AIGA DFW Members and Friends,

After many years of serving our robust local design community, I am excited to share with you a new direction that we’ve planned for a strong new future, with continued growth for our chapter and reimagined opportunities for creative professionals in DFW.

But before jumping ahead, I need to extend deep gratitude to those whose tireless dedication kept AIGA DFW kicking during rough times. Through pandemic confusion and the several arduous years of restructuring that followed, a skeleton crew kept our chapter running smoothly, wearing a silly number of hats at any given time to keep our programs alive. Secretary, Mentor Event Chair, Director of Membership, Chair of The Deck, and Copy Editor? Check . It’s hard to express how much appreciation I have for the determined and loyal leaders who’ve brought us here (but the next time you see Linda Joseph or Brett Yanoski, do offer a handshake and a well-deserved ‘thank you’). To our unwavering members, generous partners, and community friends, thank you greatly for the continued support.

We’ve made it, we’re stronger for it, and man are we ever excited to move on! We have regrown our team, revamped our events calendar, and reslated the AIGA DFW Board of Directors. It is my privilege to introduce you to our 2024-2026 Board Slate:

Rosilyn Rayborn | Slated for President
Rosilyn is the Vice President of Strategy & Design for Citi. She has held past positions as Creative Director at BrandCory and as the Vice President of Brand & Creative Services at Associa. After volunteering with AIGA DFW as a mentor for several years, both before and through the pandemic, her robust leadership history and contagiously bright-yet-direct personality have made her an inimitable candidate for our chapter’s next President.

Linda Varghese Joseph | Slated for Vice President of Operations
Linda is a Creative Director for Corgan, and previously worked in the Digital Design Department at Fossil for fifteen years. She began volunteering with AIGA DFW in 2017, and served as our Director of Diversity & Inclusion for four years, running many events and diversity in design content campaigns, before accepting a position on our Executive Board of Directors as Secretary in 2022. Linda has chaired over a dozen events and was the Jackie of all trades on our team through the funky pandemic fallout. She has emerged safely on the other side with unrivaled deftness, and I cannot imagine a more qualified candidate to serve as the VP of Ops.

Crissanka Christadoss | Slated for Director of Partnerships & Treasury
Beyond her work as a Client Manager for Pulse, Crissanka has a long history of service leadership for nonprofit organizations, with particular experience in partnerships, grant writing, and other financial matters. While her personal background is not in design, she loves supporting the creative community. We learned that Crissanka also wields expertise in both marketing and program / event management, and we knew she belonged with us. We’re enthused by this opportunity to channel her energy and ingenuity into our partnerships.

Ana Ponce | Slated for Director of Community
For several years, Ana has served as a member of our comms team: designing art, crafting motion graphics, and revamping our social media presence. During college, she served on the AIGA UTA Student Group Board, completing a year as the organization’s President after serving a term as the group’s Director of Membership. There’s so much AIGA love, community spirit, and creative vision alive in Ana. We couldn’t be more excited to unleash her passion for growing an environment of creative camaraderie as our Director of Community.

Jenna Bradford | Slated for Director of Communications
Since joining the AIGA DFW team to serve as Marketing Chair last year, Jenna has impressed us with copy writing, wowed us with innovative communications ideas, and given our creative protocols a proper facelift. She is the Director of User Experience for Falkon Technologies, and her work for our organization has consistently featured an unflinching can-do attitude and striking eye for detail. Jenna’s professional experience, clever ideas, and penchant for iterating make her a shoe-in to join our Board as the next Director of Communications.

If you are a member of our chapter, kindly give one more minute of your time to vote online (VOTING IS NOW CLOSED). Vote to show your support for the new team. Vote because you’re excited for a brighter future. Vote to help me retire from the presidency! Vote just to show us that you read this far, or vote to let us know that you don’t support this slate (and then use the comment field to share why, so that your voice can be heard). Vote because we legally need our members to ratify our new board slate so that we can begin an amazing next phase for you, for us, and for the community.

Pending member approval, our new board slate will begin working immediately with our dedicated team of stellar program chairs, including:

• Ayumi Anderson, The Deck Chair
• Pamela Shelby, Student Groups Chair
• Claudia De La Garza, Onsite Experience Chair
• Jeremy Johnson, UX Events Chair
• Miranda Mabery, Professional Development Chair

And then, with the blessing of our members, Brett Yanoski and I will step away from the Executive Team and onto the Advisory Board with Gus Granger, Dawn Davidson, Willie Baronet, and Holly Aguilar.

