By Kelly Lewis
As a senior, I’ve endured many experiences - good and bad - while at Stonehill. I’ve learned a lot during college and obviously have a lot of advice for the classes that succeed me. I could write a book on the ins and outs of Stonehill, but I’m not going to bore you with tons of pages, instead, I will give you what I consider my best piece of advice: take at least one graphic design course before graduating.
I know some of you are out there shaking your heads “no” and doubting my advice. I get it, I know the arts aren’t for everyone. I’m not instructing you to run over to the registrar’s office to change your major or minor to graphic design, instead, I’m suggesting you give it a try, so hear me out.
In the spring of my junior year, I had some room in my schedule for an elective. I was always intrigued when my friend - a digital humanity minor - would show me her assignments for a graphic design course. I don’t consider myself crafty or talented when it comes to the arts, so I wasn’t sure if I would love it or hate it, but I did know that I had to at least give it a try. So that semester I took Graphic Design Foundations (VPG 101) with Professor Candace Greland. Although the class was online, via zoom, it was by far one of my favorite courses I’ve taken at Stonehill! Every week, we learned about different design elements, such as color, shape, text, images, and more. One of my favorite parts of the class was our critique sessions, where we got to examine, compare, and contrast everyone’s designs. During the critiques, I was always shocked that no two designs were ever alike or even similar.
I think graphic design courses give students more freedom to explore, with fewer restrictions and rigorous expectations. The courses offer students a new way to explore and think about certain topics. A big part of the design process is finding a problem and developing a solution. So, of course, academics and research are still involved in graphic design, but it’s done differently than in other courses. For example, in graphic design you will never be instructed to write a ten-page paper with a minimum of five sources. Sometimes, you may be asked to write an explanation, but it’s unlike the average academic work.
My only regret after completing that course was that I wish I had taken a graphic design course earlier in my career at Stonehill. I don’t have the time to fulfill the graphic design minor requirements, but I found a new passion and was able to enroll in another graphic design course this semester! I am currently taking Web Site Design (VPG 305) with Professor Stephanie M. Power. We are only on week six, but I already love it! We have class every Friday from 8:30 to 11 a.m. and I never dread waking up early to attend the class, as I do for other classes. And I never procrastinate on my homework assignments, in fact, I usually choose to do homework for Web Site Design over other class homework assignments, no matter the due date because I enjoy it more. Our latest assignment is to find a horrendously designed website and recreate it. Wish me luck, I’m going to need it.
Overall, I feel like the Graphic Design department at Stonehill doesn’t get the recognition it deserves. The classes are interactive and intriguing. The students in the department produce amazing work and are clearly dedicated. Just take a look at last year’s senior design annual -Transcend - the art was astonishing! And the professors are amazing. I’ve only met a few of the graphic design professors here, but none of those interactions have been negative. In fact, a few weeks ago I was sitting in one of the Mac computer labs in Cushing-Martin completing graphic design homework with my friend when an adjunct graphic design professor walked in and started up a conversation with us. He was cracking jokes from left to right and even helped my friend with her typography assignment, showing her new techniques on Adobe Illustrator. He just happened to be walking by the computer lab, not in a rush, saw some students working, and decided to extend a helping hand.
So, if you haven’t given a graphic design course a try yet, now is the time. Or at the very least take a trip over to Cushing-Martin and try out the Mac computer labs. It’s a great study spot! I hope this piece gives you the courage to try something new, whether that be a class, hobby, or something else.
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