NEW YORK, Feb. 6, 2008 - Aiming to inspire, educate and prepare the next generation of graphic communications professionals, XMPie, the award-winning provider of software for dynamic publishing, recently donated its uDirect Standard variable-data software to the Graphic Communications Management program at Georgia Southern University (GSU). Graphic communications professors at GSU began integrating uDirect Standard into their courses this past fall to help students learn about the latest graphic design and communication tools in a hands-on environment.

uDirect software enables creative professionals to design and produce personalized, visually-rich, one-to-one communications that can be targeted to individuals using variable data. By selecting specific criteria (name, image, offer) from a database and creating resonant creative messaging, a graphic communications professional can significantly increase response rates for direct marketing programs and other marketing materials.

At GSU, uDirect Standard is primarily used as a resource in the print-on-demand classroom. Professors developed a basic tutorial using the Adobe InDesign Creative Suite and uDirect Standard to teach students the fundamental elements of variable data printing.  Students are now using uDirect to create their own projects and original direct marketing campaigns.

"Faculty members were attracted to XMPie and uDirect because of the versatility of the software and the intuitive work environment of the Adobe Creative Suite, with which our students were already familiar," said Patricia Carter, chair, Graphic Communications Management Program, GSU. "The generous donation from XMPie will strengthen our students' presence in the competitive marketplace and ensure they are well versed in state-of-the-art variable-data software. As our students begin their careers, their high-caliber training and education will be a great asset to the future of the graphic communications profession, which is central to our mission as a research university."

Based in Statesboro, GSU is a member of the University System of Georgia and is a Carnegie Doctoral-Research University. It has a residential campus of approximately 17,000 students and offers more than 120 degree programs at the bachelor, master and doctoral levels. The Graphic Communications Management program is in the third year of a five-year, $250,000 grant that has been used to provide student scholarships, purchase equipment and support the expansion of course content into variable data, marketing distribution and database management.

XMPie's partnership with GSU's Graphic Communications Management program aligns with the company's efforts to educate the next generation of graphic communications professionals. XMPie has made similar uDirect donations to Clemson University in South Carolina, California Polytechnic Institute in California and The Parsons School of Design in New York. Rochester Institute of Technology in New York has integrated XMPie's flagship product, PersonalEffect, into its course work and the University of Wisconsin-Stout in Wisconsin has installed XMPie's full range of variable-data software solutions in its student lab including PersonalEffect, uStore, uImage, uChart and uDirect.