MIAD Family Forum – Page 3 – MIAD Family Forum

Everything Students Should Know About Seeking Professional Opportunities

Even though we’re only a few weeks into the spring semester, now is a good time for students to make summer plans.

For juniors and some sophomores, pursuing a professional experience is strongly encouraged. A professional experience is any opportunity that helps explore career options, develop specific skills, and accomplish professional goals. Students should research and pursue opportunities in February, March and early April, as waiting longer will present challenges.

Internships: Internships are opportunities to work on-site at a business or organization, engaging with work that directly relates to their career interests. Internships can be part-time or full-time, and academic credit can be earned.

Professional Jobs: Similar to internships but with no academic credit, professional-related jobs provide valuable experience in a student’s industry or profession of interest. These jobs can be full-time, part-time, temporary or seasonal.

Freelance Projects and Commissions: Businesses, organizations, associations and private citizens periodically have creative-based projects for which they seek artists/designers. Seniors, juniors and sometimes sophomores have the skills to pursue such projects.

MIAD Innovation Center Projects: The MIAD Innovation Center connects corporate and nonprofit organizations with MIAD students, giving students the opportunity to work with real clients, apply their creative thinking and skills and build their professional portfolios. Encourage your student to check with the MIAD Innovation Center Executive Director Drew Maxwell to learn about potential projects through the Center.

Exhibitions and Selling Work: There are opportunities for students to exhibit their work in a variety of venues, and the community where the student is living for the summer is a good place to start. Commercial galleries, public galleries, virtual/online galleries, artist-run spaces, alternative spaces, art centers, artist collectives and art fairs are all options. In addition, MIAD offers two opportunities each year for students to sell their work: at the annual Creative Fusion gala in May and the MIAD Holiday Sale in early December.

Professional Associations and Organizations: Almost all professions have associations, organizations and groups, including creative and art/design professions. They encourage student involvement and often offer student memberships. Become members, attend workshops and events, participate in activities, or assist with programs. Examples include AIGA for communication design students, the Industrial Design Society of America (IDSA) for industrial design students or American Society of Interior Designers for interior architecture and design students.

Volunteer: Opportunities to assist nonprofit organizations and associations also offer valuable professional experiences. Most communities have art-related groups that recruit volunteers year-round. Many offer summer programs and activities for which they seek volunteer assistance.

Students should discuss their professional interests with their MIAD Advisor and Career Services staff to learn what types of professional experiences may be options for them.

3 Things to Know About 2019 MIAD Commencement

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

1. MIAD Commencement is Saturday, May 11, 2019, 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

Graduation scene

Important Dates for the Spring 2019 Semester

Here are important dates for the spring semester for you and your student to know.

January 14 – Spring classes begin

January 18 – Winter Gallery Night
Two exhibitions are on view during Winter Gallery Night in the Historic Third Ward from 5 – 9 p.m. – Spectacular Vernacular and I Contain Multitudes.

January 19 – I Contain Multitudes: Opening Reception & Artists’ Discussion
Meet the 10 artists participating in “I Contain Multitudes” and view a documentary created about the making of this exhibition. “I Contain Multitudes” is generously supported in part by the Mary L. Nohl Fund of the Greater Milwaukee Foundation.

January 21 – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
No classes on this day.

February 7 – Navigating Between Cultures: Artists’ Talk & Panel Discussion
As part of “I Contain Multitudes” exhibit programming, Fawzia Khan and Hend Al-Mansour lead a discussion on challenges of being part of two cultures simultaneously. “I Contain Multitudes” is generously supported in part by the Mary L. Nohl Fund of the Greater Milwaukee Foundation.

February 13 – MIAD Creativity Series
Michael DelGaudio ’01 (Communication Design) leads user experience teams for Android TV and Internet of Things at Google. He presents “Design++: Living at the Intersection of People and Technology” at 6 p.m.

