Not too long ago, I gave a speech wherein I said, The next time you hear someone say of your chosen profession, “Well, it’s not exactly brain surgery,” you should remind them that everything we wear, read, ride in, live in, and use, as well as all the packaging it comes in was designed. Even when we throw something away, we’re tossing it into a trashcan that someone designed. Design touches everyone’s life, every minute of every day. Brain surgery or not, design matters!

I’m thinking about that now, as another class of grads heads out the door and into their bright futures to involve themselves in the creation and promotion of everything from soft drinks to cell phones to customer experiences.

Oh, yeah…but last week, it was a little tense here at the end of the quarter, in case you were wondering— beyond the rush of the student dramas, which (as usual) were many, and crits… I like to think of it as creative energy rather than chaos… in the middle of all of that, some really amazing things were happening—some conversations with principles of companies had been going on behind the scenes, and the fruits of those started to become reality as our students were being hired to start jobs in January. I thought I’d share a few of these terrific placements wrought from all of the negotiations and craziness.

Claire Courtade will be in NYC at Raison Pure, an international design firm, where she will work heavily in the area she loves most, packaging. (Check ‘em out in this FastCo. Magazine story.) She was standing in my office last Tuesday. A week later, she is now a resident of Brooklyn, New York.

Christy Errico inked a contract with Abercrombie last week. Get this—she was being hired to work under alum David Tann, who in less than two years is now the marketing manager for the new division of A+F known as Concept 5 (it’s a secret, before you ask).

Witt Langstaff was scooped up by Iconologic. That means Witt will be here in Atlanta, which I know makes Tania extremely happy, because he’s been her right hand with this site. Witt was so very thrilled to have an opportunity to become a part of such a distinguished firm. And, while I have a moment I want to publicly thank Witt for the support in jumping in and helping every time I asked, never flinching— not once— no matter what his personal load at the time. Witt is a man who knows the grandest recognition for doing is the opportunity to do even more. Witt that speaks volumes about you.

AK Kennedy accepted a position with Crispin Porter Bogusky, at their bustling new offices in Denver in the interactive area. As he signed the papers, he told me over the phone,” Hank, I am going to buy a mountain bike next week.” That’s about being happy.

Adam Jesberger took a job with the award-winning RGA, named top interactive agency of the year by Creativity. He’ll be right where he belongs, in New York City.

And, on Friday last, Roger Wong signed with Frog Design after we went through a fifty-page contract I thought would never end. This is often the norm lately; hiring at the level we’re getting students hired is a very different attitude. Here’s the note I got from Frog: Hank: thank you for reaching out to me about roger. what an incredibly talented and thoughtful designer. didn’t think you would come up with another one so soon! needless to say, we would be thrilled to have him join frog. Take a look at their clients.

Next, Dave McCanless signed a contract with North Charles Street Design Organization in Baltimore over the weekend. NCSD is a very different type of firm, as they have a niche in the U.S., doing marketing for schools and universities all over the country. One of my all time favorite marketing pieces was the campaign they did for Agnes Scott some years ago that ended up in CA.

And last but not least, writer Craig Moyer officially signed with Slingshot Advertising in Dallas. Last I talked to him, Friday evening, he was sitting on his front porch back home in Kentucky, drinking a Jim Beam on the rocks and watching the snow fall.

Keep in mind, most of these students had more than one fabulous opportunity offered and had to make some difficult choices.

Look at the diversity of firms: general agency, packaging, branding, education marketing, interactive, general design… This is why cross platforming within their education is so important. As Richard Florida, author of The Rise of the Creative Class, suggests, “We live today in a country, a world, where it is a creative economy driven by design,” and that is very different than a world of 15 or 20 years ago… or tomorrow.

The value of education is realized at Portfolio Center, and the promises made are fulfilled.

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