Student Disciplinary Report

8/7/2019 Student Disciplinary Report

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Purdue University

201

Anonymous

First-Year Visual Communications Design Student


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Table of ContentsHelpful Links ................................................................................................................... 2

Description of VCD ............................. ......................... ............................. ....................... 2

Ethnography: AD 432 ...................................................................................................... 4

Professor Profile: Jun Bum Shim ..................................................................................... 6

Practitioner Profile: Laura Garner ................................................................................... 8

Senior Profile: Ryan Buchanan ...................................................................................... 10

Reflection ..................................................................................................................... 11

Citations ....................................................................................................................... 13

Helpful LinksThe Professional Association for Design: http://www.aiga.org/

Blogs, tutorials and tips for designers: http://www.youthedesigner.com/

Graphic Design Forum: http://www.designtalkboard.com/

Purdues VCD program: http://www.cla.purdue.edu/academic/vpa/ad/vcd/

Visual Communications DesignStudents interested in Visual Communications Design combine words,

ideas, and images in original ways to convey information and promote ideas to

targeted audiences, according to Purdues Visual Communications Design

webpage. Everything you see around you had a designer behind it: posters,

billboards, buildings, letters, webpages, everything. With so many possibilities

as a designer, the doors are open wide with what you can do with your major.With a major in graphic design, you can work freelance, which means

people come to you when they need something designed. Work could be pretty

unpredictable if you take this route. You can also work for a company and do

design work for them specifically. You could be asked to design the letter

heads they will use or design company memos that will be distributed. A third

avenue you can take is the path Laura Garner, who I interviewed, took with a


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degree in graphic design. She works for a company that designs and prints

material when people need them. They are a combination of freelance and

corporate work in the idea that work could be unpredictable but you quite so on

your own when it comes to money.

At Purdue, the classes in Visual Communications design are sequenced.

This means that you have to pass

the one before it in order to take the

next level which is what you would

expect. The surprise for me was that

the classes are only offered certain

semesters. So you must pass all

your classes or you will be a year

behind. Consider the situation

where you fail your design class

your first semester here, that classwont be available to you until the following fall. So be sure to keep that in

mind as you make your schedules.

My favorite graphic designer, Milton Glasser, doesnt constrain himself

to only creating one type of thing. He is truly an inspiration to me and if you

have never looked at his work I would fully recommend that you do. He is the

man that came up with the I heart NY image for New York City that has

become wildly popular. He also designs poster and book covers and magazine

layouts. He is living the life that I hope to lead someday, creating beautiful and

moving pieces that influence people. He is making a difference in the world

and that is a very powerful position to be in. With a degree in VisualCommunications Design you are making an advantageous move to power. You

are allowing yourself to have an opportunity to be remembered in a very

beautiful way. You can create anything you can imagine and if you continue to

pursue this major you will make a glorious impact.

So you can choose to work solo or with co-workers; the door is wide

open. I was talking to local business owner, Katy Gunderson, the other day and

she told me a quote she used to keep herself going when she was starting up

her own bakery and I think it applies seamlessly with the concept of graphic

design. Paul Brandt sang, Dont tell me the skys the limit when there are

footprints on the moon.

Dont tell me the skys

the limit when there

are footprints on the

moon.-Paul Brandt


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*YMSTLWFUM^

AD 432

Many people might expect that a class of art majors would be all

females, but that was not my experience when I observed an upper level Visual

Communications Design Class. In the class of 16, there were seven guys and

nine girls. The small class size allows the professor to get to know and assist the

students on a personal level. There are two classes of sixteen students offeredfor Visual Communications Design majors after sophomore year. This means

only thirty-two VCD students will make it past their sophomore year. It is a

very competitive program. Currently there are sixty-four students enrolled in

classes hoping to pursue a major in Visual

Communications Design. That means that

half of the students will not make it into the

program. This is a very scary reality that all

VCD students must face.

The room where AD 432 takes place

is surprisingly bare. The walls were a shade

of tan with light brown bulletin boards

covering three of the four walls. On the

front wall, there was a single white board

and a projection screen. There were four

small posters covering a tiny fraction of one

board and that was it for colors in room.

Along the right side of the room there were

35 flat drawers for the students to store

materials, on the shelf above the drawersthere were industrial printers, a scanner and large paper cutter. The high ceilings

and bright lights make the room seem more open and allow for creativity to

flow freely. You can be more creative if you don't feel cramped into a small

dark room. There were two long tables running vertically with eight computers

on each tablefour facing the right side of the room and four facing left. Each

of the sixteen spacious work stations had a computer and a large monitor, a


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cutting mat and a tablet for drawing electronically.

