I thought you might like to see some pictures from our recent graduation here at Portfolio Center. Our ceremonies are simple but sweet celebrations of all their hard work and growth as individuals. This was a great group of students, and as always, we’re very proud but sad to see them go.

PS. I’d like to thank Witt Langstaff (top picture, tall guy in the middle) for his dedication and hard work on the Portfolio Center website while he was a student here. Witt always goes above and beyond.

I got this note from “the girls” at the AIGA conference. They seem a bit star struck, but I think they’re finding out pretty quickly about the networking that goes on here at PC and the extent of Mr. Richardson’s influence. Here, I’ll turn the post over to them:

Shiny shoes, Cocktails, Design Gurus–OH MY!

GOOD Lord, people, crazy things are happening. After a quick turnaround at the hotel, we jetted off to a champagne cocktail to rub elbows with the design elite. And trust me, we did.

Michael Signorella took us under his wing to introduce us to one of the …more

So while you guys are enjoying the last couple of days of Spring Break, Tireless Hank is on the road, spreading the word at the Y conference in San Diego. He’s been going nonstop.

This is a man with a mission. Make that a capital M-ission. And bank on it—he’ll be no worse for the wear come the first 5:30 a.m. class. Next week?

More about the conference goings-on later, but here’s a bite from UnBeige.

I’m happy to report that Hank’s daughter and PC alum Elizabeth gave birth on November 30 to a beautiful baby girl, Molly, who weighed in at 7 pounds, 5 ounces. Mom Liz, daddy Brian, and baby Molly are doing fine.

Now we’re looking for a name Molly can call this grandfather. Claire has already offered Peepaw, which Hank isn’t fond of (He thinks the baby should call him ‘Hank’).

We’d love to hear your suggestions! Let’s get it started.

AIGA Atlanta is holding a Punc’t Poster Auction supporting local design firm see see eye in raising money for long-time employee Scott Hamilton, who recently suffered a stroke.

Neenah Paper, working with And Partners, commissioned some of New York City’s most successful graphic designers to create their interpretations of one of 24 punctuation marks. Portfolio Center’s own Sam Potts is among those designers, right up there along with Stefan Sagmeister, Paula Scher, Michael Bierut, and James Victore.

Each of these 26”x40” limited-edition serigraphs is numbered and signed by the designer who created it.

Neenah Paper has donated a signed and numbered …more

Hank leaves tomorrow for Kansas City, where he’ll be one of the jurors (along with Margo Chase and Michael Hodgson) for KC’s AIGA A2 Design Competition.

Doubtless, he’ll be renting a bike while he’s in town. Consider yourselves warned.

Seems we have several among the Portfolio Center community—students, faculty, and alumni—who’ve started their own blogs—offering everything from the informative to the philosophical to the soap operatic. Here are a few I know about, and I’m hoping you guys will ‘comment’ with links to the ones I’ve yet to discover.

• okaysamurai.com
• lifeofaharpy.blogspot.com
• annepages.blogspot.com
• dontbeamachoman.blogspot.com
• flyingconundrum.blogspot.com
• boatsandstars.com/home/

Radical Careering, a new book by Portfolio Center alum Sally Hogshead offers 100 truths to jumpstart your job, your career and your life.

Sally Hogshead is one of the advertising industry’s most celebrated creative directors, opening her own agency at age 27 and winning hundreds of national and international awards for clients such as MINI Cooper, Coke, BMW, and Harry Winston Jewelers. Since the age of twenty-three, Sally has been giving keynote speeches to and about Gen-X professionals; her book will be heavily promoted with motivational seminars around the country. Now a highly sought-after consultant and speaker, Sally lives in …more