Pennsylvania College of Art & DesignCurrent Student News Archives

LiveX students spend the day ‘backstage’ at Rock Lititz

The inaugural class of students in the partnership between the Academy of Live Technology (ALT) and Pennsylvania College of Art & Design (PCA&D) recently had an exclusive backstage pass to witness a rehearsal by an international rock band at Rock Lititz. While the opportunity may not happen for every class, their full immersion in the […]

Student work selected for international SIGGRAPH conference

For the fifth consecutive year, work by Pennsylvania College of Art & Design students was accepted into the Faculty Submitted Student Work exhibit at the international SIGGRAPH conference. This professional event, held this year in Los Angeles and marking its 50th anniversary, gathers computer graphics and interactive professionals and educators from around the world. Senior […]

Recent accomplishments in our PCA&D community

Rebecca Adey, Assistant Director of Admissions, has five works on exhibit at Millworks, Harrisburg, through Sept. 10 (see above). The show opened in August for 3rd in the Burg. All of the works depict Sphinx cats: The three larger 2D portraits are made from mixed media, including paper cut to create the portraits and felt […]

Foundation student Zeon Youngblood designs the College’s 2023-2024 T-shirt

Zeon Youngblood, a first-year student from Burke, Virginia, designed the College’s official Welcome Week T-shirt this year. Youngblood’s design, a bold peacock curved into an ampersand, won the most votes out of the seven finalists up for the honor. “I actually found out I’d won once I was here and saw the shirt,” Youngblood says. […]

The Agency debuts Summer 2023 work at PCA&D-York

Members of The Agency, PCA&D’s student-centered branding and design firm, had a busy summer working on behalf of five York-area non-profit organizations and the College. The end results — social media templates, new branding, accessories, stickers, logos, and more — were unveiled in early August at PCA&D-York, the College’s pop-up location in the Royal Square […]

May accomplishments in our PCA&D community

Greetings from the Mirage, a public art installation by Matty Geez ’14, Illustration, has opened at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. The installation, through June 18, features more than a dozen of Geez’s towering soft sculptures. “My work is inherently soft and inviting with its use of color and material, but the sharpness through pricks makes it guarded […]

Career Ready Lancaster video project puts students in the director’s chair and behind the camera

A video production doesn’t just start when the camera is turned on, or end when filming concludes. A group of PCA&D students has had the opportunity this semester to experience the full range of a production — from storyboarding to editing — creating four videos highlighting local businesses as part of a project for Career […]

3 named winners in Graphic Design competition

Three members of Associate Professor Pamela Barby’s Junior Design Studio class have been named winners in The Real Show23 competition organized by George Mason University School of Art. Congratulations to Amanda Choong, Cleo Kendrick, and Alex Maxwell. Participants were charged with designing a brand identity and menu for Huevos, an all-day eatery in the fast-casual […]

Art for Social Good’s ‘Escape to the Movies’ prompt leads to Penn Cinema show

Lots of us head to the movie theater as an escape — for excitement, inspiration, or simply to enter another world for a couple of hours. Students in Bill Dussinger’s Art for Social Good class celebrated our relationship with the silver screen this semester, following an assignment prompt of “Escape to the Movies.” […]

Recent accomplishments in the PCA&D community

Congratulations to the 13 Fine Art and Photography & Video seniors who this month deliver Senior Presentations to the full College: Cassie Carver-Peters, Alexia Eggleston, Parker Galen, Emily Hornberger, Olivia Koziel, Emily Moyer, Cheyenne Nycz, Rachel O’Brien, Kelsie Reimer, Moselyn Sandy, Mark Shyshkovskyy, Faith Stiffey, and Sabrina Worthington. Tenderness, a project by Henry Gepfer (Adjunct Professor, Fine […]

Four Graphic Design seniors honored for packaging design work by GDUSA

GDUSA’s American Package Design Awards, now in its 60th year, continues to be the fastest-growing of the New York-based graphic design organization’s national competitions. The reason for that, GDUSA says, is simple: “Marketers and retailers are challenged as never before to convey their message and promote their brand,” they write in their invitation to enter […]

3 PCA&D Overwatch Esports teams make the playoffs

Congratulations to PCA&D’s Overwatch Esports Teams, who all have qualified for the playoffs this season. This is the first season the College’s Peacocks have competed in NACE Starleague, a national collegiate league that combines a number of gaming titles. “Overall I’m very proud of all of our teams!” said coach Benjamin Farley, a 2021 PCA&D […]

February accomplishments in the PCA&D community

BLAC, PCA&D’s Black Led Artist Coalition, debuted a February exhibition in the student-led CORE Gallery. We the People featured the work of eight student artists: Dom Bryson ’24, Illustration; Alex Eggleston ’23, Photography & Video; Adan Harris ’23, Animation & Game Art; Jasmyn Stokes ’23, Illustration; Daria Syphrett ‘23, Illustration; Cameren White ’25, Photography & Video; Kendall White ’23, Illustration, and Lauren Wood ’24, Illustration. Two Graphic Design […]

