Real World SMAD-ers
Professor John Woody, (center) moderates one of the many panel discussions involving students, faculty and alumni that filled
the studio and classrooms in Harrison Hall during SMAD Day last spring.
Alumni Pass on Words of
Wisdom to Students
in Resurrected
SMAD Day
S
MAD Day was reborn last Spring. From there, members of the newly created student SMAD
Originally an awards banquet, the revived edition Club (page 7) gave tours of the department’s Harrison Hall
was a daylong event, with grads sharing their real-world home, which SMAD moved into in 2005. Features include four
experience, students gathering resume tips and job advice, and computer labs that can accommodate 18 to 20 students each,
the department showing off its state-of-the-art facilities. and a video editing room with 16 digital editing stations.
In recent years, department honors had been awarded at Some of the returning grads could remember when the
SMAD Dog Day, a low-key get together in which students and department’s classes were spread from the former chicken
professors socialize while munching on hot dogs and potato coop on South Main to the former RMH nursing quarters in the
chips. ine-Price Building.W
SMAD Director Professor Steve Anderson said the faculty The returning pros joined panel discussions for students
wanted to “elevate the pageantry of the awards ceremony.” The in each of the SMAD concentrations: Journalism; Corporate
idea expanded into plans for a full day of activity when alumni Communication; Digital Video/Cinema Studies; and
could return, reconnect with the department and provide Converged Media. The sessions provided a more intimate
students career insight and advice. setting for students, alumni and professors to cover topics such
“eW were frankly flabbergasted by the response of how eager as jobs and job searches and resumes.
our alumni were to come back and see us,” Anderson said. Next was a “mixer” session in the studio where students
More than 250 graduates and current students participated. could talk to alumni on an informal basis.
The day began with a light breakfast in the new digital At the end of the day, discussions got down to specifics.
studio, where some grads got their first look at the high- Tables were set up in the studio, where students could bring
definition video facilities that technology manager John Hodges their resumes to alumni for a professional review and feedback.
says “are among the top five in the country.” There was a great turnout for each of these activities. “hW en
15 The School of Media Arts and Design
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