Below are documented volunteer workshops or events that I have attended. I am grateful for these experiences and how they helped me become more involved within the communities I am a part of. Thank you, everyone!
“The best way to really understand the process is to volunteer your time.” – Martin Luther King, JR.
SCAD DAY #4
02/17/24 – Graphic Design Department – Gulfstream
This is the second SCAD Day I have volunteered for in 2024, and it was a pretty great success. As usual, I was collaborating with fellow classmates turned volunteers like Fifi Wu, Evy Hondros, Julianne Henry, Tayyab Yousef, and Aurora Hull. We had our Lego block printing station set up for visiting prospective students, family members, and even SCAD faculty. We set up examples of our block printing from previous SCAD Days and workshops to help make people more comfortable with the activity, though I think Legos are a pretty easygoing and fun activity for everyone. I waltzed in between the Block Printing Station and our showcase room which had student work on display, many of which show some of the best work in the department. I really enjoy getting to do these volunteer sessions as it helps me understand time and time again what it’s like to be a prospective student, nervous about the school and wanting to get an understanding for what it’s like. I feel like what I have to offer is helpful, and I can share some of my own experiences while also answering questions about student life, administration, and SCAD life in general to the best of my knowledge. This will most likely be my last volunteer session as a SCAD student as I graduate in four weeks, but I am excited to have been able to participate.
Intro to Graphic Design Project 1 Critique
01/24/24 – Professor Fathi Bakkoush, Adler Hall 136
I had the wonderful opportunity to be invited again by Professor Fathi Bakkoush to his GRDS 201 level class to look at his students’ Pictogram projects for Project 1. Students had to create pictograms for a company of their choosing such as Kroger or Target that would aid in wayfinding and demonstrate their ability to design cohesive design systems for potentially larger-scale projects. I loved looking at student work and seeing their design styles combine with the assignment requirements. I particularly enjoyed seeing how designs for an icon as simple as a washer and dryer could be interpreted in so many different ways, with small details and the overall shape fitting neatly into the boundaries of each icon. I am also lucky to have been joined by fellow senior graphic design student Evy Hondros. Together we selected four of our favorite designs, paying close attention to the assignment criteria to help us best determine our favorite projects. All students did a great job tackling this design challenge and bringing their style while using corporate color palettes to stay inline with branding requirements for each company. Thank you again for having me, Fathi, and for allowing me to look at your students’ excellent work!
SCAD DAY #3
01/13/24 – Graphic Design Department – Gulfstream
Today I volunteered at SCAD Day at Gulfstream, SCAD’s Industrial Design building. With some of my close friends also volunteering, we split into two teams–one for the block printing workshop and the other to pass out stickers, handouts, and to talk about student work on display. I worked closely with two friends to do LEGO block printing. Guests could make their initials or a unique design by placing Legos on a Lego tray, then rolling paint on the surface and placing the paper on top, flattening it with a squeegee. I really enjoyed getting to help with this workshop and seeing the creativity of students and some of the parents. I also answered questions about the Graphic Design major, and about SCAD as a whole. It was humbling to share my own experiences and to be sought out for advice and my own personal experiences. I enjoyed working closely with my peers to deliver a successful and engaging SCAD day for these prospective students. It was an honor as usual to collaborate with Thomas Hull, the Chair of the Graphic Design department. Volunteering has really helped me connect more with my peers, faculty, and the SCAD community as a whole. It was a nice chance to get away from my busy work schedule as upcoming exams signal the end of the Fall Quarter.
SCAD DAY #2
11/11/23 – Graphic Design Department – Gulfstream
Today I volunteered at SCAD Day at Gulfstream, SCAD’s Industrial Design building. With some of my close friends also volunteering, we split into two teams–one for the block printing workshop and the other to pass out stickers, handouts, and to talk about student work on display. I worked closely with two friends to do LEGO block printing. Guests could make their initials or a unique design by placing Legos on a Lego tray, then rolling paint on the surface and placing the paper on top, flattening it with a squeegee. I really enjoyed getting to help with this workshop and seeing the creativity of students and some of the parents. I also answered questions about the Graphic Design major, and about SCAD as a whole. It was humbling to share my own experiences and to be sought out for advice and my own personal experiences. I enjoyed working closely with my peers to deliver a successful and engaging SCAD day for these prospective students. It was an honor as usual to collaborate with Thomas Hull, the Chair of the Graphic Design department. Volunteering has really helped me connect more with my peers, faculty, and the SCAD community as a whole. It was a nice chance to get away from my busy work schedule as upcoming exams signal the end of the Fall Quarter.
SCAD GRDS205 Typography Project 3 Critique
10/16/23 – Professor Fathi Bakkoush
I had the pleasure of being asked to attend and critique Monday’s GRDS Typography 205 design class taught by Fathi Bakkoush, one of my former professors. He wanted me as a senior graphic design student to engage with these new designers and view their typographic work! Then I had to pick my favorites from each of the 5 assignments within the project...thankfully I could pick multiple because there were a LOT of clever designs. Everyone’s hard work looked great, and you should all be proud! What you learn in this class will make you a stronger and more confident designer who can pay attention to the small details that really make your designs stand above the rest. Make sure to keep kerning, pay attention to your margins, and of course as Fathi says, “mind the gaps and rivers!” This experience reminded me to be comfortable with students not in my own classes, and that we all start somewhere and go at different speeds, and that it’s OK to give feedback on other’s designs!