February 27 – Talking Suitcases
As part of “I Contain Multitudes” programming, Susan Armington discusses her project to fill a suitcase with handmade objects that tell stories and help participants gain insights about themselves, touching on topics such as immigration, racism, grief, personal loss and life transition. “I Contain Multitudes” is generously supported in part by the Mary L. Nohl Fund of the Greater Milwaukee Foundation.

March 11 – Midterm reports available

March 11 – 15 – Spring Break
No classes

April 2 – First-Year Juried Student Exhibition
This exhibition, showcasing the best of first-year student work, opens on the second floor.

April 5 – First-Year Juried Student Exhibition Awards Reception
An outside juror selects students to receive awards. The ceremony takes place from 1:30 – 2:30 p.m. on the second floor.

April 11 – ARTH151 Field Trip
All freshmen enrolled in ARTH151 engage in an all-day field trip to Chicago.

April 17 – Senior Exhibition Preview Night
MIAD’s annual Senior Exhibition, Wisconsin’s largest exhibition of its kinds, features more than 100 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 24 – MIAD Defines
All classes are canceled for this unique learning event. The entire college participates in a day of panels, gallery talks and events.

April 26 – Senior Exhibition Opening Reception & Gallery Night
The 2018 MIAD Senior Exhibition has its Opening Reception on Spring Gallery Night in the Historic Third Ward from 5 – 9 p.m.

May 1 – RPC Pecha Kucha presentations
Selected first-year students will present pecha kuchas they’ve created in their RPC classes. The presentations are from 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

May 4 – Last day of spring classes

May 11 – Graduation ceremony
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.

What I Wish Parents Knew About College: A Student’s Perspective

Project by Olivia Paul

By Olivia Paul, Sophomore, Industrial Design

I never knew how much coming to MIAD would make me question my identity and familial relations. I’ve been groomed and nurtured by two loving beings: my parents. My thoughts and values are based on my upbringing with them. So, I have a good sense of who I am, right? Well, possibly… I’m still processing.

In my “Design and the Elastic Mind” class, we were given a prompt to create a narrative-driven piece. My inspiration came from “Lady Bird,” a 2017 American coming-of-age comedy-drama focused on the relationships that shape us, the beliefs that define us and the unmatched beauty of a place called home.

From this, I created “I Am My Mother’s Daughter,” a collection of lenticular photos [pictured right] that depict the personal narratives of different young women. I asked each woman, “How has your relationship with your mother changed since starting college?” Each photo seeks to highlight the subject and their disconnection from their mother since starting college life.

This project has helped me reflect on how our relationships with parents change when we go to college. Here are three pieces of advice I have for parents navigating this change:

Give some space early on. It’s important for your student to feel like they have the space to become independent. Call maybe once a week, not every day.
Understand your student’s schedule and studies. A way to stay involved is to ask about your student’s projects. You can even read a few books to learn the language of their art and design world.
Communication looks different, but the love is the same. Although you may not be spending the same amount of time with your student, know that each individual is doing the best they can. And remember, there is always Skype/FaceTime!

College is a time for learning, growing and changing. Through my “Design and the Elastic Mind” class project, I took the time to understand my subjects emotionally and researching the process of making a lenticular image helped me create photography that was interactive in a way that I haven’t really seen before. After completing my project, I feel as though I’ve started to understand my own parental relationships since college better, and more honestly. So mommy, I love you! I’ll talk to you soon!

Preparing for a Creative Career: Tips for Junior and Senior Students

Having success in classes is the best way for students to develop their creative skills, but career research, job search preparation and professional-related engagement outside of classes is helpful as they navigate the future.

What can a junior or senior do to prepare for their career during Winter Break and in the spring semester? The topics below will be discussed with students in their classes and with their advisors. Please encourage your student to be an active participant in these conversations and accomplish these suggestions.