Designathon ’23 brings 15th annual event full circle

At last weekend’s 15th Designathon, the annual event came full circle. About two dozen students, seven faculty, and seven alumni worked for 12 hours to deliver new logos, brochures, marketing materials, and more to eight non-profit organizations. And not only were alumni represented in the faculty who assisted, they also this year were represented in […]

Dean’s List students announced for Fall 2022 semester

Congratulations to the 118 students who were named to the Fall 2022 Semester Dean’s List: Omar Almanzar ’25, Illustration, Lancaster Lauren Antanavage ’23, Animation & Game Art, Frackville, Pa. Emilia Astudillo ’26, Foundation, Ephrata, Pa. Mary Auble ’26, Foundation, Columbia, Ill. Hannah Aust ’24, Photography & Video, Carlisle, Pa. Erin Bazor ’24, Illustration, Covington, La. […]

Amanda Choong named 2022-23 Mary Colleen Heil Presidential Scholarship winner

Pennsylvania College of Art & Design is pleased to announce that Amanda Choong of Maryland, a junior Graphic Design major, has been selected as the 2022-23 recipient of the Mary Colleen Heil Presidential Scholarship. “I would describe Amanda as passionate about design,” says Graphic Design/Illustration Prof. Maria Cummings-Miller. “She strives for excellence in the classroom […]

Recent accomplishments in our PCA&D community

The work of former Fine Art Alumni Artist in Residence Jason Herr ’16 is part of Idle Times: Pop Disorder, a group exhibition through Feb. 4 at Current Space gallery, studio, and performance space in Baltimore. Learn more here. Aubrey Maurer ’22, Fine Art, is featured in a solo exhibition opening this month at the Sykes Gallery, Millersville University. Strictly Unconventional, sculptures exploring […]

Student Life kicks off Spring semester with Among Us night

Who’s a Crewmate, and who’s an Imposter? Student Life kicked off a return for Spring semester with a real-life version of the multiplayer online game Among Us. Dozens of students turned out for the first Friday evening of the semester, bringing the online game into the realm of reality as a lively scavenger hunt. Roaming […]

Bowermaster and Handa named 2023 GDUSA Students to Watch

Two Graphic Design seniors, Tyler Handa and Paige Alana Bowermaster, have been named GDUSA 2023 Students to Watch. Paige Alana Bowermaster Bowermaster, originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, grew up creating artwork and became serious about it when she was 10 years old. Her passion for graphic design surfaced during her Foundation year of college when she […]

Accomplishments in our PCA&D community

PCA&D Illustration alumni were name-checked in a recent LNP LancasterOnline article about Addvent, an arts collaboration that joins artists from the U.S. and Italy in a series of poster designs. Jay Aman ’22, Joanna Becker’21, Sage Dougherty ’20, and Tyler Le ’20, all are part of Addvent’s roster of 20 or so artists from the two countries, and Addvent’s Creative Director, Laura […]

PCA&D students could increase sales by $60 million for four major brands

It may have “just” been a class exercise, but the headline is accurate: According to customer feedback from Designalytics, a Chicago-based research firm, recent brand redesigns by four Senior Packaging Design Studio seniors would increase sales — of real products, to real consumers — by $60 million. “These are not normal numbers,” Graphic Design Chair […]

Recent accomplishments in the PCA&D community

Salina Almanzar-Oree and Natalie Lascek of the College’s Center for Creative Exploration (CCE) were recognized in the November issue of Susquehanna Style for their championing of creative initiatives in the Central Pennsylvania region. Lascek, CCE’s Director, and Almanzar-Oree, Program Coordinator, were honored not only for what CCE brings to the community, but also for their […]

‘In Consideration’: Fine Art seniors exhibit at The Demuth Museum

In Consideration, a collection of work by eight Fine Art seniors at the Pennsylvania College of Art & Design, opens for First Friday on Dec. 2, and runs through Dec. 4, at The Demuth Museum Auxiliary Galleries, 116 E. King St., Lancaster. Artists whose work is on display in the show include Cassie Carver-Peters, Parker […]

Senior PHV majors debut ‘Amorphous Reflections’ video installation

Senior Photography & Video majors at Pennsylvania College of Art & Design (PCA&D) in downtown Lancaster will be turning Chestnut Street into a viewing space Dec. 1-3 for a class public video installation. Viewable by evening passersby in the windows of the College at the intersection of Chestnut and Prince streets, Amorphous Reflections is a […]

PCA&D team wins statewide America250PA design and marketing challenge

Pennsylvania College of Art & Design has been named winner of America250PA’s fourth annual 2022 Direct Effect Innovation Challenge (DEIC). The four-member Pennsylvania College of Art & Design team from Lancaster competed against four other postsecondary institutions — Lebanon Valley College, Point Park University, Rosemont College, and Ursinus College — and received the highest score […]

