MIAD Family Forum – Page 2 – MIAD Family Forum

Important student housing information for 2020-2021

It’s the time of year for your student to apply for housing for the 2020-2021 school year.

To all current MIAD Housing Residents & Cosigners: Because of the increasing number of first- and second-year students, the housing reapplication process has begun. All current tenants and cosigners in compliance with their current lease are eligible to reapply. MIAD requires all full-time first- and second-year students to live in MIAD-supported housing. See exceptions to this policy below.

The deadline for completing the housing application is February 15, 2020.

Go to the Two50Two website to complete the application. Leases will be sent to your student after the completed application has been received.

Leases must be returned and signed by both the tenant and cosigner by March 1, 2020.

Anyone who has not signed their lease by March 1, 2020 will be placed on a waiting list. As a reminder, a signed lease is a legal binding obligation for the entire academic year.

It is in your student’s best interest to complete the lease process at the earliest possible date. Roommate preference questionnaires will be sent only to those tenants who have completed the lease process.

MIAD Residency Requirement: MIAD requires all full-time first- and second-year students to live in MIAD-supported housing unless: The student 1) has completed 60 or more credit hours, 2) is living with family within 45 miles of MIAD, 3) is 21 or older, 4) is married, 5) is a veteran or 6) is a custodial parent.

For more information contact: Marianne Di Ulio, mariannediulio@miad.edu

Things To Know: 2020 Graduation Ceremony

As the semester progresses and graduation approaches, MIAD Registrar Jean Weimer lists the top three things you and your senior student should know about graduation.

1. MIAD Commencement is Saturday, May 9, 2020, 11 a.m.

2. It takes place at the Pabst Theater, 144 E. Wells Street, Milwaukee, WI

3. You can find up-to-date information with more details on the MIAD Graduation blog

Please make sure your graduate is checking their email periodically for very important information regarding graduation.

Important Dates for the Spring 2020 Semester

Before the spring semester gets fully underway, check out these important dates that you and your student should know.

January 17 – Winter Gallery Night
“OSSUARY: A Project by Laurie Beth Clark” is on view during Winter Gallery Night in the Historic Third Ward from 5 – 9 p.m. Artists’ reception begins at 7 p.m.

January 20 – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
No classes on this day.

January 27 – March 14 – New exhibitions on view
Two documentary exhibitions “Mrs. Lincoln, What Did You Think of the Play?” curated by Danny Volk and “New Deal Utopias” by Jason Reblando in the Brooks Stevens Gallery.

February 5 – MIAD Creativity Series
Titus Kaphar presents “Making Space for Black History: Amending the Landscape of American Art” on MIAD’s 4th Floor Raw Space at 6 p.m. Free tickets are required for this event. Learn more about this year’s Creativity Series.

February 26 – “OSSUARY: A Project by Laurie Beth Clark” Panel Discussion
A panel of artists and community members begins at 7 p.m. Learn more about the exhibit.

March 9 – Midterm reports available

March 9 – 13 – Spring Break
No classes.

April 2 – AH151 Field Trip
All first-year students enrolled in AH151 engage in an all-day field trip to Chicago.

April 3 – First-Year Juried Student Exhibition Opening Reception & Awards Ceremony
This exhibition represents the best of first-year students’ work. Outside jurors select students to receive awards. Award ceremony begins at 5:30 p.m.

April 15 – Senior Exhibition Preview Night
MIAD’s annual Senior Exhibition, Wisconsin’s largest exhibition of its kind, features more than 120 artists and designers representing all of MIAD’s Bachelor of Fine Arts majors and minors. The Preview Night, from 4 – 8 p.m., is the MIAD community’s chance to see the work before the exhibit opens to the general public.

April 17 – Senior Exhibition Opening & Gallery Night
The 2020 MIAD Senior Exhibition has its Opening Reception on Spring Gallery Night in the Historic Third Ward from 5 – 9 p.m.

May 1 – Last day of spring classes

May 5 – Grades due

May 9 – Graduation
Congratulations to our graduating seniors! MIAD’s commencement ceremony is held at the Pabst Theater, 9 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Read the graduation blog for more info.