Juniors

Prepare for and pursue summer professional experiences. This includes internships, jobs, freelance projects, commissions, exhibitions and volunteering.
Develop a portfolio and resume, which are used when contacting businesses and organizations and applying for opportunities.
Get involved with professional associations and groups if you have not already done so.
Frequently use the MIAD CanvassCareers website along with other business research and job search websites. The Career Services staff can introduce juniors to these resources if they have not yet been using them.
If self-employment or entrepreneurial endeavors are of interest, start thinking through the details of what creative work would be offered to clients/customers. If pursuing graduate school, fellowships, or artist residencies, the junior year is a good time to research options.

Seniors

Schedule a meeting with Faculty Advisor/Career Services staff to discuss post-graduate plans.
Finalize portfolio, resume, and other job search materials such as cover letters and establishing references.
If considering self-employment or entrepreneurial endeavors, develop a business plan. Similarly, if graduate school, fellowships, or artist residencies are a goal, begin the application process.
Look for job opportunitiy regularly on job search websites. Establish and maintain a profile on these sites as well as networking sites such as LinkedIn and with professional associations. Remember to check out MIAD’s CanvassCareers website.
Continue researching businesses and organizations, and contact specific businesses that are of interest with portfolio and resume.
If relocating is part of the plan, research the destination and learn how to make the move happen.

Faculty, advisors and career services staff are available to help students with career and professional related research and activities. MIAD alumni report great satisfaction with their careers and their professional work.

For more details about the above as well as additional suggestions, you are welcome to review the “Professional Preparation Plan” that all students have for their use.

Preparing for a Creative Career: Tips for First-Year and Sophomore Students

Even as students enjoy Winter Break, they can keep focused and continue to prepare for their future creative careers.

Having success in their classes is the best way for students to develop their creative skills, but career research, job search preparation and professional-related engagement outside of classes is helpful as they navigate the future.

Below are tips for first-year students and sophomores as they prepare for the spring semester. These topics will be discussed with students in classes and with their advisors. Please encourage your student to be an active participant in these conversations and accomplish these suggestions.

First-Year Students

Research types of creative careers. The Career Services Office has career information available in the library, on the Moodle website and through scheduled individual student meetings.
Attend the presentations and discussion sessions of the professional artists and designers who visit MIAD. These are announced through email, the River Rat student e-newsletter and posters.

Sophomore Students

Research the professions of MIAD alumni. Ask faculty, advisors and career services staff about MIAD alumni, or research them through LinkedIn and the Alumni Professional Directory. Many MIAD alumni are willing to respond to student questions.
Learn about specific types of businesses and organizations that hire or work with creative professionals. Review examples of professional opportunities (such as internships, volunteer work, etc.) that are available to designers and artists. The Career Services Office can provide resources to assist with this such as MIAD’s CanvassCareers website. These businesses and organizations could be prospects for students during their junior and senior years for professional experiences.
Become active in professional associations through student membership and/or attending events and activities. Faculty and career services staff as well as juniors and seniors have info about these professional associations.

Faculty, advisors and career services staff are available to help students with career and professional research and activities. MIAD alumni report great satisfaction with their careers and their professional work.

For more details about the above as well as additional suggestions, you are welcome to review the “Professional Preparation Plan” that all students have for their use.

How Your Student Can Get Involved on Campus

There are a variety of ways in which students can get involved on campus.

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

There also are several active student groups on campus:

Adventure Club

Ambrosia Designs

Anime Club

ASID (American Society of Interior Designers)

Billiards Club

Dungeons & Dragons

Film Club

Gradients

GSA (Genders and Sexualities Alliance)

IDSA (Industrial Designers Society of America)

InterVarsity

ISO (Photography)

Magic: The Gathering

MIAD Print Club

Swim Team (Curatorial)

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 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.

We encourage you and your student to interact with us on Monday, January 15^th, 2018 for the National Day of Service in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Invites will be shared with your student.

