Students from Riverside City College’s Applied Digital Media team were ready to impress peers at their graduate showcase on May 21, as they networked and showcased their portfolios to guests.
Patrick Scullin, instructor of the ADM program shared that students have been learning skills and acquiring experience for the past two years. Students were required to master a variety of different types of graphic works. They ranged from brochures, magazines and advertisements to websites and billboards.
“It’s really fun to see them develop,” Scullin said. “In the beginning they might start here, but over time they build up and accumulate their work and end up somewhere else.”
Scullin feels that the ADM program is the best kept secret on campus. He explained that students can use their personal interest in art and turn that into a career.
“If you’re an artist and want to sell your own merchandise, printing and graphics is a great place to go. he said.You can get a certificate in two years and start working right away,”
Assistant instructor Kwokwai Sunny Siu explained that he motivates his students to not give up and acknowledge trial and error. He has a strong belief that in the field of graphic design, creativity is a skill set that is learned and not born with.
“Creativity is a skill set just like anything else,” Siu said. “The more you practice, the better you will be.”
Witnessing the beginning and end of the students’ work has been most rewarding for Siu. He described seeing the students strengthen their skills and grow into mature artists was a feeling like no other.
He continues to guide his graduate students as they prepare to enter a new environment.
“My biggest advice is to keep practicing and don’t give up,” said Siu.
The room was filled with portfolios and posters, each with a sense of identity. However at the showcase, students expressed the difficulty of finding their own aesthetic for their portfolio.
“I originally started off with something that was corporate safe,” Kassandra Romero, a graduate student of ADM, said. “It took weeks and many mockups to find a style that represented me.”
Creativity block was Romero’s biggest struggle when it came to finding consistency in her work.
“Sometimes it just comes to me all at once and I work 14 hours straight, other days I feel stuck and don’t know what to do,” said Romero.
The feeling of lack of individuality in the field has been a universal feeling for other students as well.
Ebru Dogan, an upcoming graduate student from the program, shared that it was difficult finding a balance between being professional and not falling into a corporate trap.
“It’s nice to be able to show off pieces that I’m proud of,” Dogan said.
She expressed that, without the showcase and help from her professors, she wouldn’t have been ready to start applying for jobs.
For Dogan, the showcase was an event that helped her have a head-start in her career.
When it comes to student Jennifer Ramierez, it was easy for her to put her visions on print. She originally took a commercial printing class, which led to her love for graphic design.
“In my graphic design work, I like to use bright pastel colors and when you look at it, you can definitely see me inside of it,” Ramierez said.
Students gave recognition to instructors Scullin and Siu for their time and help when working with them.
“Siu and Scullin have been the most helpful professors that I’ve had on this campus,” said Romero. “They really help you step by step from first learning the software to the final step of making websites.”
