Graduating students in Conestoga’s Graphic Design advanced diploma program welcomed the college community, friends and industry partners to the 8th annual year-end showcase on April 12.
Isaac Meriano, Ryley Maxwell and Christine Langille were among the graduating students in Conestoga’s Graphic Design advanced diploma program who presented their portfolios at a year-end showcase held April 12.
Titled 871C -- the Pantone colour for gold -- the event was held at the Tannery Event Centre in Kitchener and showcased a collection of the best work completed by students using the skills they developed over the course of the three-year program.
Portfolios included illustrations, photography, web design, editorial and packaging, as well as a broad range of unique thesis work completed during the final year that required students to develop, refine and execute a major independent design project.
For his thesis project Michael Peckover created a custom notebook that combines a cutting mat cover -- which opens flat to quickly trim paper or other materials -- with metric and imperial grid-lined pages inside. Peckover, also a graduate of Conestoga’s Design Foundations one-year certificate program, launched a Kickstarter campaign to support the development and sale of his notebooks which he said helped him develop marketing skills as well.
Other thesis projects included augmented reality album covers designed by David Dinh who wanted to explore new technologies, a book on the history of witchcraft developed and designed by Liliana Tiffin, and an animation about mental health aimed at teenagers and young adults designed by Becca Abell.
Like many of the other presenters, Abell’s portfolio also included work she completed during Conestoga’s Creative Day for Social Good. Students participate in the day-long creative blitz each fall to develop free design and marketing work for non-profits. This past October, students supported more than 20 organizations across Canada.
The focus now for this graduating class is to find employment, and most plan on staying in the region.
“I would love to work in K-W,” said Tiffin. “The new tech start-ups need branding and we’re here to provide it.”
Conestoga’s Graphic Design advanced diploma program has an exceptional reputation for graduating talented designers and is recognized as one of the top design programs in the province. Many students win regional, national, and international awards for their design work.
The program employs a project-based learning approach that addresses design, digital content creation, communication, inter-personal, mechanical, technical and enhanced employability skills. In the third year, students participate in field placements to reinforce professional industry standards.
Visit the program page for more information.