Meet faculty and staff who help support your student’s success

Click the image above to get to know the folks who help support your student’s success, from the college president to student advisors. Plus, learn what each faculty or staff member does for students and what they would like you to know about them.

“I can see the big picture for students when the curriculum might not make sense. If [students] have a question I can help” – Leslie Fedorchuk

Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society: What you and your student should know

Alpha Lambda Delta (ALD) is a nationally recognized honor society celebrating academic milestones. Students who demonstrate a 3.5 GPA during their first semester have the opportunity to join MIAD’s Alpha Lambda Delta chapter.

Benefits of ALD membership
Membership in Alpha Lambda Delta is the first step to awards and honors throughout their collegiate experience and beyond. Alpha Lambda Delta members are eligible to compete for undergraduate scholarships of $1,000 – $3,000 each, study abroad scholarships of $1,000 – $2,000 each, and graduate fellowships of $3,000 – $7,500 each.

What you can do
Consider reaching out to your student to confirm they have received an email from the Advising Office about ALD membership. Please encourage your student to take advantage of this opportunity to be part of a national community of scholars. An initiation ceremony will be held in Spring 2020 for new members. As a lifetime member of Alpha Lambda Delta, each member pays one-time dues of $45.

For more information about ALD, contact aleacross@miad.edu or visit the national website at www.nationalald.org

**For students who are ALD members, we encourage them to join us Monday, January 20, 2020 at Lancaster Public School (4931 N 68th St, Milwaukee, WI 53219) from 8 a.m. – noon for a volunteer service opportunity**

Career resources for your student to explore

As your student finishes their fall semester, they probably are ready and deserving of the upcoming Winter Break. Taking time for oneself, relaxing and refueling is important. The month-long semester break is also a good time for students to investigate and use a some of MIAD’s career and professional related resources.

For first-year students and sophomores

First Year students and Sophomores may want to learn more about the many creative careers that exist and the variety of specific art/design professions. The MIAD Library has a great Career Section with several books that students may check-out for reading over the Winter Break. The types of creative professions represented within the collection include:

Advertising Design
Architecture
Art Direction
Art Related Non-Profit Professions
Art Therapy
Comics and Graphic Novels
Concept Art
Fashion Design
Fine Artist
Game Design
Graphic Design
Illustration
Photography
Product (Industrial) Design
Publication Design / Publishing
Motion Design
Museum Professions
UX/UI (User Experience / User Interface) Design
Visual Professions in the Performing Arts

The MIAD Career Services Office also offers an art/design career booklet that introduces students to many of these creative professions and provides web resources to learn more about each of the professions. This booklet is available in the “Resources” section at the MIAD Career Services Handshake website (accessible to all students) or by contacting careerservices@miad.edu.

For Juniors

Many juniors are ready to gain professional experience at a business or organization during the summer, or may already be engaged in professional experiences.

During the winter break Juniors can develop or update their resume and sample portfolio. They also can research professional experience opportunities such as internships, jobs, freelance projects and exhibitions. Some opportunities are posted on the MIAD Career Services’ Handshake website.

In addition to searching for opportunities, it is strongly encouraged that juniors research businesses and organizations as prospects for these professional experiences. Many creative businesses find their interns and students for professional experiences because the student makes direct contact with them rather than waiting for an internship or job announcement to be posted.

For Seniors

Seniors are encouraged to use the MIAD Career Services Handshake website to create a profile of their skills and interests, review postings and research employers (businesses/organizations) who recruit for MIAD students. Students often can navigate the Handshake system on their own, but the Career Services staff is happy to schedule a meeting and explore the system with them to be sure they are using all the functions and resources.

The Resources section at the MIAD Career Services Handshake website offers additional websites to use for searching postings and researching potential employers. Of the additional resources, students are strongly encouraged to create a LinkedIn account to use the job search feature and research prospective employers who hire MIAD graduates.

