Starting on Monday, September 28, the National Association for College Admission Counseling is hosting their National College Fair for Performing and Visual Arts around the country. This is a free college fair, with representatives from schools all across the country. Here's where you can find the fair in 2015:

• Mon, Sep. 28 - Portland, OR
• Tue, Sep. 29 - Seattle, WA
• Wed, Sep. 30 - San Diego, CA
• Sun, Oct. 4 - St. Louis, MO
• Mon, Oct. 5 - Atlanta, GA
• Tue, Oct. 6 - Ft. Lauderdale, FL
• Sun, Oct. 11 - Interlachen, MI
• Tue, Oct. 13 - Minneapolis, MN
• Sun, Oct. 18 - Washington, DC
• Mon, Oct. 19 - Nashville, TN

To see exactly where each fair is being held, you can visit http://www.gotomypvafair.com to register, as well as to see what schools will be attending - as of this writing, it is up to just shy of 100.

While there are really no schools that provide degrees solely in improvisation (Columbia College Chicago is the only one that comes close), some schools have a major, minor, or focus in comedy. Most schools' course offerings will have courses in improv, and your college of interest may also have a thriving improv troupe. If you're interested in a possible career in the performing arts, try to get to the PVA fair closest to you.

NOTE: NACAC also hosts their National College Fairs (without the focus on the arts) - these also started this weekend. Visit this page on their website to see that schedule.

Two new books have come out from well-known improv names that are worth checking out.

If you're interested in checking out either of those books, we invite you to use the links in this article to help support Improv High!

Last Thursday, January 8, long-time improv Olympic teacher and performer Jason Chin passed away from what is suspected to be heart failure. iO founder Charna Halpern announced it on Facebook, and the news broke on media outlets shortly thereafter.

Jason was an improviser and a coach, but more than that, he had a wonderful but realistic vision for improv as an art and a business. He was Training Director for improv Olympic for eight years, and during his tenure revisited things like what skills are important to teach first to new improvisers. Many students and now professionals have come through the iO doors, and his impact will be felt on improv and entertainment for years.

UPDATE: On Monday, January 12, iO Chicago held an Armando Diaz tribute show for Jason. You can watch the entire three-hour event at https://gigity.tv/event/102226. At about 11 minutes in, they begin a tribute slideshow of images and video of Jason. At about 24:30, the show itself begins.

Director, writer, producer and entertainer Mike Nichols passed away suddenly on Wednesday. He was very well known for his cinematic directorial accomplishments, such as The Graduate, Silkwood, Postcards from The Edge, The Birdcage and most recently Closer, as well as some of his theatrical forays such as Barefoot in the Park, The Odd Couple, and Spamalot. 

But what only true fans might know is that he got his start in improv. He got his start with the predecessors to Second City in Chicago, the Compass Players. He also had a collaboration with fellow Compass Player Elaine May as the duo Nichols and May. Unlike many comic duos from the time - who stuck to stereotypical straight-one-funny-one or smart-one-dumb-one routines - Nichols and May really played their act as improvisational scenes. Their comedy style has been cited as influential to comedians such as Steve Martin, Bill Murray and Lily Tomlin.

You will be missed, Mike.

Improv High has officially launched!

That is all. Stay tuned for more...