Prof. Robert Young’s ‘Dog in a Cowboy Hat’ lesson turns into a zine and exhibition

Dogs wearing cowboy hats, a whimsical example used in the classroom by Illustration Chair Robert Young, have been imagined into reality and have taken over the first-floor CORE Gallery… all thanks to a summer project by Class of 2023 Illustration majors. The dogs are customers in saloons, howling campfire songs, appearing out of dreams, creating […]

Paige Alana Bowermaster’s work will brand the 2023 Senior Show & Celebration

A team of design professionals has chosen the work of Paige Alana Bowermaster ’23, Graphic Design, to brand Pennsylvania College of Art & Design’s 2023 Senior Show and Celebration. Bowermaster’s design, inspired by her Foundation year footwear and an autocorrect typo that changed “show” to “shoe”, will appear on all promotional materials for the annual […]

The Agency is a finalist in statewide America250PA competition

Big congratulations to PCA&D’s Agency, a student-led in-house branding agency mentored by Prof. Bill Dussinger, which has been named a finalist for the second consecutive year in the statewide America250PA Lead PA: The Future is YOUth challenge. Agency students who presented the entry include AJ Chase ’25, Animation & Game Art; Cleo Kendrick ’24, Graphic Design; Austin Taylor ’24, Graphic Design; and Taj Younger ’26, […]

‘I’m so stressed!’: How to help yourself (and others!)

As rewarding, exciting, and growth-inspiring as the College experience can be, sometimes stress and worry can feel like they’re overtaking even the most confident and organized among us. “Being busy” can be great … until it’s not. Mahmood “Moh” Mohammad, PCA&D’s in-house counselor, has some ideas: Not only for how those of us who are […]

Recent accomplishments in the PCA&D community

The work of three 2021 Illustration graduates has been chosen to be part of the art collection at Penn State Health’s new Lancaster facility. Joanna Becker of Lancaster, Amelia Mellberg of Columbia, Pa., and Alex Zhao of Harrisburg, Pa., all had pieces selected from those submitted by nearly 300 artists to demonstrate the bridge between the arts and healing. Giclee prints […]

PCA&D readies for a full Career Day on September 30

More than a dozen internship sites and employers will be on hand for Pennsylvania College of Art & Design’s Internship Career Day, scheduled this fall for Friday, September 30. Open to all PCA&D students and alumni, the event will be a hybrid of both in-person and remote sessions and will give participants lots of timely […]

Recent achievements in the PCA&D community

Rebecca Adey, Assistant Director of Admissions, has four companion-piece works on exhibit at The Millworks, Harrisburg, through Sept. 11. The sets, Amanita Aries (Amanita meaning fungi, and Aries, for the Ram, and Art Nouveau Billy, include both 2D and 3D pieces. The mixed-media 2D work is made from cut paper and felt, sewn to create an applique of sorts, and then […]

College’s first-ever Ampersand Day a success

Our thanks to the hundreds of students who turned out on Thursday to make the College’s first-ever celebration of National Ampersand Day a huge success! “It was exciting to celebrate the additive and inclusive power of the ampersand with our community, and see so much creative expression and art making throughout the day,” President Michael […]

Senior Frankie Reed’s summer internship puts graphic design into practice

The summer between Frankie Reed’s junior and senior years at Pennsylvania College of Art & Design was full of graphic design assignments: social media graphics and event branding and club logos. And the Graphic Design major couldn’t have been happier. All the work was part of their internship with the Lancaster LGBTQ+ Coalition, an organization […]

Paige Alana Bowermaster’s America250PA project heads to classrooms across the Commonwealth

The work of Graphic Design senior Paige Alana Bowermaster will soon be in front of thousands of Pennsylvania schoolchildren. Simple line drawings by Bowermaster — worlds away from her typical, highly detailed work — fill a coloring book that both celebrates and educates, in honor of the nation’s 250th anniversary. The project is an official […]

Meet the 2022 Orientation Leaders

Some of the first faces a new PCA&D student meets when they arrive on campus are those of our Orientation Leaders. Part guide, part cheerleader, an OL not only takes the student through their first activities, they’ll also serve as a sounding board and guide as the semester gets underway. Here’s a glimpse at the […]

Summertime student interns building brands with The Agency in York

Completing a classroom project for a grade is one thing. Completing a project on behalf of a client? Making your pitch, adjusting your designs, accommodating special requests, and taking into account everything from print costs to client deadlines? That’s a whole other level of real-world challenge that designers and artists face on a regular basis. […]

