Andrew Wallace, Center for Design

When design major Andrew Wallace started their co-op with the Center for Design, they were excited by the promise of gaining more experience in design research. “I chose this co-op because I didn’t have any experience in design research and loved some of the research projects the Center was a part of,” they explained. The prospect of learning more about event management was also a draw.

Not only did they learn more about design research, but they took part in multiple elements of CfD, from events to presentations. Wallace would “email event organizers to ask how we can support them, rearrange the space according to their event needs, participate in team meetings to discuss immediate tasks and high-level planning, and take notes in research project meetings.”

An important, albeit surprising, part of the co-op was getting to learn more about the arts administration side of CfD. “[This co-op] introduced me to the communication and event management side of arts administration, which is difficult to learn in undergraduate classes, especially in CAMD,” they explained. While CAMD offers master’s-level classes on arts administration, there aren’t any aimed at undergraduates.

Gaining experience in arts administration unlocked a new path for Wallace, one that they would be interested in further exploring. “I know I want to pursue arts administration either in my career or as a volunteer because I’m very passionate about the arts and love to support and facilitate creative experiences like at the Center for Design.”

When asked about the most exciting part of the co-op, they said, “designing and presenting posters to showcase our research projects. I went through the whole design process including research, ideating with paper sketches, lots of ideation, and getting feedback at each step. While I had to follow the Center for Design’s brand guidelines, I still had creative freedom and am very proud of the final product.”

Thanks Andrew!