For all students

Students at any class level to learn about can use the resources of and become involved with the professional association connected with their specific career area. Recommendations include:

United Adworkers & American Institute of Graphic Artists (AIGA) for Communication Design majors
Society of Illustrators & AIGA for Illustration majors
Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA) for Industrial/product Design majors
(American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) & International Interior Design Association (IIDA) for Interior Architecture and Design majors
Milwaukee Artists Resource Network (MARN) for New Studio Practice: Fine Arts majors

United Adworkers, AIGA, IDSA, ASID, IIDA and MARN all have active professional groups in the Milwaukee area.

The career services staff are available to further discuss any of the above resources with MIAD students.

Thanksgiving Break Discussion Topics

While your student is home for Thanksgiving, there are many important things you can discuss with them:

HEALTH

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle and managing one’s physical and mental health is key to a successful academic experience, and learning how to balance school, work, and social life is essential.

Yet, the school year can be hectic, and students may fall out of healthy routines. Reminding your student of the resources available to them can help for when stress builds up or the unexpected happens.

All full-time MIAD students are provided free comprehensive health services at Marquette University’s Medical Clinic and short-term Counseling at Marquette’s Counseling Center.
Non-clinical counseling at MIAD: Hanna Hobson, Student Support Counselor, provides short-term emotional and personal counseling to students. Counseling support includes guidance with various mental health topics including stress management, anxiety and depression coping skills, mindfulness interventions, and more. The Student Support Counselor offers both individual sessions and group workshops.
MIAD’s Learning Resource Center provides tutoring, time management strategies, healthy lifestyle tips, and assistance with transition to college.
Students who benefitted from accommodations in high school or college because of a learning disability, physical or mental health condition, should contact MIAD’s Student Accessibility Counselor, Rebecca Skupien, to arrange for reasonable accommodations at MIAD.

For a complete listing of MIAD’s Health and Wellness Services and resources (including local pharmacies and clinics), please visit MIAD’s website.

If you have questions, please contact Jennifer Crandall, Associate Dean of Students (414-847-3344, jennifercrandall@miad.edu) or Hanna Hobson, Student Support Counselor (414-847-3349, hannahobson@miad.edu).

STUDY ABROAD

MIAD strongly believes in the value of study abroad and the unique educational experience it offers students. Our programs are rich, team-taught offerings linking cultural, historical and geographical explorations and research with personal studio investigations. Critical thinking and reflection are at the core of student work.

As communicators of the cultural world, artists and designers especially benefit from being aware of new possibilities and new ways of looking and understanding. Independence, global awareness, tolerance, self-sufficiency and resourcefulness are all desirable skills in life and the marketplace. Many employers see traits gained from international experience as a valued commodity in the professional world.

MIAD is currently accepting applications for a course in Florence, Italy. “Tracing the Italian Aesthetic: Botticelli and Brunelleschi to Ferragamo and Cattelan.”

Discuss with your student if study abroad is something they would like to participate in during their time at MIAD. If they have any questions, they can contact Jenny Krantz, Director of Creative Learning Opportunities, at jenniferkrantz@miad.edu.

An Intro to Getting Involved On Campus

There are many ways students can get involved on campus.

One student organization is called Student Party, which is MIAD’s equivalent of Student Government. It meets weekly on Wednesdays during the Common Hour (11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.) in Room 399A, and helps with MIAD traditions like the annual AIDS Walk Wisconsin, Blood Drives, the MIAD Halloween Party, the annual Talent Show and Health Heelers.

There also are several active student groups on campus:

Active Minds
Asian Creative Union (ACU)
American Society of Interior Designers (ASID)
Anime Club
Disability Rights, Education, Activism and Mentoring (DREAM)
Drama Club
Dungeons & Dragons
Fibers Club
Film Club
Genders and Sexualities Alliance (GSA)
Gradients
Graphic Novel Book Club
Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA)
InterVarsity
ISO (Photography)
Magic: The Gathering
MIAD Print Club
Rolling Rats (Skateboarding, etc.)
Super Secret Cartoon Club
Video Game Club

If a student is interested in creating a student group that doesn’t currently exist, they should contact Student Party (studentparty@miad.edu).

Another organization on campus, Alpha Lambda Delta (ALD), is an honor society open to freshmen students who met or exceeded a 3.5 GPA in their first semester at MIAD. ALD fosters academic achievement and learning through thought, design and expression, and believes every person can lead, learn and design with a purpose greater than self to change the world. Should your student become a member of this prestigious honors society, they will be provided the opportunity to compete for scholarships and fellowships awarded by National Alpha Lambda Delta.