Before the class began, the students gathered together in small groups

and talked excitedly. Lots of chatter filled the entire room and it was a pretty

large room. The group closest to me consisted of three girls and one guy. They

were discussing the current assignment they had and their individual ideas on

what they were doing for it. As they gave their ideas the rest of the group gave

constructive criticism and feedback. They all wanted everyone to do well since

they were no longer competing with each other for a spot in VCD. They built

each other up and encouraged one another to go bigger and better. It was a very

comforting sight for me because that is not how it is now as a freshman;

everyone else sees you as their competition and wants to do better than you.

While in this class of seniors everyone wanted to do their personal best and

didnt compare themselves to the rest of the class. Excitement filled the room in

anticipation for the class to begin but as soon as Li began to speak the roomwent silent and everyone faced forward in expectancy. She announced that

there would be a guest speaker that would inform the class of the next and final

project of their senior year. All students listened to the presentation actively.

They took notes on what the team was saying and asked appropriate questions

at the appropriate time. I was very impressed by this class and the respect they

had for the professor and the guest speaker.

While the class that I was fortunate enough to sit in on was a peculiar

one and not very common for AD 432, it was extremely informative and really

stirred up some passion within me. The students were informed that they would

be part of something way bigger than themselves and bigger than the any classproject they have done before. They would be assisting the Purdue team with

the Solar Decathlon. If you are like me, you might never have heard of this

before. The Solar Decathlon is an international competition where teams put

together a proposal for the construction of a net-zero homea home that

produces enough energy to sustain it and appliances completely. This is done

using solar panels and recycling the water back into the house. Only twenty of

the teams that submit proposals are selected to actually build the house. The

process takes two years, so this same opportunity could be available to you

when you are seniors here. Once all the houses are complete, they are

transported to Washington DC where a neighborhood is created of the houses.

The houses are open to the public and are judged by a panel of judges.

The challenge presented to the seniors in Visual Communications

Design was to create all the signage that people would see as they went through

the home. They are to create brochures and posters and signs, anything that the

students feel will enhance the effectiveness of the signs throughout the home.


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The signs will inform people of the different energy-saving appliances as well

as highlight important aspects of the home. The students in the class were

extremely excited about starting this adventure. The team leaders will select a

design by one of the groups and they will use it in the home. The students will

also get to help set up the signs so they can see the vision they had come to life.

They get to be involved in something real, something meaningful.

Something that was very real to this group of students a couple years

ago was the Sophomore Review. Do not fret over it, if you work hard and do

your very best work on your projects you will do just fine. If you do not make

it into the program, you can try again the following year and just beef-up your

portfolio in the meantime. If you decide that graphic design is not for you, you

can change your major. Whatever the case may be, cross that bridge when you

come to it. If you are constantly worrying about not making it into the program

you will not do well, just take each project one at a time and you will do fine.

5WTKJXXTW5WTKNQJ

J. B. S.

As you walk through the halls of visual and performing arts buildingalso known as PAO, the walls are covered in brightly colored and enticing

student artwork. If you take the time to examine the signage next to the art,

you will see the names of the students and the professor responsible for the

decoration. One such professor is J. B. S., a graduate student

from North Korea. He attended Purdue for his undergrad studies

as well as his graduate work. He is currently teaching Visual

Communications Design Computing II. He taught Computing I

last semester; a sophomore level class to prepare students for the

Sophomore Review at the end of the year.

There are currently four classes of prospective Visual

Communications Design students and after this year there will

only be two classes. That means that half of the people pursuing a

degree in graphic design will not make it to their junior year.

They can try to pass the sophomore review the next year and

improve their portfolio in the meantime. Since that option is


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available, Jun says that each year gets progressively harder because students

have to compete with the students that did not make it the previous year. The

five full-time VCD faculty members are responsible for reviewing and making

final decisions about the sophomore review. For the sophomore review you

need to have projects from both your freshmen and sophomore year. Jun says

the best way to do well in the sophomore review is to work hard. All you can

do is your best. The decision is out of your hands...

In Computing II there are only three major projects so it is crucial that

you do your best on them to do well in the sophomore review. There are also

smaller assignments given every one or two weeks. In his

classes he lectures for approximately half the time and the

rest is work time. It was kind of difficult to understand

him because English is not his native language. This is

how it is with all the faculty members and most of the

graduate students teaching the classes. So just be preparedbecause you will have Asian teachers in VCD. He focuses

the class on learning how to use the Adobe products

effectively. He said that when students leave the class after

Computing II they are very proficient at the programs. He

showed me some work from the students and I could

definitely see the improvement from semester to semester.