Catching up: Recent accomplishments in our PCA&D community

A mural by Salina Almazar-Oree, Program Coordinator at the Center for Creative Exploration, recently was unveiled at the Hispanic Center Lehigh Valley in Bethlehem. De Boriken, al Mundo is a tribute to baseball star Roberto Clemente in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of his death while on a humanitarian mission. “I admire (Clemente) for his dedication to his […]

Recent accomplishments in our PCA&D community

Salina Almanzar-Oree, Center for Creative Exploration Program Coordinator, was awarded an Equity Partner Grant by Lancaster County Community Foundation’s Equity Council. The grant will support Taller Pa’lante: Art in Parks, return pop-up engagements in neighborhood parks that will encompass mini murals, make-and-take projects, and investing in a youth mentee who will learn how to conduct […]

PCA&D’s The Agency providing design work to five York non-profits this summer

Pennsylvania College of Art & Design has partnered with Give Local York to select five York non-profits to receive design services this summer. The winning York non-profits were announced during the big Give Local York event on May 6. Each organization will receive valuable design services that they otherwise could not afford from The Agency, […]

Recent accomplishments in the PCA&D community

Seniors in the Fine Art and Photography & Video departments in April presented Artist Lectures outlining their senior thesis work. The April 4 event is connected to the Professional Practices 2 class taught by Prof. Matt Chapman. Presenting students include Cassandra Aaron, Isiah Bates, Adelaide Biehn, Woodrow Clapper, Kylie Hileman, Ryn Martino, Aubrey Maurer, Na’Chelle Morris, Callie Morton, Emily Reifsnyder, Cheyenne Snow, Nicole Stoltzfus, Kennedy Toomey, and Jaymi Vilardo. Otherworldly, […]

2 seniors win national packaging design honors

Two Graphic Design seniors, Christina Clemente and Jose Rosado, have earned national honors in packaging design in the annual Graphic Design USA competition. Clemente is involved with the student chapter of AIGA, the professional association of design, where she serves as secretary. She also was part of a 2022 Designathon team working to develop new […]

Kelly Phan ’22 named a Graphic Design USA Student to Watch

Graphic Design senior Kelly Phan has been named a GDUSA Student to Watch 2022 by Graphic Design USA. The annual honors, which recognize undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education students, turn the spotlight onto “top students ready to burst on the design scene.” Just 100 students from across the country were selected. Prof. Pam Barby, Chair […]

The Agency stepping up to fill a creative role in the community and beyond

An initiative that began last fall with four students has taken off this semester, preparing PCA&D students for real-world work with branding and advertising clients. The Agency is a new in-house creative services program launched this academic year as an in-house internship site. It provides “real-time business experience with real consequences” says Bill Dussinger, Graphic […]

CORE Gallery collaborates with BLAC on ‘Works Cited’

CORE Gallery has collaborated with BLAC, PCA&D’s Black Led Art Coalition, for CORE’s new exhibition. Works Cited, which opened last week in the CORE space. In its curatorial statement, BLAC says that Works Cited ” is an exhibition that addresses the way that our fight for equality as African Americans is not a fad, nor was it spontaneously […]

Book covers by two PCA&D juniors published by Sunbury Press

A book cover needs to be original while still fitting in with a specific genre; striking enough to grab attention from the books around it on a bookstore shelf, yet not so off-kilter that it alienates potential readers; and ultimately, distinct enough that it creates an identity for the title. It’s a tall order. And […]

Cheers! Two PCA&D artists tapped for Spring House Brewing collaboration

The work of Sami Halfpenny ’23, Illustration and Brigitte Errickson ’19, Fine Art, will be featured on Spring House Brewing products this year. Their art joins that of Center for Creative Exploration instructor Zack Wilkinson, whose Thirst For Adventure piece was tapped for July’s Artist Collaboration beer. The PCA&D artists were among the dozen chosen […]

December accomplishments in the PCA&D community

Rebecca Adey, Assistant Director of Admissions, is exhibiting four works at Millworks, Harrisburg, through Sunday, Jan. 16, 2022. The four pieces focus on two birds, the phoenix and peacock, featuring a mount of each along with a matching papercut portrait. “With the closing of 2021 and emergency of a new year, both birds are perfect representations of […]

College announces Fall 2021 Dean’s List

Congratulations to the following 90 students who have been named to the Fall 2021 Dean’s List at Pennsylvania College of Art & Design: Omar Almanzar ’25, undecided, Lancaster Abigail Altman ’24, Illustration, Rockville, Md. Aiyana Alvarado ’25, Graphic Design, Harrisburg, Pa. J. Aman ’22, Illustration, New Providence, N.J. Lauren Antanavage ’23, Animation & Game Art, […]

November accomplishments in the PCA&D community

Work by nearly a dozen artists with PCA&D ties was part of a Nov. 19 community art show and silent auction to benefit the work of CWS Lancaster, a nonprofit organization that works to resettle refugees. CWS Lancaster recently partnered with NPR’s StoryCorps American Pathways program to record podcasts with local refugee storytellers. Those recordings […]