Additionally, there will be an ALD initiation ceremony held in Spring 2018 for new members and their families.

How to Offer Support to Your Student During Midterms

Midterm reports are a way to reflect on the past eight weeks of the academic year, celebrate and recalibrate.

This time of year can also produce anxiety, homesickness and uncertainty. At MIAD, academic advising supports the personal and the academic growth of each student. We are here to support and be a part of their holistic success.

You can support your student’s success, too. Here are some tips from MIAD’s Advising Office on ways you can support your student at any academic level:

Valuable check-in: Allow your student to feel in control. Ask, “What do you think are the joys and woes of college right now?” Observe what their focus is. In either instance, you can follow up with asking, “What do you think you are doing successfully? Who can help support you on campus?” These questions allow your student to reflect on what they can control and/or change to be more successful.
Anticipate a bit of anxiousness: If your student is a senior, the reality has set in that they have one more semester before they transition to the professional world full-time. If your student is a sophomore or junior, they may be considering switching majors or finding an internship opportunity. First-year students, for the first time, may realize that studio classes are nothing like high school coursework. Ask your student to reach out for these issues:
1. Emotional support: Associate Dean of Students, Jennifer Crandall (jennifercrandall@miad.edu)
2. Advising support: Your student’s advisor or the Director of Advising, Alea Cross (aleacross@miad.edu)
3. Tutoring support: The Learning Resource Center (LRC) or the 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 Activities, Christina WickHeiser (christinawickheiser@mia.edu)
Encourage your student to meet their advisor: Midterm reports were emailed to all students by October 19. This allows students time to formulate a sustainable success plan, activate it and prepare for Spring Registration (spring registration begins November 12).

Thank you for being a part of your student’s journey!

I Do Declare: Preparing for Majors Declaration Day

At MIAD, advising works to support your student in both their passion and future profession! Majors Declaration Day is Thursday, November 8. At this event, your student will be able to declare their major and interact with department chairs, other students and alumni with a more intentional focus and direction.

For First-Year Experience (FYE) students, it’s time to declare. This semester, students received a Professional Preparation Plan (PPP) guidebook that can help them on their journey toward academic engagement as well as career development as an aspiring professional.

Use the guidebook as a conversation-starter to ask your student:

What mediums do you use in class? Which do you enjoy using to demonstrate a concept?
Have you identified your interests and skills?
Are you researching the majors and occupations that derive from degrees offered at MIAD?

It is never too early to begin investigating majors and career opportunities. Below are videos on each academic major, as well as academic and career development tools for your examination:

Communication Design
Illustration
Industrial Design
Interior Architecture + Design
New Studio Practice: Fine Arts

Professional Preparation Plan
Careers in Art & Design

Students with questions about academic programs and/or career options may contact Director of Advising Alea Cross at aleacross@miad.edu or Assistant Director of Career Services Christina WickHeiser at christinawickheiser@miad.edu.

The FAFSA is now available – start the financial aid process now

Students who will attend MIAD in the fall of 2019 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 2019-2020 FAFSA for financial aid for the 2019-2020 academic year using your 2017 IRS tax return info.
The IRS Data Retrieval tool allows you to import 2017 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 2017 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, 2019.

MIAD’s Financial Aid office can assist you and your student through the 2019-2020 financial aid process. Please contact the office with any questions.

FAFSA website

Short-Term Study Abroad – What Parents Need to Know

Short-term study and travel abroad programs offer students a chance to broaden their world-views, immerse themselves in other cultures and environments and elevate their artistic and design practices.

This year, students have one short-term study abroad opportunity:

MAKING GLASGOW: CULTURE AND CREATIVITY IN A POST-INDUSTRIAL CITY

Overview

Led by Courtney Maloney, Bob Lynch and Ben Dembroski, this trip is three weeks on-site in Glasgow, Scotland (May 20 – June 11) with scheduled pre- and post-trip class meetings at MIAD.

