[ Portfolio Courses/Guest Speakers ]

Guest speakers are an important part of the program. Each year we showcase 15 successful Bay Area Art Directors, Creative Directors, Graphic Designers and Illustrators for students to hear top professionals in their field talk about ''what it's like out there.'' The speakers discuss their specialties, career paths, education; give advice for beginners; and offer job marketing techniques. Each speaker gives a portfolio presentation of his or her work and describes the content.

Several of the speakers are internationally known and are recent recipients of prestigious design and illustration awards. Some have current work and written articles published in Communication Arts, How, and Print Magazine.

In the final class of the program, Creative Portfolio and Self-Promotion, each student prepares a body of his or her best work for a portfolio presentation. Students design their resume, stationery, a business card and a self-promotion piece. On the last day of class, the Graphic Design Program Advisory Board, a panel of highly respected professionals, is invited to listen to the students present their portfolios and thoroughly evaluate their performance as a designer and as a presenter. Following this presentation, a networking luncheon is held by the students to provide them with the opportunity to make industry contacts.