Kean University
Had a great presentation Tuesday at Kean University, about 45 minutes out of Newark, in Union NJ. They had a brunch for the students, and there were a bunch of them (how’s that for an almost-pun?)… all of them planning to go into the visual arts, and some ready to make plans to head toward graduate school. An extremely bright, enthusiastic group, so it was a real pleasure to visit with them.
The head of the department, Rose Gonnella, was there, as was Professor Robin Landa, author of 9 books on creativity, branding, design and advertising. I want to thank them for the books they gave me and for their kind inscriptions.
It was one of those days when the speech I thought I was going to deliver was chunked, and I took off on a course unknown, into a world that got these guys beyond excited about what their futures could be. I wasn’t altogether sure where I was headed, but not one person left the room or fell asleep—a good sign, I thought. It seemed a total connect between us. Hopefully, they’ll awaken the next few mornings with a sense of ‘what was that, what was he about… and, I want to be a part of it.’
I have said all along, just put me in a room full of students… Nothing makes me happier.
Do these guys look like future Portfolio Center students or what!?
New York was amazing. It was nice to get away from the confined halls of PC and actually see what design is really about. I was starting to get bogged down with all the work at school that it was nice to see what comes of all our hard work- our reward. The trip sparked a much needed surge within me and now I’m once again excited and focused on my work. We visited both in-house retail firms as well as independent design firms. As for what I like best, I have no idea, they all seem to have their pros and cons.
We also were lucky enough to see the Grad portfolio review. What an amazing event. Some things that I learned though: 1)bring food to keep at your table- all the grads were starving and weren’t given lunch, 2)have enough (if not too many) resumes, sample books and business cards, 3)dont be late.
Ha, same first name. Do you think Atlanta offers any of the same type of design opportunities NY does ?
True the road to success is always under construction. Sometimes there is only so much that one can build by themselves without having all the tools first.
Portfolio Center is the one stop shop for Super highway tools.
PC DOES NOT produce that one guy on the side of the road digging a ditch for no reason why or what for, with 3 jackasses telling him how do to it! Seeing and living is believing. Hank—he has the blue prints!
If you let geography determine your opportunities, you’ll always find that you don’t really have any.