Fine Art seniors present “Avid Vanguard” at the Demuth

Avid Vanguard, a collection of works created in Senior Studio, is celebrated with an opening reception Friday, Dec. 3 at the Demuth Museum, 116 E King St. The show, says Assistant Professor and Fine Art Chair Becky Blosser, “is the culmination of focused dedication to developing a studio practice. From this, themes and formal explorations […]

Business Bootcamp a chance to refine ideas for a creative career

A business plan that lives only in your head can sometimes kind of get stuck there: Where to begin? PCA&D’s recent Business Bootcamp worked to fill out some of those ideas, get them down on paper, and push them a few steps closer to reality. Led by PCA&D instructor Holly Mosher, the full-day Business Bootcamp […]

Student Council leadership chosen for 2021-2022

The PCA&D student body has chosen its Student Council leadership for this academic year, turning to several new faces to act as liaisons with college administration and to serve as a sounding board and organization body for student initiatives. Congratulations to: President Dzifa Charity Lassey ’24, Graphic Design Vice President Mak Sherrid ’24, Illustration […]

Kelly Phan’s work will brand the 2022 Senior Show & Celebration

Congratulations to Kelly Phan ’22, Graphic Design, whose design work has been chosen to brand the 2022 Senior Show & Celebration in May. Her bold, Bauhaus-inspired peacock, tied to the College’s own branding colors, will appear on tickets, banners, social media, and other promotional materials next spring. Phan was one of six finalists, chosen after […]

Atten-TION! PCA&D students, alumni invited to sign up for Nov. 20 Business Bootcamp

Plenty of art students dream of turning their passion into a business. The knowledge of how to accomplish that, though, isn’t always easy to attain. Instead of “flying blind” toward that goal, it helps to have a strategy, feedback, and guidance that will help boost chances of success. That’s the premise behind PCA&D’s upcoming Business […]

Alexia Eggleston honored with this year’s Mary Colleen Heil Presidential Scholarship

Pennsylvania College of Art & Design is pleased to announce that Alexia Eggleston of Laurel, Maryland, a junior Photography & Video major, has been selected as the 2021-22 recipient of the Mary Colleen Heil Presidential Scholarship. Eggleston’s participation in College and department activities and professionalism led to the recommendation for the scholarship. Eggleston is a […]

11 honored for their student work in computer graphics competition

Nearly a dozen recent graduates of Pennsylvania College of Art & Design have been honored in the SIGGRAPH2021 Faculty Submitted Student Work competition. SIGGRAPH is the world’s largest conference on computer graphics. The work of these Animation & Game Art and Illustration students is now shared here worldwide for educators to use in their classrooms (drag […]

September achievements in the PCA&D community

Ellie Cochran ’19, Graphic Design, has been awarded the Technology Council of Central Pennsylvania Impact Award, which recognizes a woman in technology whose contributions have had a positive impact in the Entrepreneurial/Small Business sector. Cochran is Creative Director at the Lancaster LGBTQ + Coalition. Dyneisha Gross ’20, Graphic Design, has been named a Woman Designer to Watch […]

Emily Reifsnyder ’22 designs digital book for the PCA&D-Zayed University exchange and exhibition

A simple blog exchange of photos and ideas between PCA&D photographers and students in the United Arab Emirates has morphed into an ebook compiled and designed by Emily Reifsnyder ’22. The Photography & Video major recently completed PCA&D-Zayed Photography Exchange, a digital photo book that highlights the ongoing collaboration between Pennsylvania College of Art & […]

August accomplishments of note

PCA&D has awarded Research and Practice Grants to five members of the faculty for ongoing projects: Shwarga Bhattacharjee (2D Design Adjunct) participation in the Chautauqua Visual Arts Residency Program in Chautauqua, N.Y.; Adam Del Marcelle (Graphic Design Adjunct), project and documentary presentation to the Attend (to) Futures Conference this fall in Cologne, Germany; Troy Hollman […]

A snapshot look back at Orientation Week 2021

Five days of Orientation events filled the week before PCA&D’s Aug. 23 start date — five days of meetings and presentations balanced out by ice cream, walking tours, pottery painting, sketch sessions, movies, and more. It was, as President Michael Molla shared with the Class of 2025, an opportunity to “really explore what living a […]

‘Show and Tell’ kicks off 2021-2022 in CORE Gallery

CORE Gallery at Pennsylvania College of Art & Design has kicked off its 2021-2022 season of shows with Show and Tell, a curated exhibition featuring the work from PCA&D’s class of 2022. Show and Tell introduces new students at PCA&D to the work of their fellow classmates, and gives the Class of 2022 the opportunity […]

