UNC’s College of Performing and Visual 艺术 Graphic Design 程序 is quietly revolutionizing 未来的设计师为他们的职业生涯做准备的方式. 学生们不只是聚集在一起 a collection of works but are also laying the foundation for their future career success. Kalyana Gallagher is one such student who is not only utilizing this course to advance her knowledge of the graphic design field but also to launch her magazine project, PURlll. 杂志. 这 magazine combines design, storytelling and collaboration 与 a few other students. 

Alyssa Leven, Gallagher在Purlll的合作伙伴. 对一群观看 展览.

It’s important to students like Gallagher that their art is not only for consumption, 而且还具有有意义的影响. PURlll.’s official launch will include a website and the first two issues of the magazine. 他们承诺捐出所有利润的20% PURlll. 杂志 to 真正的 Colors United — a nonprofit organization focused on innovative solutions for homelessness in LGBTQ+ 以及全国各地的BIPOC青年.  “我想通过我的工作和使用来影响别人 my platform and my voice as an artist to reach others and amplify other people's stories,” 加拉格尔说.  

“所以，尤其是 PURlll., a big part of that is telling other people's stories and giving them an opportunity to connect and collaborate 与 me in a way I wouldn't normally be able to.”  

One of Gallagher’s collaborators is fellow classmate Trevor Erpelding, who is assisting 通过渲染 PURlll. logo, creating all 3D components and developing product mockups. 同时,Erpelding manages his own virtual reality 展览, showcasing his multidisciplinary talents. Notably, Erpelding is proficient in Blender, a versatile and powerful open-source 程序 用于创建3D数字资产和虚拟 环境. Through self-directed learning, Erpelding has combined Blender's capabilities 与 his artistic knowledge to seamlessly integrate his 3D modeling skills into his 虚拟现实展览, “维幻想.” He aims to craft an immersive experience that captivates audiences 并增强展览的整体影响力.  

设计课程  

From the conception of this course to the eventual 展览 of student work, the Graphic Design instructors are fervently dedicated to crafting an educational experience that prepares their students for career success whatever that looks like for them — from agency work, freelancing, web and interactive media, merchandising, packaging 以及介于两者之间的一切. Samuel Dong-Saul，艺术硕士, one of the instructors of the Senior Project course, believes in instilling in students 诚实地展示自己工作的重要性.   

"The portfolio is your resume," Dong-Saul said, stressing the importance of teaching 理论之外的实践技能. 

“The objective for this class is to help them prepare for the career environment and help them build targeted portfolios where students curate their design and artistic work to their field of choice [while] learning what it takes to do a formal, artistic 展览 by making a proposal, making sure that everything is explained conceptually, 将身体.”  

External critiques offer students real-world, industry perspectives, giving them invaluable 课堂之外的见解. 给Dong-Saul和他的助教 博天堂官方画廊总监 Belle-Pilar弗莱明, the focus remains on exposing students to numerous opportunities for tangible projects 在课堂上进行展览. 弗莱明看到了这些经历 作为学生成长和专业知识的反映. 通过每个项目和展览， students not only showcase their abilities but also gain a deeper understanding of 他们的艺术之旅.  

“For the 展览 portion of the course, having those fully realized projects builds a lot of confidence [in students], and sometimes these big culminating events can allow students time to reflect and think about how much they’ve learned and the skills 他们收购了.”  

From the quality of their work to their industry acumen, every aspect of their portfolio 报告将被仔细审查. 作为学生准备好接受批评 and evaluation from professionals in the graphic design world, they know they'll be judged not just on their technical prowess but also on their ability to respond to 反馈，一项重要的生活技能. 这证明了班级致力于搭建桥梁 the gap between academic learning and practical application.  

提炼他们的艺术声音  

The course structure is holistically designed to equip students 与 the skills to navigate the challenges of the design world and to refine their artistic voice. 这 is the first year that the director of galleries is also serving as an instructor of this course which has spurred a collaboration between the Graphic Design 程序 和UNC画廊. 这 has resulted in a unique way for students to experience the 微妙而多变的艺术和设计世界. 从参观艺术家展览到专业展览 preparation courses, every component is geared toward equipping students 与 the 他们需要茁壮成长的工具.  

通过建设性的 criticism and guided portfolio building, they find themselves well-prepared for the professional world and hopeful about their freelance design 愿望. 网络 and proactive engagement have been not just buzzwords, but 他们的教育之旅的重要组成部分. 

For students like Sasha Krause, a Graphic Design major who is also earning a certificate in 艺术 Entrepreneurship, the class is a chance to put their passion projects 与in 更专业的设置. 平面设计专业的每个学生都是必修课 to complete an internship before graduation, which is not merely a box to check, but a way for students to bridge the gap between theory and practice. 克劳斯的实习 与 潮流杂志, a prominent publication that reports on live music, arts, entertainment, nightlife and community in northern Colorado, sparked their interest in merchandise design.  

Sasha Krause设计

As Krause navigates the transition from academia to the professional arena, they emphasize the significance of proactive engagement and stepping out of one's comfort zone. 网络 并不局限于正式场合或招聘会. 这是博天堂官方网站拥抱每一个机会 与同行、导师和行业专业人士建立联系. 克劳斯的建筑愿景 a freelance career and a small business underscores the importance of nurturing industry 连接. They are growing a graphic design and illustration business called Rayne's Things (查询可发送至sashakrausedesigns@gmail.com或 Instagram上的@raynesthings), which means stepping out of their comfort zone, taking risks and being unafraid to 建立联系. 

“I would like to continue working freelance and building a small business,” said Krause. “With any degree or 程序, as you do in life, it’s what you put into it. 它确实是 important to push yourself into feeling uncomfortable, not too uncomfortable, obviously take care of yourself, but it's so important to push yourself to talk to that person 在课堂上，和你的教授交谈，建立联系.”  

Their senior project focuses on building apparel and other promotional materials for MUNA, a pop band that focuses on queer liberation, for the 展览. 通过建设性的 criticism and guided portfolio building, they find themselves well-prepared for the professional world and hopeful about their freelance design 愿望. 网络 and proactive engagement have been not just buzzwords, but essential components of 他们的教育历程.  

厚脸皮  

From virtual reality to packaging designs to interactive websites, each showcase will underscore students' individual strengths and career objectives. 除了演讲， the seniors craft 展览 proposals, delving into in-depth explorations of design 概念或增强现有项目. 这次展览证明了 the students' readiness to enter the graphic design field 与 creativity, professionalism 和创新.  

Throughout the semester, students practice both receiving and giving feedback, preparing them for the panel of judges who will critique their upcoming portfolio presentations and provide feedback based on the areas of professional practice they are pursuing. 这 professionalism exercise enables students to demonstrate their command of design principles and their ability to adapt to feedback, something their career path demands. As Krause puts it, the 程序 has prepared them for this moment.  

“Once you get to senior year, it's like, ‘all right, we hope that your skin is thick and you're ready for this’ because it's a lot of reviewing projects and tweaking things where they need to be tweaked, so you just have to be open-minded. 在本课程中 specifically, there's a lot of creative freedom and there are higher stakes because it is going to be in a gallery and on display,” said Krause. 

As the semester progresses and students inch closer to the 展览, their work will no longer be confined to the classroom, but it will be on display, offering the public a glimpse into the talent and dedication cultivated throughout their academic 旅程. It's not just about grades or credits, it's about nurturing the next generation 的设计师. With each project, 展览 and feedback session, students emerge not only as graduates but as confident, skilled professionals and artists ready to 在设计界留下自己的印记.