Through this course, students will investigate the relationship between creative work and the historical, social and cultural dynamics of Glasgow. Students will be challenged to consider how artists/designers make work that is uniquely expressive of their time and place, and how artists and designers, in turn, make the place.

Credits

3 Studio + 3 Liberal Studies credits (6 total)

Pre-requisites

Completed WR120 and has instructor approval

Estimated travel/course fee

$4,250 includes six credits of MIAD summer tuition, housing, field trips and museum admissions, travel health/safety insurance during program dates, and several group meals.

Financial aid and need-based grants are available for eligible students.

DEADLINE TO APPLY: December 3, 2018

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Read more.
Encourage your student to attend the first information meeting on Wednesday, September 12, 2018, 11:15 a.m. in the 4^th Floor Screening Room.
Your student can contact Jenny Krantz at jkrantz@miad.edu or in Office 450B.

An Overview of Advising from Alea Cross

Greetings, MIAD Parents!

Here at MIAD, advising supports students holistically.

With an advisor, your student considers time management and optimization, their goals as future artists and designers and their personal development as they begin “adulting.”

Meeting with their advisor is essential to your student’s academic success and leveraging professional and academic opportunities. Here are tips from our advising team to help you support your student:

For Parents of First-Year Students

Ask your student when they plan to meet with their First-Year Experience (FYE) Advisor.

Follow up with your student and ask about what that first meeting was like.

Review the Getting Involved page on MIAD’s website.

For Parents of Continuing Students (Sophomores through Seniors)

Your student is already deep in the process of sorting out their personal and professional lives! Please encourage them to meet with their advisor to start setting goals toward:

Professional experiences
Elective courses that will complement their major and career goals
Professional portfolio development
Study abroad options
Academic goals

In addition:

Ask your student when they plan to meet with their Majors Advisor.
Follow up with your student and ask about how the meeting with their advisor went.

As the Director of Advising and support to all students, I keep an open-door policy. Please encourage your student to stop by the advising office if they have questions or concerns about their experience. Have a question on how to support your student? Send an email to aleacross@miad.edu.

Have a wonderful start to the fall semester as a family!

Important Dates for Fall Semester

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

August 22 – New Student Move-In

August 23-24 – New Student Orientation

New students will attend workshops to learn about MIAD and its resources and participate in a studio experience with faculty and mentors, among other activities.

August 25 – Returning Student Move-In

August 27 – Fall classes begin

August 30 – Welcome Back Picnic

Erie Street in front of MIAD is blocked off so students can enjoy food, activities and information booths.

September 3 – Labor Day; no classes

September 5 – NSP Welcome Back BratFest and Faculty DJ Party Picnic

Students enjoy food, music and New Studio Practice activities to usher in the new school year.

September 20 – 4-Week Reports

These are due for all first-year students.

October 1-4 – Majors/Minors Expo

During common time, full-time faculty representing all of the college’s majors meet with freshmen to impart a sense of what those majors offer

October 2 – Professional Portfolio Symposium

Professionals working in art and design fields share their portfolios with MIAD students. All freshmen participate; sophomores are invited to attend.

October 8-9 – Fall Break

There are no classes on these two days. Your student can explore Milwaukee, like taking advantage of their free membership to the Milwaukee Art Museum.

October 18 – Midterms

Midterm grade reports are due October 18. If your student is struggling, encourage him or her to reach out for help through tutoring, counseling and other academic support resources at MIAD.

November 8 – Major Declaration Day & Celebration

First-year students declare their majors with a celebration to follow!

November 14-15 – MIAD Creativity Series with LaToya Ruby Frazier

Learn more about visiting artist LaToya Ruby Frazier.