How your student can prepare to declare a major

It’s time for First-Year Experience (FYE) students to declare a major! Major Declaration Day is Wednesday, November 6. At this event, your student can declare their major of choice and begin to interact with Department chairs, continuing students and alumni with a more intentional focus and direction.

Before that day, FYE students should research and reflect on what path they may want to take.

This quarter, they received a Professional Preparation Plan (PPP) guidebook, and Careers in Art & Design booklet. These resources not only help them consider the journey of their academic engagement, but also how they can begin career development as an aspiring professional.

Feel free to read the provided academic and career development materials, and use them as a conversation starter to inquire:

What mediums are you using in class? Which do you like the best?
Have you identified your skills and interests both inside and outside the classroom?
Have you begun researching the majors and occupations related to degrees offered at MIAD?

Faculty and staff have crafted videos about the majors that we encourage you and your student to view:

Industrial/Product Design

Interior Architecture and Design

New Studio Practice: Fine Arts

Communication Design

Illustration

If your student has questions about academic programs or career options, they can contact:

Director of Advising Alea Cross, aleacross@miad.edu
Associate Director of Career Services Christina WickHeiser, christinawickheiser@miad.edu

Class registration and the FAFSA: What are the next steps?

October is a busy month. The FAFSA is now available, and parents and students may begin the process of securing financial aid.

Also, registration for Spring 2020 classes begins the week of November 11, and students should begin to prepare now.

FAFSA

Students who will attend MIAD in the fall of 2020 can begin the process of securing financial aid now at www.fafsa.gov. Here is an overview of the FAFSA filing and financial aid timeline:

Students should file a 2020-2021 FAFSA for financial aid for the 2020-2021 academic year using your 2018 IRS tax return info.
The IRS Data Retrieval tool allows you to import 2018 tax data directly from the IRS. MIAD strongly encourages all FAFSA applicants to use this tool, as it provides the most accurate data.
The Department of Education randomly selects one out of every three FAFSA applicants for “Verification.” If your student is selected for verification, they will receive an email from the Financial Aid Office asking for specific documentation required to complete verification. Using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool on the FAFSA to import your 2018 federal tax information will simplify the verification process.
If you utilize the Parent PLUS loan to cover the outstanding balance for tuition and fees at MIAD or Room and Board expenses, you must apply for the PLUS loan each year. The Department of Education must perform an annual credit check to confirm eligibility. The application for a Parent PLUS loan is available online at studentloans.gov after April 15, 2020.

MIAD’s Financial Aid Office can assist you and your student through the 2020-2021 financial aid process. Please contact the Financial Aid Office with any questions.

Spring 2020 Registration

Encourage your student to check their email regularly. Registration information will be sent to them on October 21.
Ask your student when they will meet with their advisor to review registration materials.
Make sure your child’s account is up to date. Outstanding balances may affect their spring registration. Contact the Business Office with questions or concerns.

MIAD Seeks Comments for Accreditation Process

The Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD) seeks comments from the public about the College in preparation for its periodic evaluation by its regional accrediting agency. The College will host a visit from the Higher Learning Commission November 10 – 12, 2019.

All comments must be received by October 10.

The Commission has accredited MIAD since 1987. The team will review the institution’s ongoing ability to meet the Commission’s Criteria for Accreditation.

The public is invited to submit substantive comments relating to the quality of the college or its academic programs. Comments must be in writing through the following link:

https://hlcommission.org/Student-Resources/third-party-comment.html

Comments may also be sent to:

Public Comment on MIAD
The Higher Learning Commission
230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500
Chicago, IL 60604-1411

Checking In With Your Student – What to Discuss?

MIAD Advising supports the personal and the academic growth of each student, new and returning.

