Graphic design externship cr
NEW PATH TO EMPLO W
hen employment is the goal of education, developing skills that have practical application is paramount. Graphic design students at Scottsdale Community College are getting a lesson in practical application through an innovative new externship program centered on developing real-world experience. A partnership between SCC and Prisma, a comprehensive marketing supply chain powerhouse, is the foundation of the externship, which kicked off at the start of the fall 2016 semester with three participants. The program aims to help students better understand what goes into taking a design concept to market. From the artistic to the technical, the semester-long program pairs students with working professionals for hands-on learning. They interact with actual clients and assist with projects, providing unmatched exposure to the technology and logistics behind a career involving graphic design. “Unlike other schools where graphic design is taught as an art, SCC teaches it as part of an occupational program,” said Peggy Deal, Graphic Design program chair. “This ensures our teaching aligns with what industry experts say they need and want from those entering the field.” Deal, who has been teaching at SCC for 17 years and chairing the graphic design program for the last eight, is well known throughout the Southwest’s design and printing community. She describes her role at SCC as a way to bridge the gap between the old, dying print industry and the new frontier. The Prisma externship is a prime example.
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Chewing on the idea for years, Deal approached Bob Anderson, CEO of Prisma, about the externship in the spring of 2015. Not only did Anderson agree, he jumped into the planning feet first. “Bob immediately wanted to take it to another level,” Deal said. “He helped outline the program and committed the resources of his entire management team.” Anderson sweetened the pot by offering to reimburse the cost of the two one-credit hour externship courses (ART296WA – Cooperative Education and ART298AA – Special Projects) for students who successfully complete the program. Grateful to Anderson for so eagerly embracing the opportunity to work with students, Deal admits she couldn’t help but wonder why he was so enthusiastic. His response speaks volumes about the value of realworld learning and SCC’s reputation in the industry: “I get a first look at your students.” In 2012, SCC’s graphic design program earned the esteemed Frederick D. Kagy Education Award of Excellence, distinguishing it as one of the nation’s best design programs. “The award is a real honor, and it’s the reason that leaders of many large companies come to me when they have an opening,” Deal explained. “They don’t want names of people to interview. They just have me send them someone to employ. That comes from having built a level of trust about expectations.” As a proof point, Prisma employs several SCC graduates.