Lancaster Chamber publishes article by members of BLAC

Earlier this summer, the Lancaster Chamber published an article by BLAC, PCA&D’s Black Led Art Coalition, as part of its Words That Activate Change series. The article’s three authors — Delaina Jolley ’22, Illustration; CamRyn Mickens ’23, Animation & Game Art; and Kendall White ’23, Illustration — addressed “How Art Students Respond to the Unprecedented Events.” They talked […]

Mentoring program helps bring PCA&D’s new Data Visualization Certificate to life

This is the story of mentorship, PCA&D community, and expanding the ways artists and designers can impact the world around them. The culmination of all of those elements: a new certificate program, Data Visualization, that teaches students to use effective design principles and analytics for information design. Seth Crider, a PCA&D alumnus and instructor for […]

Learning and teaching design with data

by Tom Newmaster Adjunct Instructor, Graphic Design When it comes to teaching package design, one thing there is no shortage of is opinions. Design gurus will share what they believe works, what they think of as best practices, what’s cutting-edge. But when you get to the marketplace, it’s the consumer’s opinion that counts. […]

Congratulations to our Spring 2021 Dean’s List students

Pennsylvania College of Art & Design has announced names of students achieving Dean’s List status during the Spring 2021 semester. Congratulations to these 126 students: Abigail Altman ’24, Illustration, Rockville, Md. Jennifer Aman ’22, Illustration, New Providence, N.J. Lauren Antanavage ’23, Animation & Game Art, Frackville, Pa. Isaac Baker ’21, Graphic Design, Frackville, Pa. Charles […]

Kelly Phan is winner of 2021 Mary Colleen Heil Presidential Scholarship

Pennsylvania College of Art & Design is pleased to announce that Kelly Phan of Lancaster, a junior Graphic Design major, has been selected as the 2021 recipient of the Mary Colleen Heil Presidential Scholarship. Kelly’s participation in College and department activities and her professionalism led to the recommendation for the scholarship. According to Pam Barby, […]

PCA&D partners with Nimblist to stretch College’s LiveX major and new minors

Pennsylvania College of Art & Design is excited to welcome Nimblist as the first partner of the College’s newly created Institute for Leadership, Creative Entrepreneurship, and Innovation. The Institute is the College’s new hub for multiple strategic initiatives and curricular innovations. It will merge entrepreneurship with creativity, developing opportunities for students to build leadership skills […]

Grace Keefe ’22 hits a home run with new Lancaster Barnstormers merch

Step inside the stadium gift shop of Lancaster’s minor league baseball team, and you can’t miss the ballcaps bearing a new design for the 2021 Lancaster Barnstormers. It’s a contemporary swoosh of orange tones, a “LANC.” abbreviation that feels like it’s in motion, accented by a heart in the center of the “A” and held […]

Catch up on Career Day 2021: Watch these sessions with employers and guest speakers

PCA&D’s Career Day in late April was a chance for students to learn more about careers that are their end goal after art school, to explore other options they may not have considered, and to make connections with potential employers. And, in at least one case, to immediately snag a great summer work experience. Rising […]

For Kelly Phan ’22, designing the Class of 2021 exhibition book was a lesson in balance and insight

If compiling a nearly 140-page book encompassing works from 58 artists, writings from College administration, and input from several editors, while working to specifications set up by senior faculty and staff and a professional printer, sounds like a massive undertaking … Kelly Phan would probably agree. While working on her other classes as well, the […]

Behind the scenes with the co-curators: “Sincerely Yours,” the Class of 2021 exhibition

Five members of the Class of 2021 were selected for a special opportunity to co-curate the senior exhibition. Nicole Denzler, Photography & Video; Mandi Hall, Fine Art; Alexis Lebesco, Illustration; Regina Marie Mehaffey, Graphic Design; and Rachel Stork, Fine Art. These students were selected out of a pool of applicants for a competitive position within […]

Behind the scenes with the student curators of the Class of 2021 exhibition, “Sincerely Yours,”

As part of an exhibition and curating internship, five members of PCA&D’s Class of 2021 collectively produced this year’s senior exhibition, featuring one work from each member of their graduating class. We asked the co-curators — Nicole Denzler, Photography & Video; Mandi Hall, Fine Art; Alexis Lebesco, Illustration; Regina Marie Mehaffey, Graphic Design; and Rachel […]

PCA&D Graphic Design and Illustration departments ranked regionally, nationally

A pair of national publications has recognized Pennsylvania College of Art & Design in their recent rankings of design and art programs: GD USA Magazine, a business-to-business source for graphic design professionals, has named Pennsylvania College of Art & Design to its list of top graphic design schools in the United States. The compilation represents […]

Virtual Career Day combines inspiration, information… and lots of employment connections

Combining employer meet-and-greets, question-and-answer sessions, opportunities to share resumes, and a keynote by design historian Gökhan Ersan, PCA&D’s second Virtual Career Day April 21 is designed to be much more than a sit-and-watch-a-Zoom-presentation event. Instead, the goal is to be useful. Eye-opening. Educational. A gateway to internships, mentorships, fellowships … and jobs. “One year after […]