With appreciation,

Loryn O’Donnell
President
AIGA DFW

The post Designing the Future & Voting for Change appeared first on AIGA Dallas.

For over 46 years, from start to finish, Spencer + Company has got everything covered when it comes to commercial interiors. They provide expert design, planning, project management, furniture procurement, installation, maintenance, and even relocation services.

“Our crew at AIGA DFW is so honored to find our new home with Spencer + Company,” said Loryn O’Donnell, President of AIGA DFW. “They have this impressive dedication to finding innovative design solutions for the commercial interior industry that really mirrors our own commitment to fostering creativity and community. We love collaborating with locally owned businesses that share our values and vision. With this new relationship, it’s a gift to be reminded that design truly unites us.”

So please join us in celebrating our new home and partner, Spencer + Company! Cheers to collaboration, inspiration, and a bright future ahead!

Learn more about AIGA DFW and our upcoming events at aigadfw.org.

Learn more about Spencer + Company’s interior design solutions or relocation services at spencerandco.com.

The post Home Sweet Spencer + Company! appeared first on AIGA Dallas.

From UX Roundtables to fan-favorite, The Deck, we can’t wait to share another year of inspiring design with you! Check out the events below:

January

27 – Design Student MiniCon

February

22 – UX Roundtables

March

19 – AIGA + DSVC: Design Trivia Night

April

11 – The Deck 2024 Kickoff Party

May

30 – The Artrepreneur’s Toolbox

August

22 – UX Design Workshop: Figma Unbound

September

7 – Student Group Leadership Luncheon
19 – Get Unstuck! Career Advisory Convos

October

10 – Design Community Meeting
26 – Hand Lettering Workshop

November

21 – The Deck 2024 Reveal Party

December

7 – Poster Show

The post 2024 Calendar of Events appeared first on AIGA Dallas.

Complete Your Own Project

Internships frequently give students a project to manage, with deliverables due at the end of the internship. You don’t have to wait to be assigned a project to get this learning experience! If you’re managing your own project, you can also grow time management and organization skills as you work. Here are a few  ideas to get started on a project:

1. Design an app or website

Have you been thinking about improving your design skills? Create your own UX project by designing an app or website. Start by looking at some inspiration. Here are a few great examples of projects from start to finish:

Behance

Behance

Make use of Figma, Adobe XD, Sketch or any other prototyping platform and learn through tutorials. Your project should include several screens for your mobile app or website along with wireframes/sketches, an explanation of the process you followed, and how your solutions solve a problem. This will show that you can follow a design process, manage a project with deadlines, and create a professional presentation of your work.

2. Solve a problem in your community

With the rise of COVID-19 and social injustice, communities need support in all kinds of areas. Think of a problem you want to solve in your local community, and figure out a design solution that will help people. Here are some examples of work designers are doing for social good:

• Contact Tracing App
• Black Lives Matter Design Task Force
• Restaurant Menu Solutions for a Post-Covid World
• AIGA Get Out the Vote
• Making Wayfinding Accessible

Consider reaching out to local organizations to see how your skills can be used to help in this time of need. Don’t forget to document your work so you can present it in your portfolio!

3. Work on your portfolio

If you don’t have an internship keeping you busy right now, consider using that time, to tune up your portfolio website or start building one if you don’t have one yet. As little as 30 minutes to an hour a week can jumpstart you in the right direction. This will help secure design internships or even jobs in the future! Sites like Awwwards feature inspiration for designing a great portfolio website.

4. Start an online shop

If you are into design or art, consider transforming your work into merchandise you can sell. Not only will you generate side revenue, you will also learn entrepreneurship and business skills that can show future employers you are a self-starter. Websites to start online shops include Etsy, Society6, RedBubble and eBay.

@PaulinaGil

@hudadoesart

5. Participate in creative challenges

Design challenges are a great opportunity to improve your design skills, teach yourself discipline and time management, and connect with other artists and designers who have similar interests as you. Design challenges include Inktober and the Color Palette Challenge, to name a few.

Some AIGA student groups participate in design challenges as a group, where each student chooses one day to contribute a drawing. Check out your local student chapter or reach out to fellow students if you want to do these challenges with a group.

6. Take on a freelance project

Check out freelance jobs listings on places like Dribbble to gain experience working with real clients and add some work to your portfolio.

