CALLING ALL MENTORS By Kelsey Voorhees 10th Quarter Graphic Design (BS) A iGA is the national professional association for design. According to information provided on their website, AiGA’s mission is to advance design as a professional craft, a strategic tool, and a vital cultural force. “We’re committed to design—and to more than 22,000 members in 66 chapters who create, inspire and appreciate good design. AiGA’s members are the lifeblood of the organization.” The Art Institutes International Minnesota’s (Ai Minnesota) AiGA student organization was formally known as AiGD, until the group’s recent official status was established with AiGA. The mission of Ai Minnesota’s AiGA student organization is to bring the professional and student design communities together and to provide networking opportunities for students within the extended community. When I first came to Ai Minnesota, I was fresh out of high school and had no idea what I was doing. I wasn’t really involved in high school, but I was determined not to slack in college. I decided to be involved and active in extra-curricular activities. I joined AiGD and a few other groups. I really had no idea what the AiGD was, let alone what AiGA was, I just did what people told me to do. Today, I am the president of the student group affiliated with AiGA. We have made great progress and plan on continuing it, but the most common questions I receive are, “What is it?” and “What am I suppose to do?” This is a problem. AiGD is all about networking and building connections between the student design community and the professional design community. We provide opportunities for students by engaging them in different AiGA events, like lectures, design competitions, and networking social events, just to name a few. We also host different competitions at school, and have peer critiques as well. In general, we provide a co-curricular community for students to learn about design and prepare for their future career. To build enthusiasm and support education, we are starting up a mentor program, and we need involved students who have been here for at least 5 quarters. The goal is to help new students by going to events with them, by helping them with critiques, and by assisting with class assignments. Ideally, we want new students to participate in their community of learning, and we want them to experience value as a result. We also want to maintain the excitement of discovery that new students feel when they first begin, and which may fade as students near graduation. If you are interested in being a mentor, or would like to participate in any way, please contact the student chapter of AiGA through the office of Student Affairs, or look it up on the college’s website. Remember, there is no student community without the involvement of students.
SCARLET SUNSET KELSEY STEINMETZ 11TH QUARTER GRAPHIC DESIGN (BS) After a recently completing a painting of a peacock, I decided to do another, similar painting. This time the subject of choice was a macaw. With the combination of the tropics, a parrot, and a sunset, I knew this painting would look amazing.
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