Recent PCA&D community achievements

Recognizing recent accomplishments by students, faculty, staff, and alumni of Pennsylvania College of Art & Design: Four Graphic Design seniors have been named winners in the 2021 Graphic Design USA Student Package Design competition. Bringing home national-level honors are: Isaac Baker, Jia Bernstein, Zorina Eckman, and John Hollas. All four are members of Prof. Tom […]

Collaborative workshops break isolation and result in community exhibition, ‘Zammesei’

Months upon months of pandemic restrictions can take a toll on anyone — especially a community that thrives on interaction, on collaboration, and on opportunities to learn and discover. The College’s Center for Creative Exploration partnered with a local senior living community to figure out how to bridge that isolation. The result is a new […]

Documenting the 2021 Faculty Biennial with Cameren White ’24

This is the final post in a series highlighting the creative contributions of students at the Pennsylvania College of Art & Design who worked behind the scenes to make the 2021 Faculty Biennial in the Main Gallery. From Trenton, New Jersey, Cameren White ’24 is on the CORE Gallery curatorial board and does special video […]

Na’Chelle Morris ’22 documents the Main Gallery’s 2021 Faculty Biennial

This is Part II of a series highlighting the hard work and creative input of students who worked behind the scenes to make the 2021 Faculty Biennial a success. Na’Chelle Morris ’22, the official photographer of PCA&D’s student-run CORE Gallery, was assigned to document the 2021 Faculty Biennial for the Main Gallery. Charged with documenting […]

College announces Commencement plans for Class of 2021 and Class of 2020

A message from Michael Molla, President, Pennsylvania College of Art Design: March is a month of change and transition — we can feel the arrival of spring in the air as we shift into a new season and consider the approaching end of this academic year. This time prompts us also to think about the […]

Designathon 2021: A 12-hour sprint to create new branding for 8 regional nonprofits

The clients (and alumni) were online; the timeframe was 12 hours instead of the traditional 24; and gauging by client reactions Saturday night (yes, there were some giddy tears of happiness), Designathon 2021 was a massive success. Organizer and Graphic Design Department Chair Pam Barby, along with faculty members Bill Dussinger and Laura Korzon, and […]

4 seniors nab national packaging design honors

Four Graphic Design seniors have been honored in Graphic Design USA’s 58th Annual Package Design Awards. They all are members of Tom Newmaster‘s Packaging Design class. Congratulations to: Isaac Baker: Taino Batata Sweet Potato Chips; Jia Bernstein: Crescents Potato Chips; Zorina Eckman: Sonos Audio Entertainment; John Hollas: Holy Chip Hell Fire and Chili Lime Chips. […]

Part I: Students behind the Faculty Biennial, Jaymi Vilardo and Isiah Bates

Part 1 of a series highlighting the students who worked behind the scenes to make the Faculty Biennial. The Faculty Biennial is an important tradition that celebrates faculty members for their dedication to the College’s mission and showcases their creative talents. This year’s rendition of the exhibit has been enhanced by the hard work and […]

Recent notes of accomplishment in our PCA&D community

Two members of the College faculty, Becky Blosser (Assistant Professor, Fine Art) and Eric Weeks (Assistant Professor and Chair, Photography & Video), as well as alumnus Marlin Bert have work in the current Demuth Invitational: Illustrations from the Stories that Inspire. The exhibition is open for timed in-person visitation at The Demuth Museum in downtown Lancaster here, and online here, through Saturday, […]

Learning Commons: Digging into Online Critique Sessions with Jasmyn Stokes ’23

Some of the most useful parts of the learning experience can also be pretty uncomfortable when you first face them. Take the practice of critique. Showing a work in progress to other artists, taking in their constructive suggestions and criticisms, and explaining your choices, is a time-honored part of art school. It helps artists figure […]

Directions in Contemporary Art zine goes on display at Street Road Artists Space

A month after wrapping up their online exhibition, Beyond Things Left Unsaid, a collaboration with Lancaster Museum of Art, PCA&D’s Fine Art seniors are once again on display. A zine created by members of Prof. Henry Gepfer’s Directions in Contemporary Art Class is on exhibit at Street Road Artists’ Space. The Chester County project integrates […]

Zorina Eckman and Madeleine Lyash named “Students to Watch” by GDUSA

Graphic Design seniors Zorina Eckman and Madeleine Lyash have been named 2021 Students to Watch by Graphic Design USA. The online news source and magazine covers people, projects, trends, technology and products for graphic design professionals nationwide. “Maddie and Zorina fully understand the power of design,” says Graphic Design Department Chair Pamela Barby. “They are creating […]