Immerse Yourself In Your Field

One major benefit of an internship is the opportunity to network and learn from professionals. Getting involved with professional organizations and taking initiative to delve into your field will demonstrate your interest in the field and also help you gain some of that valuable industry experience you might gain at an internship. Here are ways to enhance your skill set and engage with the design community:

1. Enhancing Your Skill Set

Online Certifications: Consider taking advantage of new certificate programs being offered by companies like LinkedIn, Microsoft and Github, and Google. These programs teach needed industry skills such as programming, information technology, project management and UX design, and best of all, they’re being offered at no cost for a limited time. Take advantage of them while you can!

Online Classes: All kinds of free classes in coding, video editing, graphic design and more are available on websites like CodeAcademy, Coursera, edX and of course educational YouTube channels like School of Motion. Pick a class to follow from start to finish, and by the end you’ll have a new skill to add to your resume. Some of these sites also have options to pay extra and get an official certification that documents your completion of the class.

If you want to spend a little to access courses, some more learning resources include LinkedIn Learning (some universities give students free access), General Assembly (with a free Learn to Code offering), Udemy, Udacity, Masterclass and Skillshare. While Skillshare is only $100/year, chances to win FREE a Skillshare subscription can be found on AIGA DFW’s social media! Follow us and stay tuned for more information.

2. Engaging with the Community

Attend Online Conferences: Some design conferences include Adobe MAX (virtual for 2020) Big Design (UX focus, virtual for 2020) and Circles Conference (design, art and UX, postponed to 2021). Attending conferences connects you to professionals in your field and helps you start building a network as a student. Keep an eye out for volunteer opportunities that give you access to discounted tickets.

More design conferences around the world can be found at alldesignconferences.com

Attend Meetups: Meetups are a great way to connect with like minded individuals in your industry and learn from workshops. Here are some well-known DFW-based meetups:

Art and Design

• Design Jam
• Creative Mornings Dallas
• Ladies Wine and Design

UX

• Dallas User Experience Group
• UX Research and Strategy
• Dallas Black UX
• The UX Club
• Ladies That UX
• Service Design Dallas

But most importantly: Become a member of the AIGA Dallas Ft. Worth community!

With events ranging from portfolio reviews and mentor matchmaking to UX virtual roundtables, joining the world’s largest and oldest professional association for design is a great way to meet people, learn from industry professionals and fine-tune your craft while you’re still a student.

Keep Applying!

While many jobs and internships are on hold, other companies are still hiring or keeping potential candidates on file for when they begin hiring again. Keep your head up and keep applying! Check out these resources to apply for jobs and internships:

1. Design Job Boards

Job boards that feature design-specific jobs and internships can be found through AIGA, DSVC, and Creative Mornings.

2. The Creative Group

The Creative Group (TCG) is a staffing agency for creative and marketing professionals. Using a staffing service like TCG is a great way to find a diverse range of work opportunities! AIGA members also get a discount for both full-time and part-time hires.

3. Handshake

Many students have access to Handshake through their university. Handshake is typically for current students and alumni seeking jobs and internships. Some employers post to Handshake when they are specifically looking to hire students or recent grads, and students with access should take advantage of this curated resource.

4. Amazing Design People List

ADP List is a great resource to use if you are searching for a full-time job. They also offer mentoring sessions where you can sign up for portfolio reviews, interview coaching and career advice.

5. LinkedIn

Get a head start by building a great LinkedIn profile now if you don’t have one already, and start building connections with people in your field. This will make it easier for you to find professional opportunities in the future rather than building a network from scratch when you begin a job search.

LinkedIn also has a jobs section which you can easily apply to using the information in your profile.

We hope this collection of resources gives you ideas and inspiration for making the most of your time, gaining new skills, improving your portfolio and building your professional network. Find something on this list that speaks to you and give it a try. Did you find something that worked for you? Send us a message on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter or Instagram and let us know!

The post How Design Students Can Gain Experience without an Internship appeared first on AIGA Dallas.

EMERGE is a national program series powered by AIGA Minnesota – in partnership with AIGA’s Diversity & Inclusion Task Force – to empower, engage, and inspire emerging designers of different backgrounds and experiences as they grow their career. The program is aimed at designers who are 0-5 years into their careers and includes fresh graduates and newly transitioned practitioners.

AIGA DFW is committed to supporting this program by providing customized events, experiences, and content that address the chapter and community’s needs in key areas of employment, growth, leadership, entrepreneurship, and life skills. This season we will be hosting a Portfolio Review on January 23 and Mentor Matchmaking on April 16 to help advance career paths and create tangible opportunities. Save these dates on your calendar, and be on the lookout for more information in the new year!

If you have any questions or thoughts to share about EMERGE, please email diversity@aigadfw.org.

