The Only Official AIGA Student Group in New Mexico By David Deal and Brad Hamann In 2014, AIGA (American Institute of Graphic Arts) celebrated its 100th anniversary. Organized in 1914, AIGA currently has more than 25,000 members in 70 chapters and more than 200 student groups nationwide. One of those student groups is AIGA/ENMU. In fact, the ENMU Department of Art hosts the only official AIGA student group in New Mexico. In order to be an official Student Group you need to maintain a membership of at least 10 students. Sometimes it’s difficult for enough students to consistently afford the membership to keep the group official. To help alleviate this problem, two assistant art professors, David Deal and Department of Chair Brad Hamann established a scholarship to help cover student memberships. David says “We feel that it’s important for our graphic design students to have a connection through membership with the AIGA national group and the state chapter. This membership affords them access to AIGA’s hosted portfolio site, job and internship listings, design conferences and competitions, professional development opportunities, and the AIGA Journal of Graphic Design.”
On campus, the AIGA/ ENMU Student Group has volunteered with the Portales Arts Council, a local art organization, sponsored trips to Lubbock for the First Friday Art Trail and an annual trip to Dallas to visit graphic design studios, advertising agencies and corporate in-house design departments to meet and network with design industry professionals. After the first Dallas trip, design student Hannah Spearman commented, “Overall, the trip to Dallas Students and Assistant Professor Brad Hamann listen to graphic designers from Fossil Watch discuss different aspects of package design. made all that I have been studying more tangible taught me a lot about teamwork and real and real. It allowed us all to see what the world problem solving. It definitely helped graphic design world has to offer outside to instill a sense of confidence in myself that the college classroom. I feel as though we wasn’t there before.” all came back to Portales inspired and filled Alessandra recently moved to New York with a new level of determination!” City and got her graphic design career off Alessandra Hoskins (BFA 14), past to a start with her first design job. Now president of AIGA/ENMU said “AIGA kept that’s what we call “Student Success.” me actively engaged in graphic design and
USDA County Executive, Terry Cater
By Desiree Cooper
Terry Cater (MA 02, BS 00) is the county executive director at the Lea County United States Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency in Lovington, New Mexico. Terry grew up in Elida, New Mexico. He attended Eastern because it was “small enough that it didn’t cause too much of a shock coming from a rural school. “Money was also a driving factor because I got the best scholarships to attend ENMU. I had many opportunities that I would not have had at a larger university. “My education at ENMU polished my 12
Green & Silver | May 2015
communication skills and taught me how to critically analyze information,” Terry continued. “Those two skills have been invaluable in my current career. My knowledge and skills truly are put to use every day as a civil servant, navigating bureaucratic red tape, convoluted policy and congressional mandates.” As the current state president and legislative chair of the southwest area for his employee association, Terry does his “best to have a positive influence in the lives of others and take advantage of opportunities to advance my career.”
