Animation Instructor
Chris Sabin
Music & Sound Design Instructor
Ryan Scheppler
Game Programming Instructor
A word from a Parent...
Both my children attended WANIC, one attended the two year art program and the other the two year music program.
Although they came from outstanding high schools with excellent faculty, the immersive nature of this program allowed both of my children to flourish and obtain skills that will carry them throughout their professional lives and endeavors. They have both reached a competency level that either allowed them to or will allow them to apply to art programs in the future as they created enough original work in their classes to showcase their talents. My oldest child, is attending DigiPen Institute this Fall, and will be working towards a BA in Music and Sound Design.
At first, I was hesitant to disrupt my children's high school “status quo”, as I was worried that the WANIC schedule would limit social opportunities. Quite the opposite, in fact! The WANIC program’s intimate setting is the perfect atmosphere to connect with like minded peers, and the low teacher student ratio allows students to get to know teachers and faculty personally, preparing them for not just college life but the real world.
I don’t have enough good things to say about the WANIC program. Both the two year immersive program and the summer WANIC classes are outstanding opportunities for high school students to gain skills, meet other like minded students and achieve their professional goals and aspirations in a supportive and inclusive environment.
— Cima, Parent