Hot Time in the Summer Time

Things are heating up in the graphic design program at Colorado Mountain College. The Professional Advisory Committee met last week. We had a lively discussion about the challenges facing the graphic design profession, and how best to prepare our students to face them. The PAC shares my vision of creating a world-class design education program at CMC, and approved our comprehensive 5-Year Strategic Plan.

The engineering on the new Graphic Design Program website is complete. The students did a great job creating a web presence that will represent the program nicely. We’re adding content in preparation for a mid-July launch.

The promotional poster series is press-ready, and should be sent to the printer this month, for delivery in July. The plan is to have them in the hands of high school art and design teachers before their schools start in the fall.

The annual Graphic Design Program Program Review report is nearly complete. Preparing the report was very enlightening. Out student body is surprisingly diverse. I was particularly interested in the fact that many of our students are slightly older learners, not just the “traditional” student who enters college directly from high school. I think this offers a richer learning environment, with all learners exposed to the life experiences of this broader range of students.

In a couple weeks I’m going to man the CM booth at the annual Strawberry Festival in Glenwood Springs. From what I understand, this is a major event this summer. I like strawberries. I also like the opportunity to meet prospective students. Other chances occur in June and July, at the Early Registration days at the Spring Valley Campus. I anticipate these being “easy sells”. Once a student sees the beautiful campus on the mountaintop and the top-notch facilities, they’re usually excited about beginning their college career at Colorado Mountain College.