Prof. Jason Ward’s Drawing Workshops building a community of creatives

Art students itching for out-of-classroom guidance or a practical demonstration to expand their learning won’t always find what they’re looking for sitting solo in the studio. The Learning Commons is working to remove some of those hurdles with biweekly Drawing Workshops held during Saturday Study Tables. Led by Fine Art faculty Jason Ward, the workshops […]

Admissions Ambassador Kylie Hileman ’22, Fine Art

WATCH KYLIE’S INTERVIEW MEET KYLIE HILEMAN: I am a Junior (Year 3) as of right now, I’m from Nescopeck/Berwick, PA. It’s in very rural central PA. I don’t have a minor, but if I could’ve snagged one, I would’ve loved to minor in Illustration. (Instagram: @k_j_h_art) What do you remember about your first visit […]

When Stars Are Scattered: National Book Awards finalists Jamieson and Mohamed

Visual art, combined with literature, is an immensely powerful way to tell a story. That artistic collaboration is what brought together Newbery Honor-winning graphic novelist Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed, who grew up in the Dadaab refugee camp in Kenya. Their resulting graphic novel, When Stars Are Scattered, tells the childhood story of Mohamed and […]

Introducing Digital Art Drop-Ins with Prof. Natasha Warshawsky

PCA&D students who are working to expand and refine their digital art skills don’t have to work alone to puzzle out assignments, find inspiration, or practice a new technology taught in the classroom. Every Wednesday from 7:30-9 pm, an online Digital Art Drop-In gives PCA&D students a way to explore, to catch demos, to reinforce […]

Admissions Ambassador Adan Harris ’23, Animation & Game Art

WATCH ADAN’S INTERVIEW MEET ADAN HARRIS: I’m in the class of 2023, I come from a small town called Chambersburg [PA], but I actually went to a school called Waynesboro in the next town over. I don’t have a minor currently but I may take one in the upcoming semester. (Instagram: @harrisadan) What do […]

Student and alumni advice highlights PCA&D’s Spring Preview sessions

If you want to learn more about how to pace school assignments, how to figure out your creative path, and how to take advantage of what’s coming up next in your art and design school career, it makes sense to turn to the experts: Your fellow students themselves, and alumni of your college. This semester’s Spring […]

Admissions Ambassador Kennedy Toomey ’22, Photography & Video

WATCH KENNEDY’S INTERVIEW MEET KENNEDY TOOMEY: I’m a Photo junior going for an Art History minor. I grew up around Spring Grove, Pennsylvania. (Instagram: @fallingintofocusphoto) What do you remember about your first visit to PCA&D? KT: My first time at PCA&D, I remember being super excited to see the school had a darkroom. […]

Peacocks leveling up: Introducing PCA&D’s Esports Team

Every good video game tells a story. Maybe it’s the tale of a quest. Maybe it’s the challenge of championship battle. Or maybe it’s the vision of a future you’re playing to build and defend — or even the future of video games that connect to education, healthcare, and social justice? At Pennsylvania College of […]

In the news: Recent accomplishments in the PCA&D community

Tyler Barton, Program Coordinator for PCA&D’s Center for Creative Exploration, spent a week in December at Modern Art in Lancaster working on his next novel, as part of the gallery’s “Don’t Forget How to Write” project. Passersby could provide prompts and ideas for Barton’s novel as he worked in the gallery’s display window. His first book, […]

Admissions Ambassador Jose Rosado ‘22, Graphic Design

WATCH JOSE’S INTERVIEW MEET JOSE ROSADO: I will be graduating in the year 2022. I am from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania [and] I am a Graphic Design major. (Instagram: @joserosado.creative) What do you remember about your first visit to PCA&D? JR: I remember a vibrant and busy day as it was an open house / […]

Fine Art senior Brittany Lare wins Demuth Foundation award

The senior Fine Art students’ recent online exhibition hosted by Lancaster Museum of Art, Things Left Unsaid, has resulted in a special award for one of the artists. The Demuth Foundation, which operates Lancaster Museum of Art, recently announced Brittany Lare ’21, Fine Art, as winner of its Artistic Impact Award for her crocheted diptych 1950 […]

Admissions Ambassador Alicia Groff ’22, Illustration

WATCH ALICIA’S INTERVIEW MEET ALICIA GROFF: I’m a current junior here at PCA&D! I’m from Ephrata, PA, so I have been in Lancaster County my whole life. I’m majoring in Illustration, however, I am not enrolled in any of our minors. For my extracurriculars, I have been branching out to dabble in different fields and […]

PCA&D collaborates with Franklin & Marshall College to mark Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Delaina Jolley ’22, Illustration, represented PCA&D in a collaborative panel discussion, “MLK and Today,” with Franklin & Marshall College. You can view a recording of the January 2021 discussion below. Jolley, a co-founder of BLAC (Black Led Art Coalition) at PCA&D, joined F&M junior English Literature major Eniyah Brown-Moore and Michael Bright, F&M’s Residential Coordinator for […]