Now is a moment for students to reflect: How am I adjusting to college? While some may be adjusting seamlessly, others may need to make adjustments to be more successful while navigating homesickness and other anxiety-producing uncertainties. Alea Cross, Director of Advising MIAD’s Advising Office has tips for supporting your student at any level:

Check in: Ask questions like, “What are the joys and woes of college right now?” and “What do you think you’re doing successfully?” These questions allow your student to reflect. Pay attention to the focus of their answers. Follow up with, “Who can help support you on campus?” to remind them of campus resources.
Anticipate some anxiousness: For seniors, reality sets in that graduation is soon and they will enter the professional world. Sophomores and juniors may question their major or begin searching for a professional work opportunity. First-year students may just be finding out that college is quite different from high school. Suggest your student contact the following staff on campus, depending on their needs:
1. Emotional support: Associate Dean of Students, Jennifer Crandall (jennifercrandall@miad.edu)
2. Advising support: Student should contact their specific advisor or the Director of Advising, Alea Cross (aleacross@miad.edu)
3. Tutoring: Learning Resource Center (LRC) or Coordinator of Learning Services, Cathryn Wilson (cathrynwilson@miad.edu)
4. Roommate/Living Issues: Director of Residential Living and Student Activities, Marianne Di Ulio (mariannediulio@miad.edu)
5. Career Development: Assistant Director of Career Services, Christina WickHeiser (christinawickheiser@miad.edu)

For any reason, feel free to refer your student back to MIAD Advising. We are here to support students and want to be a part of their holistic success.

Family support is key. Thank you for your investment in and support of your student.

How Your Student Can Sell Their Work at the 2019 MIAD Holiday Sale

2019 Holiday Sale banner MIAD students have two opportunities throughout the school year to showcase and sell their work to a wide audience: at the Creative Fusion gala in May and at the MIAD Holiday Sale in December.

Registration is now open for MIAD students (and alumni) to sell their work at the 2019 MIAD Holiday Sale, December 5 – 7, 2019. Students need to register by Friday, November 8, in order to sell their work.

Now in its ninth year, the MIAD Holiday Sale is a highly-publicized event that draws 1,000 art enthusiasts and visitors to campus.

Any student – from first-year to seniors – can participate by selling drawings, photographs, prints, paintings, furniture, design work, sculptures, jewelry, handmade gifts and cards, or other work. Artists/designers receive 70% of the sale price. A portion of the proceeds benefits MIAD student scholarships.

Visit miad.edu/holidaysale for more info.

The 2019 MIAD Holiday Sale is sponsored by:

More information about selling student work at Creative Fusion will be available in the spring semester.

Welcome to the MIAD Family Forum!

Parents and family members,

We are excited to welcome our new and returning students to campus this fall. Our incoming class is the largest in the college’s history. Over the summer, we have been busy preparing additional studio spaces, a new science lab and other areas of campus. In addition, we have hired several new staff and faculty members, including a new student support counselor and director of inclusivity.

Our dedicated faculty and staff are committed to supporting your student to achieve success and graduate prepared to launch a successful career in art and design.

This fall there are many new and exciting opportunities for students to nurture their passion and career aspirations. Here are a few highlights:

MIAD Innovation Center – Launched in Fall 2018, the MIAD Innovation Center provides students opportunities to explore their own creative ideas outside of the classroom, as well as professional experiences working with businesses and nonprofits in Milwaukee.
MIAD Creativity Series – On October 25, the four founding members of the Strange Fire Collective deliver a public presentation, “Institutional Questions/Questioning Institutions.” Strange Fire seeks to create a venue for work that critically questions the dominant social hierarchy and highlights work made by women, people of color, and queer and trans artists.
Student organizations – The college has a growing number of student activities and organizations. Participating in an activity or group that matches their interest is a great way for students to be involved and make new friends.

I encourage you to check back on this blog often for tips and advice on how you can best support your student this year. Also, be sure to sign up to receive our monthly MIAD Family Forum emails to stay up-to-date.

Jeff Morin
MIAD President

P.S. If you haven’t already, check out our information for new students in Fall 2019 for information on supplies, new student orientation and more.

Important Dates for the Fall Semester

Before the fall semester gets fully underway, check out these important dates that you and your student should know.

August 20-21 – New Student Move-In

August 20-24 – New Student Orientation
New students attend workshops to learn about MIAD and its resources, and participate in a studio experience with faculty and mentors, among other activities.