November 21-23 – Thanksgiving Break; no classes

November 29-December 1 – 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 14 – Last day of fall classes

Welcome to new and returning students in Fall 2018

Parents and family members,

The college is buzzing with excitement as we welcome our new and returning students to campus. As MIAD continues to grow, we remain focused on preparing students with the knowledge and skills they need to graduate and launch successful careers in art and design professions, adapt to a rapidly-changing world defined by emerging technologies and transform our community.

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

Student/Alumni Mentoring Program – This new program pairs current freshman, sophomore and junior students with alumni to provide professional guidance and mentorship. The minimum commitment is a monthly meeting. To participate, students must apply by September 26, and they will be receiving more info soon.
New academic minors – In the past couple of years we’ve added several new academic minors, including Arts Management, Digital Media Production (animation) and Furniture Design. This fall we launch a Sustainability minor.
MIAD Creativity Series – On November 14, LaToya Ruby Frazier, an internationally renowned photographer whose work amplifies the voices of the vulnerable, and focuses on topics such as poverty, racism, health care inequality and environmental toxicity, delivers a public presentation, “Art as Transformation: Using Photography for Social Change.” She also will be on-campus working with students on November 15.

More great opportunities are in the works as we provide students with new ways to innovate, positively impact the world around us and pursue lives and work with meaning.

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 Parent Communication Program 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 2018 for information on supplies, new student orientation, new student registration and more.

Join Us for the NextGen Workshop for Parents August 7

Having a student leave the nest brings its own familial anxieties and joys!

Whether it’s concerns for your student’s acceptance on campus, academic success, time management or remembering to wake up for class, MIAD understands and shares your parental concerns.

It is our pleasure to invite you to meet MIAD college leaders on campus as we engage in a dialogue specific to parents at the NextGen Workshop, August 7, 2018 at 10 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. NextGen is a one-day workshop designed to support academic persistence on campus while building community with students who value diverse walks of life on campus.

The purpose of this workshop is to:

Tour MIAD and learn about your MIAD curriculum.
Learn how parent/student dynamics can impact academic persistence.
Identify the resources you can use as a parent to support your student during their formative college years.

Here at MIAD we want every student to feel like they are a valued member of the community, a leader and prepared to address challenges of local, national and global issues.

To participate in this workshop, please RSVP at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NextGenParent

For questions, please contact Alea Cross at aleacross@miad.edu or 414-847-3275.

Senior Exhibition opens this week at MIAD

MIAD’s annual Senior Exhibition, Wisconsin’s largest exhibition of its kind, features more than 100 artists and designers representing all of MIAD’s Bachelor of Fine Arts majors and minors. The 2018 Senior Exhibition opens to the general public on April 20 and runs through May 12, 2018.

The Preview Night on April 18 is the MIAD community’s chance to see the work before the exhibit opens to the general public.

Learn more about the 2018 Senior Exhibition.

MIAD Alpha Lambda Delta honor society invites parents for tours and ceremony April 13, 2018

Alpha Lambda Delta (ALD) is a nationally recognized honor society celebrating freshman academic milestones. For accepted students who have a 3.5 GPA or higher, MIAD’s ALD Chapter will be inducting members Friday, April 13, 2018.

As we acknowledge students for their high achievement this day, MIAD also invites all parents who would like to view the art and design work first-year students have done throughout this spring semester.

Join MIAD President Jeff Morin and First-Year Experience (FYE) Chair James Barany on an intimate tour of MIAD to recap the 2017-2018 FYE cohort academic year.

Parent Tour
Place: River Level Rotunda
Time: 1:30-2:45 p.m.

Alpha Lambda Delta Inductee Ceremony
Place: Student Union
Time: 3:00-4:30 p.m.

Please RSVP by April 9th at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ALD18Tour.

MIAD President, alumni among artists selected for Milwaukee Bucks arena

Artwork by MIAD President Jeff Morin and MIAD alumni Vedale Hill ’11, Brandon Minga ’04 and Andi Woodward ’13 has been chosen for the new Milwaukee Bucks arena.