When discussing scholarships and internships he

suggested joining the Midwest chapter of AIGA, a

professional association for design. They offer

scholarships and sometimes internships. It is a great place to start networking as well. I also asked Jun

whether or not to invest in a Mac computer and he

says that the faculty were discussing switching the

Visual Communications Design labs over to Macs

for the next year. I have never used a Mac in my life

so this came as a shock to me. He said that the

Adobe products are better and more effective on the

Mac. When it comes to the professional life, it

depends on the company whether or not you will

have to use a Mac. It is an important skill to be able

to use both PC and Mac effectively, that way you

are prepared for anything professionally.

An example of this was that Jun was very

professionally dressed even though it was casual

Friday. This gave me the sense that he was a serious

Examples from

Jun Bum Shins

class.


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man and took his job very seriously. He was also working on a logo for a

company in South Korea when he met me for the interview. He is very dedicated

to his work and to helping his students.

In speaking with Jun about the classes next year, I am extremely excited

to get to work with the computers more because that is what I am most

passionate about. I am really excited about learning to use all the Adobe

products effectively and efficiently. The classes I am currently enrolled in are

almost all hands-on, physical construction. While we are learning the basics of

design, it is not what I want to do. I want to create graphics on the computer.

Creating is the best part about graphic design for me. Getting to create

something out of nothing and helping someone somehow, whether its getting

their name out there are helping them look more professional. I cannot wait to

break into the field.

5WFHYNYNTSJW5WTKNQJ

L. G.

I visited L. G.at her place of employment, Purdue Printing Services,which is on campus just past the veterinary studies buildings. From the outside,

it doesnt look like much but once you walk in it is a whole different

story. The offices were pretty standard, gray cubicles with a desk

and two computers to make the design process more effective.

The enormity of the production room blew me away. Ms. G.

took me on a tour of all the machines used to make peoples visions

realities, which happens to be the slogan for the company. There

were a dozen printers and industrial printers that could print

billboard signs. There were many cutting stations with rulers and

industrial paper cutters. Ms. G. however doesnt deal much with the

production room technicalities, she is the design coordinator. She

got a degree in graphic design from Ball State University.


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She said it was a long road to get to where she was because it is difficult

to break into the field when you are just starting out. Her advice to landing a job

is to, put together an impressive portfolio; have a professor review it. That is

what they are there for, to teach you what to put in [the portfolio] and what not

to. And after you have a portfolio, get your name out there. You cant be afraid

of rejection, it is going to happen.

She told me that she would love to help me put together my portfolio as

time got closer to graduation. There are people out there willing to assist you in

your journey, all you have to do is take the time to ask. When I asked about

scholarships and internships she said

that there werent any available with

her company but that I should try

other local businesses. Someone will

have an opportunity for you, you just

have to ask, she said. She agreed thatopportunities like that would be

extremely helpful for any prospective

design student. She suggested one of

the satellite locations and, while I

wouldnt be assisting with design, I would be getting experience with the

technical side of design production. She gets to design so many wonderful

pieces within Purdue, from promotional items like t-shirts, mugs and Frisbees,

to printed items like calendars, certificates and programs. I actually got to help

her with a program when I was there. I found some small errors like the bottoms

of long letters like y were dipping below a picture.Getting to know someone in the field you are hoping to pursue is a great

way to gain insight into the career. Generally practitioners dont get to talk

about themselves that often and will jump at the opportunity to speak to a

student that is passionate about their field. At least, that has been my experience

so far. I have met with three different practitioners throughout my journey

toward a career in graphic design and all three were more than willing to help

me out. They also left the door open for communication at a later date if I ever

had questions or just wanted to discuss something with the field. I would highly

recommend putting yourself out there and gaining mentors in the field of

graphic design. It was a great experience for me.

You cant be afraid of

rejection, it is going to

happen.-Laura Garner


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8JSNTW5WTKNQJ

R. B.

Sitting outside the Student Union Thursday afternoon you can see some

pretty interesting people. One interesting person I met was R. B., a senior in the

Visual Communications Design program. This outwardly carefree student came

riding in on his skateboard and when I stood up to meet him, he grabbed my

arms and spun around me until he came to a stop. Sorry about that, I left mydepth perception in the studio today, he laughed as he picked up his

skateboard and took off his hat. He shook out his crazy

curly hair and we proceeded into the Union to find a

place to talk. We found a table near Starbucks, where it

was loud but we were still able to converse.

In addition to majoring in VCD, R. is also

majoring in Philosophy. He will be completing that

major in December and will be graduating then. He is

really excited about graduating and starting his path to a

career. He has been looking around for jobs but has not

found the one for him yet. He wants to go out to

California, with the thought that he might just go out

there with what he has now and try and find a job. That

is a very gutsy move but if he finds a job it will be well

worth the risk. The graphic design field is all about

persevering through rejection until you make it. With

his degree in graphic design, Ryan hopes to design

logos for businesses as well as other business needs

they may have such as, letter heads, proposal designsand memos. With a major in graphic design, the doors

are really open for what you can do.

