Shenandoah Center for Immersive Learning (SCiL) Lab

Shenandoah is leading the way in virtual (VR) and augmented reality (AR) experiences. The SCiL Lab, which houses the university’s Virtual Reality Design programs, is a space that invites university-wide collaborative efforts. Through it, students have worked on projects related to everything from the health professions to history. It has crafted a virtual debate tournament, and created immersive and interactive historical experiences ranging from the nation’s founding (the debates of the 1787 Constitutional Convention) and the Civil War era (the trial of abolitionist John Brown), to the Civil Rights Movement (a recreation of a North Carolina lunch counter sit-in). Conservatory theatre students also play roles in these productions, providing them a unique skill set in the marketplace, as well.

The Virtual Reality Design programs are part of Shenandoah’s Division of Applied Technology, which also includes programs in cybersecurity and data science. Annual salaries in the virtual reality field often start at about 60K.