August 26 – Fall classes begin

August 27 – On-Campus Employment Information Session, 11:30 a.m.
MIAD Career Services provides information on how to obtain an on-campus job.

August 29 – Welcome Back Picnic, 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Students enjoy food, activities and information booths on Erie Street in front of MIAD.

September 2 – Labor Day; no classes

September 4 – NSP Welcome Back BratFest and Faculty DJ Party Picnic, 11 a.m.
Students enjoy food, music and New Studio Practice activities to usher in the new school year.

September 18 – FYE Professional Portfolio Symposium, 6 – 8:30 p.m.
Professionals working in art and design share their portfolios with all first-year students.

September 19 – 4-Week Reports

October 1 – Majors Dialogue, 6 – 8:30 p.m.
Full-time faculty meet with first-year students to share what each academic area offers.

October 7-8 – Fall Break; no classes
There are no classes on these days. Your student can explore Milwaukee, like taking advantage of their free membership to the Milwaukee Art Museum.

October 17 – Midterms reports available
If your student is struggling, encourage them to reach out for help through tutoring, counseling and other academic support resources at MIAD.

October 25 – MIAD Creativity Series: Strange Fire Collective, 6 p.m.
Learn more about Strange Fire Collective’s visit.

November 6 – Majors Declaration for FYE Students, 11 a.m.

November 11-15 – Spring 2020 Registration

November 27-29 – Thanksgiving Break; no classes

December 5-7 – MIAD Holiday Sale
Students and alumni sell their one-of-a-kind art and design work. Learn more about how your student can participate.

December 13 – Last day of fall classes

Curricular collaborations with Milwaukee organizations offer professional experiences to MIAD students

Each year, MIAD collaborates with corporate and nonprofit partners on a variety of curricular projects to enhance students’ real-world, professional experiences while providing invaluable intellectual property and products to our partners.

Jess Schindler

Projects span all majors, but in the Spring 2019 semester alone, Illustration and Communication Design departments worked with several organizations. Here are the highlights:

Colectivo Coffee – students created new coffee cup designs; four winners were chosen to have their designs on cups at area locations for one month.

Trusted Media Brands – students created illustrations to accompany stories in Country Woman and Reminisce Extra magazines; winning will be published in the magazines.

Fromm Family Foods – students designed posters for Fromm Petfest; the winner’s poster will besold at the event in September 2019 and student designs will be on view at the event.

88Nine Radio Milwaukee – students designed logos and other materials for specific 88Nine Radio Milwaukee programs; winners’ work will be used in summer promotional campaigns.

Prevent Blindness Wisconsin – students designed t-shirts for this nonprofit; the organization is selling the winner’s t-shirt design online

2019 Year In Review

2019 has been an extraordinary year for MIAD and its students. Take a look back at a few of their accomplishments as we head into the summer.

1. MIAD Innovation Center launches. In Fall 2018, the college launched the MIAD Innovation Center, which combines technology and students’ creativity to design solutions for Milwaukee business and nonprofits. The center also serves as an incubator to help students take their creative ideas to market and offers educational programming.

2. MIAD receives national accolades. For the fourth consecutive year, Graphic Design USA magazine named MIAD a Top Design School. MONEY magazine named MIAD a Best College for Your Money.

3. Industrial Design students help MPS kids. Through empathy and design, MIAD Industrial Design juniors created assistive devices to help MPS students at Manitoba Elementary & Middle School with special needs.

4. Printmaking Week starts strong. In the fall, students taking Arts Management brought 12 renowned artists to MIAD for a weeklong residency, when they collaborated with students and created special prints for the college.

5. Record number of designs patented at Delta. This year, Delta patented an unprecedented 10 MIAD Industrial Design student designs.

Alumni profile – Ethan Keister ’17

While a student at MIAD, Ethan Keister ‘17 (Communication Design) was named a 2017 Student to Watch by Graphic Design USA. Ethan recently updated us on his post grad life.

What is your current job?

