Mr. David Deal, AIGA’s advisor, said that from the trip last year they realized how eye-opening this experience was for the students. It allowed them to be exposed to the realities and excitement within the graphic design industry.

This trip allows them to get potential industry connections and networking opportunities.

“I truly believe trips like this are essential for our art students due to the remoteness of our campus,” said Mr. Deal.

Last year AIGA took 16 students to Dallas for the design studio tours and museum visits. The businesses they visited were a cross-section of the industry.

Mr. Deal was able to use his contacts in Dallas to arrange tours and presentations with four companies: Lincoln Press, TM Advertising, Clampitt Paper and Matchbox Studio.

They were also able to visit the Dallas Museum of Art, the Amon Carter Museum, The Kimball Art Museum and the Modern Museum of Ft. Worth.

“For some of students this will be the first time to visit a major world class art museum,” said Mr. Deal.

(Students visiting Matchbox Studios)

“Overall, this trip made all that I have been studying more tangible and realistic. It allowed us all to see what the graphic design world has to offer outside of our four walls of college. It really opened my eyes as a designer to see actual designers at work. It has inspired me and given me the determination to keep going and to know that it can be done! Everyone was great and I want to thank them along with our professors for making this trip possible,” said a previous AIGA member.

(Visiting Lincoln Press and learning about the industrial side of design and the printing process.)