Graphic Design Festival
10/06/23 – SCAD Graphic Design Fest, Adler Hall
I got to volunteer again at the GD Fest at Adler Hall with some of my best friends and teachers! The setup was involved, and there was a lot of preparation, but the tradeoff was a well-organized presentation of some of the best the Graphic Design department has to offer. From two screen-printing rooms, block printing, letterform workshops, and guest speaker/artist Kelly Anderson, there was a lot on offer for visiting students both within and outside of the department. I helped man the screenprinting operations in room 136 while some of my other friends were in the room across the hall. It was simply overwhelming how many people showed up, but I learned how to use less paint--thanks, Thomas--and how to efficiently switch between tasks such as passing paint down the line, printing a tote bag as best as possible, and also being willing and able to fix mistakes when those inevitably arose. I got to take breaks and wander into the other rooms, but overall I was glued to the spot for many hours, greeting new students and helping them screenprint on tote bags. I think what I enjoyed most aside from engaging with other students was really just working with my team. It felt like a really solid operation, and I enjoyed working with others to set up for the event and have everything prepared. I also really enjoyed seeing teachers “outside” of the classroom setting. Sohee came by and examined our design work and documented our progress on video, Schumate and Fathi danced between classrooms to assist, and Thomas and Terry were running around with poker faces on making the magic happen behind the scenes. It was a lot of hard work but it was so enjoyable. The rewards were plentiful a bunch of awesome group photos with friends and teachers, a tote bag or two, the knowledge that we can work together as a team, and the experience of running an event and how to make it work. I’m truly thankful for the experience I gained, the connections I maintained, and the new friends I made. Thank you to everyone for your hard work!
Majors/Minors Fair
09/22/23 – SCAD Majors Minors Fair, Clark Hall
I volunteered at the 2023 SCAD Majors Minors Fair taking place at Clark Hall. During this event, I was also made aware that I would be a Student Ambassador for the SCAD Graphic Design program. I learned a lot through attending this event and was able to do a lot of hands-on work with freshman students as well as students who were undecided on their major. I worked closely with fellow classmates in the Graphic Design department, as well as with professors that I have had throughout my time at SCAD. There was a lot of hard work that was put into preparing our room, Clark 13, into a fully fledged visual display of work by students in Graphic Design. Over 200 cupcakes were also delivered for our section, and our slogan was “Graphic Design Slays.” I stepped up to do screenprinting on tote bags for visiting students to take home with them. Our available phrases were “Graphic design slays” and “I kern because I care.” We had a few stations set up for screenprinting and we had a line around the table in the center of the room with students waiting to get their design of choice. Some people wanted to do the screenprinting themselves, and it was rewarding to guide them through the process and watch their faces light up once they saw their design printed on the tote bag. Additionally, I had to accept that I was going to get very messy, and ended up with layers of paint caked under my fingernails and all over my arms. What I enjoyed the most was putting myself out there and volunteering. I like volunteering, but I only started to get more heavily involved in SCAD activities in my senior year. I think it is because I do not want to have graduated from SCAD and had many “what if” scenarios. I’d much rather experience what something is like and have those memories, connections, and interactions, than to not have done it at all and be left wondering. I’m grateful for everyone that made this event possible and for having the ability to be a part of it!
SCAD Day GRDS Booth
10/07/23 – Graphic Design Department – Gulfstream
Following the SCAD GD Fest on Friday, I volunteered on Saturday at SCAD’s Industrial Design building, Gulfstream. With some of the same crew from the night before, we were under the direction of Graphic Design Chair Thomas Hull. Soohjen and Fathi Bakkoush, both professors of Graphic Design, were also present to answer more acute questions. Our target audience was prospective students and their families, as well as students who might be curious about switching majors. While foot traffic was lighter than the previous night’s festivities, we still had an influx of high school students and their families visiting. We were armed to the teeth with fliers, stickers, and handouts with information about the new B.A. and B.F.A curriculum, and student work within the department. I liked that we were able to address as many questions as possible for curious students and parents. We split into different teams and spread around the room to cover as much ground as possible--and also so we did not crowd the door. Some students were a bit shy and did not engage right away, but many warmed up once they started to feel more comfortable. What I liked about the students is that they all had their own reasons for being curious about our department. Some had a bit of experience with graphic design programs in high school or did creative work on the side. Some had never touched the Adobe Suite before. Nevertheless, I would like to think that we made everyone feel comfortable and welcome in our department. I really enjoyed working side by side with my professors, almost more like an equal, while still understanding that they are my mentors. We worked together effortlessly and I really enjoyed watching various professors answer questions, or even divert a student to talk to one of us for more personal experiences. It made us feel important and involved in the entire process.