When I asked him about what classes were his

favorite he said that the sophomore classes were the

most fun because they were all about the computer,

which I like. He also said that they were the most


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stressful because of the impending Sophomore Review. He said that the

Sophomore Review was the single most nerve-racking thing I have ever done,

and I have been sky diving and base jumping. In the end, however, it all

worked out because he passed his Sophomore Review at the top of the pack and

was able to continue on in Visual Communications Design.

Hands down, my least favorite class was AD 105. The teacher was so

condescending and thought she was so much better than everyone in the class

just because she was a graduate student, he exclaimed when I asked about the

worst class he had. When I asked for her name all he could muster was a

grumbled R. It is safe to say that this teacher is long gone but it just proves

that the teacher can make or break the class. When I asked him if the projects

would bad or was it just the teacher he sat there and pondered this thought.

Finally after a long silence he said, You know, I never thought about it like

that. I guess it was just the teacher, none of my classes I have had were that

hardhuh. Wow. I cant believe she is the reason I hated that class.He left me with this final piece of knowledge and advice for the future

so my life in Visual Communications Design will go more smoothly than it did

for him and I will share it with you so you can have the right mind-set for this

major. Do not procrastinate. Let me say that one more time, for the love of

God, do not procrastinate. It will mean so many more late nights if you do. And

let me tell you, the cutting mats in the studio do not make adequate pillows

when you pull an all-nighter in PAO. In case you didnt hear me the first time,

DO NOT PROCRASTINATE! he yelled in the middle of the Union.

In speaking with him I was able to get a students opinion on the

courses and he was able to help me become more successful in the future. Iwould recommend speaking to a student if you get the chance. I would be

happy to tell you about what I have learned this year if you so desire.

7JKQJHYNTS

An Inward Look

While I understand that this is a very competitive major, I do not want

to deter you from pursuing it. Do not worry about the Sophomore Review, it is

going to happen and you just have to be ready for it and arm yourself with the


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best portfolio you can. This was a very beneficial assignment for me because I

would not have gone out and talked to any of these people without proper

prodding. I would recommend doing something like this on your own time.

There are plenty of people out there willing to talk to you and allow you to

voice any concerns you may have about succeeding in this career. I also stirred

up some passion of my own through this project. I am fired up about next year

and all the computer classes we get to take as well as learning about the

programs. Everyone I spoke with reiterated the fact that this major is not a walk

in the park like many other people might think. Just because it is not

mathematically oriented or that we dont have tests does not make it any less

difficult. It is hard to come up with new and creative ways to say the exact

same thing that the rest of your classmates are doing but if you have a passion

for this and an open mind, like I do, you will go very far in this career. I wish

you the best of luck and hope that you choose Visual Communications Design

as a major if you really want to have endless possibilities career-wise. Justremember, Dont tell me that the skys the limit when there are footprints on

the moon. Also, dont be afraid to contact me with any questions or additional

desired information: [email protected].

Yue-Kong Pao Hall

of Visual and Performing Arts


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CitationsB., R. Personal Interview. 17 Feb. 2011

B., R. Photograph.Facebook. 24 Feb. 2011. http://www.facebook.com/#!

Essex, Patrick. Digital Art.Esquire Magazine. 2010. 24 Feb.2011.

http://www.cla.purdue.edu/academic/vpa/ad/vcd/sophomore/index.html

G., L. Personal Interview. 20 Feb. 2011.

Garner-Miles, Pamela S. Photograph.Facebook. 19 Nov. 2008. 24 Feb. 2011.

http://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?fbid=1013591633087&set=t.100000112423087

&theater

S., K. Marengo Cave. Photograph. 23 Oct. 2009. 27 Feb. 2011.

S., K. My Eyeball. Photograph. 4 Feb. 2009. 27 Feb. 2011.

S., K. Pine Tree. Photograph. 19 April. 2009. 27 Feb. 2011.

S., K. Super Kaytie. Photograph. 23 March 2009. 27 Feb. 2011.

S., J. B. Personal Interview. 18 Feb. 2011.

S., J. B. Photograph.Facebook. 22 Feb.2011. http://www.facebook.com/#!

Zubik, Jimmy. Digital Art.Esquire Magazine. 2010. 24 Feb.2011.

http://www.cla.purdue.edu/academic/vpa/ad/vcd/sophomore/index.html

Pao Hall. Photograph. 24 Feb. 2011. http://www.cla.purdue.edu/resources/buildings/pao.html

Studio Classroom. Photograph. 4 May 2010. 24 Feb. 2011. www.google.com/images

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