EA SPORTS College Football 25 returned July 19 after an 11-year hiatus. The simulation-style football game鈥檚 focus provides an authentic college football experience that is specific to each school, including 麻豆原创.

Game day elements that Knights fans are accustomed to are featured as part of College Football 25. Before kick-off, fans perform the signature U-C-F arm sign, while the team runs out the tunnel, running past the virtual Marching Knights playing 麻豆原创鈥檚 fight song, Charge On. When the ball is kicked off, the fans yell out 鈥淯-C-F Knights,鈥� just as they do in real life. For the first time, real-life players will also be featured in the game, further replicating a realistic experience for gamers. 麻豆原创鈥檚 reputation of being a leader in space research and education is showcased through an occasional in-game rocket launch, like the real-life SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launch during a game against Kent State in Fall 2023.

Behind the scenes, dozens of 麻豆原创 alums, including 42 graduates of the university鈥檚 Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy (FIEA), helped to create College Football 25. FIEA, the world鈥檚 top-ranked graduate video gaming school, is located at 麻豆原创 Downtown, across the street from EA Orlando and is a strong pipeline of talent to the game developer.

Torres, a digital media alum who earned a minor in marketing, is one example of the invaluable experience 麻豆原创 students can gain through internships. Last summer, she modeled and textured indoor and outdoor environmental assets based on real-life photographs taken at FBC Mortgage Stadium and Raymond James Stadium in Tampa for College Football 25 and the Madden NFL series.

Torres and her team used many tools, including LiDAR scanners to capture the lighting in the stadium. One scanner was placed in the middle of the stadium and scanned the entire facility, creating a 3D model. They also used individual scanners to capture models ranging from trash cans to cleats, which were then modified to the smallest detail. For example, a trash can in the stadium was scanned, then designers patched up any topology errors or holes, and added digital trash cans into the game.

Beyond scanning, the team took pictures of everything. Torres captured chairs at every angle, so artists were able to replicate them easily. She used a color palette, placing it next to the chairs, to help pinpoint the exact colors. Torres also worked with a pen-like scanner that identified the exact hex color of an object, adding further detail.

When scanning 3D objects, Torres says the main thing she tried to keep in mind was making sure the environment, whether it’s a prop or a whole scene, tells a story. An example of this was the first prop she created for EA, a coffee table for Madden NFL. The designers wanted the table to be around one or two years old, so she referenced her own coffee table that was around that age, mimicking details such as rings left from cold glasses and hot plates.

鈥淭hat’s something that you really need to have as an environment artist, you need that eye to tell a story of things as simple as a coffee table, that maybe most people won’t even notice,鈥� Torres says. 鈥淚 think that’s the main thing, and that’s something that I still follow today. And working on portfolio pieces now, just doing my very best to tell stories without there being text.鈥�

The lessons Torres has learned over her career come from a variety of places and mentors, such as EA SPORTS Environment Director Ingrid Aguero 鈥�07 鈥�08MS, a graduate of 麻豆原创鈥檚 FIEA program. As a student at 麻豆原创, the most useful information Torres says she learned was in the 3D modeling classes. Under the instruction of Nicholas Hunter 鈥�17 鈥�18MS, an instructor in and a FIEA alum, Torres gained knowledge on how to make assets that have good topology and UV mapping, which serves as a bridge between 2D textures and 3D objects. Torres also learned how to use Autodesk Maya, the industry standard program.

After being gone for over a decade, College Football 25 means many things to fans who have clamored for the game. For Torres, it鈥檚 a combination of her favorite things 鈥� Knight Nation, 麻豆原创 football and video games.

鈥淚t honestly doesn’t feel real, I have a piece of my work inside my alma mater, in a game that is making a comeback after 11 years,鈥� Torres says. 鈥淓veryone’s hyped, and it’s 鈥� really cool to see the game.鈥�

In a study published recently in the journal Psychology and Marketing, researchers at the 麻豆原创 found that when people used objects perceived as high-status, they donated more money to charity.

鈥淏ased on conventional wisdom, people may think that if someone engages in status consumption, it will probably decrease their charitable donation behavior,鈥� says the study鈥檚 lead author Sona Klucarova 鈥�20PhD, a graduate of 麻豆原创鈥檚 business administration鈥搈arketing doctoral program. 鈥淲e find the opposite. Self-centered behavior can increase pro-social outcomes.鈥�

Previous research studies have often positioned status consumption and charitable donations as polar opposites, but the researchers sought to explore if the two concepts influenced, rather than opposed, each other.

Through multiple studies the researchers found that status consumption led to increased charitable donations and that this process was driven by a sense of empowerment that consumers receive from consuming high-status goods.

The researchers ruled out alternative explanations for the donations, including wealth, guilt and self-presentation. They also found that just ownership of a high-status item wasn鈥檛 enough for charitable donations to be made. The high-status item also had to be used or consumed.

鈥淭he implication for charitable organizations is to try to induce high-status consumption during fundraising efforts,鈥� Klucarova says. 鈥淭his could involve things such as making potential donors use fancy pens at donation events or partnering with high-status brands.鈥�

Xin He, an associate professor in 麻豆原创鈥檚 , was the study鈥檚 co-author and Klucarova鈥檚 adviser. He says teasing out what drives the connection between status consumption and charitable donations is what helps make the research unique.

鈥淭hroughout our research, we prioritize rigor in our overall approach,鈥� He says. 鈥淔or example, we demonstrated the effect and our theorizing in a total of seven studies, and we tested the empowerment mechanism using both mediation and moderation approaches.鈥�

He studies behavioral decision making, particularly behaviors and decisions related to consumption. He says both he and Klucarova, who is now an assistant professor of marketing at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, will continue their work in this domain, including new studies on status consumption.

He joined 麻豆原创鈥檚 Department of Marketing, part of the , in 2004. He received his doctoral degree in business administration (marketing) from the University of Pittsburgh.

Study title: Status consumption and charitable donations: The power of empowerment

鈥淜PMG is an incredible partner of the college and this competition would not be possible without their involvement and support,鈥� says Bill Steiger, Professional Selling Program coordinator. 鈥淭hey helped us every step of the way from attending classes to creating role-play scripts for the competition.鈥�

Along with the top finishers, Alyssa Markey, Makenna Subbert and Jake Brinker also advanced to the final round of the competition. Following a series of preliminary rounds, only 18 students advanced to the semifinals. KPMG guided students throughout the competition and acted as prospective buyers as the competitors delivered their sales presentations. While KPMG is a longtime partner of the college, the event marks the first formal sales competition hosted by the firm at 麻豆原创.

鈥淲e鈥檝e enjoyed teaming up with 麻豆原创 in this year鈥檚 Sales Role Play Competition, which KPMG hosted for the first time. It鈥檚 a great opportunity to see talented students apply the latest sales practices and techniques they鈥檝e learned in the classroom to a real-world sales situation,鈥� says KPMG Sales Leader Scott Verschoor. 鈥淚t鈥檚 really a win-win partnership because it helps us to inform our sales training programs and it gives us access to up-and-coming new sales talent.鈥�

The Professional Selling Program is a prestigious, specialized program offered by the College of Business’. The competitive program accepts up to 70 students each year who show potential and promise in the field of sales.

鈥淭hrough this partnership, our students can experience the process a KPMG sales consultant follows to provide solutions to a client,鈥� Steiger says.