Right on schedule — or maybe a few minutes past the 11:00am deadline — the sophomore Graphic Design and Communications classes completed their display cases. The active learning project requires students to research, design and build a display case on topics related to design or photography. The project not only reinforces the digital skills students acquire over the first year of the program, it’s a great way to introduce some analog production techniques.
On a recent trip to the Heritage Center, the sophomore Graphic Design and Communications class had the unique opportunity to learn from Genia Hesser, Curator of Exhibits with the ND State Historical Society. Hesser gave students an in-depth tour of the most recent exhibit in the Governor’s Gallery, The Horse in North Dakota. The class learned of the many challenges that faced the curators, preparators and designers as they brought the exhibit to life. Hesser stressed the importance of generating content that is descriptive but also very efficient – so that every word written is necessary to tell the story. In turn, the design, or form, of the exhibit must visually reinforce the content. Hesser’s wealth of knowledge will prove useful to the students as they begin the process of creating two new display cases for the program area this semester.