According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, these artists are among 32 artists selected from about 1,200 who applied for the arena project. “We really wanted to run the gamut” of styles and types of artwork,” said Traci Speca-Ventura, CEO of California-based Sports & The Arts and the consultant who advised the Bucks on the art project.

“We met with galleries, we met with studios, we met with art schools,” Speca-Ventura said. “We really want to celebrate the team, the history of Wisconsin and Milwaukee.”

Read the full Milwaukee Journal Sentinel article.

New academic minors at MIAD expand career opportunities for students

Chairs designed by furniture design students

Did you know that MIAD offers 17 academic minors? A minor can help a student expand his or her skill set in a focused area of study. Minors are available in all five majors, as well as several liberal studies areas, including advertising, art history, business, copywriting, humanities, natural sciences, psychology and writing.

In the past couple of years, MIAD has added several new minors as well, including the majors detailed below.

Arts Management
The first classes for this minor are happening this semester. The Arts Management minor prepares students to lead and manage arts organizations and events. Courses allow students to explore the theory, practice, knowledge and culture necessary to managing individual practices, community arts organizations, traditional and experimental art spaces, museums, galleries and nonprofit groups.

Book Arts
The Book Arts minor offers students a wide-ranging set of experiences within the broad definitions of a book. In an introductory class, students explore a variety of binding and folding techniques that incorporate interdisciplinary processes and utilize a variety of media. Then students use a variety of required and/or elective courses to complete a focused minor in book arts that fits their interests and skills.

Digital Media Production
The Digital Media Production minor is perfect for a student with a passion for storytelling. The minor allows students to explore the production process, from concept to completion in a variety of applications and media. Through one focused required class and then selecting four elective courses from a broad list, students build a set of experiences that match closely with their career goals and interests. Students gain an understanding of professional practices and issues related to the real-world employment market of filmmaking, animation, video games and sequential storytelling.

Furniture Design
This cross-disciplinary minor is ideal for students interested in designing and building well-crafted, modern furniture. Students learn the core principles of woodworking, joinery and fabrication, as well as more exploratory bending and forming techniques. Students embrace all phases of the design-build process from conception to completion.

Learn more about academic minors at MIAD.

Important dates and deadlines through May 2018

The spring semester is more than half over, but there’s still a lot more happening on campus. Check out the important dates and deadlines you and your student should know about from now until the end of the semester.

March 30 – AH213 Field Trip
Sophomores and juniors in AH213 engage in an all-day field trip.

April 6 – First-Year Juried Student Exhibition Awards Reception
The First-Year Juried Student Exhibition represents the best of first-year student work. An outside juror selects students to receive awards. The exhibition and award ceremony are held in MIAD’s East Gallery. The Awards Reception is April 6 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.. The exhibition opens April 4.

April 18 – Senior Exhibition Preview Night
MIAD’s annual Senior Exhibition, Wisconsin’s largest exhibition of its kinds, features more than 100 artists and designers representing all of MIAD’s Bachelor of Fine Arts majors and minors. The Preview Night is the MIAD community’s chance to see the work before the exhibit opens to the general public on April 20.

April 24 – Guest speaker: Glenn Adamson, “Make or Break: Inside and Outside the Rules”
Curator, writer and scholar Glenn Adamson discusses his current research into the work of two artists/designers and what goes into career-shaping breakthroughs. This programming is generously sponsored by the Caxambas Foundation. The event is at 7 p.m. in the MIAD Student Union.

April 25 – MIAD DEFINES: Sustainability
All classes are canceled for this unique learning event. The entire college participates in a day of panels, gallery talks and events.

May 1 – RPC Pecha Kucha Presentations
Selected first-year students will present pecha kuchas they’ve created in their RPC classes. The presentations will be from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

May 12 – Graduation
Congrats to our graduating seniors! MIAD’s commencement ceremony is held at the Pabst Theater from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Find out more about commencement on the MIAD Graduation blog.