Keene State College is full of a variety of majors that have their own sets of characteristics and qualities. Every major has its uniqueness and the Graphic Design program at KSC is no different.
The Graphic Design program contains a family of students who spend most of their time in the MAC lab.
Bella Robinson, a KSC senior, said that “when you spend most of your time with people, they become your family and you’ll never want to leave.”
Robinson explained the layout of the Media Arts Center, commonly referred to as “the MAC.”
Stephanie McCann / Arts & Entertainment Editor
“People have described the MAC as a ‘mini high school.’ You have your film majors, graphic design majors, studio art majors, etc. We’re very cliquey, but it’s a good environment. This is a studio we can all reside in. Everyone works on their different projects, but we all help each other like families do,” Robinson said.
KSC senior and graphic design major Julie Cerbone said that there is a lot of freedom in the graphic design community.
“We have freedom to work on a lot of different things. While other majors are worried about papers to write and tests to study for every few weeks, we have multiple different projects due mostly everyday. Once I’m done with one project, there’s always another one to be finished. It’s impossible to get bored,” Cerbone said.
Cerbone also said that, unlike other majors, graphic designers must focus on making a good impression and that constructive criticism is mandatory.
“Being a graphic designer, there is a lot of communication that goes on, just on a visual standing,” Cerbone said, “We have been using old work from past years, progressing and making them better based on the criticism we get from each other and our professors. It makes us better at what we do.”
KSC senior Lauren Smyth said that it is handy to have other majors within the building.
“The graphic design major is very secluded compared to the other majors in the building,” Smyth said, “We don’t use any of their programs, but it does benefit us that we share the same building because we can always reach out to the other majors if we need to use their equipment for one of our projects, or the other way around.”
KSC junior John DeBenedet said that the Graphic Design Program is open to anyone who has the talent.
Stephanie McCann / Arts & Entertainment Editor
DeBenedet explained, “Men and women have a different approach to everything, but when our ideas come together it just makes our projects that much better. In my opinion, any project with multiple perspectives and different ideas put into it is going to turn out really good.”
Smyth added that she’s in the MAC lab more than she is in her actual house, so she receives all the ideas and constructive criticism she can get.
“I spend twelve hours a day here every single day, if not more,” Smyth said, “It’s a revolving door, when you’re done with one project, there’s always another waiting to be finished.”
Smyth, Robinson, Cerbone and DeBenedet all agreed that even though their workload take up most of their time, they love what they do as graphic design majors.
“When I’m not actually working on a project, I’m thinking about things I can do to make it better, or ideas for another project that I’m going to begin,” Cerbone said, “I’ve been a graphic design major since freshman year and I’m enjoying it even more than I did when I first started.”
Remi Chiovaro can be contacted at rchiovaro@kscequinox.com.