I’m currently an art director at Zizzo Group – an advertising agency that specializes in digital marketing. I do many tasks including branding, website design, and social media content creation. I like the variety of clients (from the YMCA to Milwaukee Film) and the fact I get to be creative on a daily basis.

What are some other things you’ve done since graduation?

After graduation, I had the chance to travel to the Indian Himalayas and do some design work over the summer. When I returned, I moved back to Milwaukee from western New York (where I’m from) and snagged the art director job at Zizzo. I’ve been there ever since, but have traveled to Ecuador, and back to India. I also freelance with Stock House Brewing Co. doing their branding and labels, and volunteer with Islands of Brilliance – a design mentorship program for children, teens and young adults on the autism spectrum.

How did MIAD prepare you for your career?

MIAD taught me how to teach myself. It taught me work ethic, and what it means to be professional in the hectic world of art and design. Presentation is important, and MIAD helped me refine my skills. I learned of an internship through MIAD [at Zizzo], which is where I currently work. Connection is key!

Senior Exhibition opens this month at MIAD

MIAD’s annual Senior Exhibition, Wisconsin’s largest exhibition of its kind, features artists and designers representing all of MIAD’s Bachelor of Fine Arts majors and minors.

This year, the exhibition showcases more than 130 artists and designers who have combined technology with their own creativity to solve problems and express themselves.

For example:

Clare O’Malley (Industrial Design) designed a more comfortable and attractive palliative care system, allowing cancer patients to live more independently away from the hospital.
Tony Holz (Communication Design) created animated videos for a suicide prevention campaign for transgender and gender nonconforming youth.

The 2019 Senior Exhibition opens to the general public on April 19 and runs through May 11, 2019.

The Preview Night on Wednesday, April 17 is the MIAD community’s chance to see the work before the exhibit opens to the general public.

Learn more about the 2019 Senior Exhibition.

View in-progress photos.

Spring 2019: Mid-Semester Advising Check-In

Spring Break is here, and you can support your student and encourage them to finish the semester strong by engaging in a conversation about their experiences.

Questions for First-Year Students

The First-Year Experience (FYE) curriculum at MIAD provides all first-year students with a basic foundation of skills and knowledge as they transition into their major.

How are you managing time to finish projects?
What are doing well to be successful in your classes?
What are your challenges?
How are you/why aren’t you using the Learning Resource Center (LRC) as a tool for your academic success?
What are you most excited about at MIAD?

Questions for Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors

How are you connecting class work to work you’d like to do professionally?
What has given you more confidence since last semester?
What is a challenge right now?
As assignments and projects take up more of your time, how are you practicing self-care?
How are you using the Open Lab and MIAD Innovation Center for your projects and professional work?

Please remind your student to connect with their advisor after Spring Break to schedule their next advising session. Your student and their advisor will review midterms, revise success plans for completing the semester and initiate the process of Fall 2019 registration.

If your student has questions about academic programs, please encourage them contact Director of Advising Alea Cross at aleacross@miad.edu.

On view now – A MIAD gallery guide

MIAD has two nationally recognized museum galleries: the Brooks Stevens Gallery and the Frederick Layton Gallery. They are open to the public Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., and admission is free. But did you know that MIAD has many other gallery spaces around campus showcasing student and alumni work?

Entryway Gallery

Location: Lobby, First Floor

Featured work: Various student work

Currently on view: Student projects from the “Soft Goods” course

NSP Alumni Gallery/Wallway Gallery

Location: First Floor

Featured work: Alumni fine arts work/student fine arts work

Currently on view: Work by Alisa Toninato ‘05, who owns American Skillet Co. and was featured on ABC News last year

Perspectives Gallery

Location: Room 299, Second Floor

Featured work: Alumni and other professional photography

Currently on view: “The Fallen Fawn” by Holly Andres, a photographer whose work has appeared in The New Yorker, TIME and Yahoo Style

Communication Design/Illustration Alumni Gallery

Location: Second Floor

Featured work: Alumni Communication Design and Illustration work

Currently on view: Work by Joan Varitek ‘07, who has illustrated for Mrs Wordsmith and companies such as Williams-Sonoma, Comedy Central and Hyatt Place Hotels

See the work in these galleries here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/miadcollege/albums/72157703881568312