The post EMERGE: TAILORED EXPERIENCES TO INSPIRE AND EMPOWER appeared first on AIGA Dallas.

Sincerely,
Your AIGA DFW Board of Directors

Season Calendar Fall 2018 – Spring 2019

September

• 11 Quarterly Community Meeting
• 19 Kickoff Party Mashup! AIGA Season Kick Off + Circles Conference Kickoff
• 27 Workshop: Typography Tips & Tricks with Scott Biersack
• 27 Member Exclusive! Burgers, Beers & Bowling with Biersack

October

• 11 Happy Hour Dallas
• 18 HP Workshop: Designing for New Print Media Technology
• 20 Fall Fest
• 25 Speaker: TBD

November

• 08 Happy Hour Fort Worth: Game Night
• 15 Panel: In House Design
• 24 Creative Flea

December

• 04 Quarterly Community Meeting
• 13 Workshop: Freelance & Contract Design Skills

January

• 10 Happy Hour Dallas: Design Trivia Night

February

• 07 Happy Hour Fort Worth: The Deck 2019 Kickoff Party
• 21 Workshop: Design Thinking

March

• 05 Quarterly Community Meeting
• 14 Happy Hour Dallas: Gallery Night
• 28 Mentor Matchmaking

April

• 11 Happy Hour Fort Worth: Poster Show
• 18 Speaker: TBD

May

• 09 Happy Hour Dallas
• 16 Panel: UX & The Future of Tech
• 30 The Deck 2019 Reveal Party & Reception

June

• 04 Quarterly Community Meeting
• 20 Workshop: Emerging Designers + Portfolio Review
• 28 AIGA DFW Board Retreat

*Dates and event details are subject to change.

The post 2018-2019 Season Calendar appeared first on AIGA Dallas.

20 Years
Wendy Walker Davis

15 Years
Jon Buell
Rick Gavos
Chris Pak
Steven Phelps

10 Years
Kevin De Miranda
Lisa Gabriel
Michael Gibson

5 Years
Dawn Babcock
Peter Chung
Alice Chuong
Amy Graff
Colleen Hartley
Lyle Miller
Candace Romero-Axen
Christopher Sanchez
Angelica Sibrian
Andrea Willis
David Wolske
Max Wright

Thank you for your membership.

The post Happy AIGAiversary appeared first on AIGA Dallas.

Want to be dealt in?

Send your portfolio to membership@aigadfw.org for your shot at a space in The Deck. If you play your cards right, you’ll be assigned a card to design by April 23, 2017. Space is limited! Contact us today to avoid getting lost in the shuffle.     

The Deck is brought to you by…

Cartamundi USA has partnered with us on this unique community project. Cartamundi USA is a playing card manufacturer and specialty package printer. With almost 250 years of experience, 7 manufacturing facilities, 11 international branches, hundreds of agents and distributors in more than 50 countries, Cartamundi has established itself as the worldwide playing card leader with an impressive array of specialty print services. Learn more at cartamundiusa.com.

Special thanks to the following members:

The post Play Your Cards Right with The Deck appeared first on AIGA Dallas.

Did you resolve to improve your web presence this year? AIGA and domain registry Top Level Design have just the thing for you. As a member of AIGA, you’re entitled to a free .design domain name for the first year, and 40% off annual renewals for the duration of your AIGA membership.

And starting this year, members of the Dallas Fort Worth chapter will receive discounted or free admission to an event for their anniversaries. On your anniversary month, the AIGA DFW membership team will email you a custom code to use at registration. Make sure your email address is up-to-date on your profile at AIGA.org, or you won’t get your code! Codes are only valid for the next calendar event on or after your anniversary month (noted on your profile at AIGA.org).

Thinking about joining AIGA? Good news! We’ll also give new members free admission to the next event on our calendar.  Want to always get in for free? Volunteers don’t have to pay and enjoy valuable networking experience! Sign up to volunteer today, or better yet, join a committee and work directly with AIGA DFW’s board of directors.
Best wishes for a happy and productive 2017 from your friendly neighborhood Board of Directors!

The post New Year, New Benefits appeared first on AIGA Dallas.

Who Responded?
Survey respondents reported their locations across North Texas, with the highest concentrations of individuals living in Dallas and Fort Worth. 57% of respondents were prospective members interested in becoming more active with the community (three out of five respondents signed up to volunteer), 30% were active members and the remainder were former members.

Most respondents (45%) identified as in-house employees, with agency designers making up the second largest group (17%) and the rest were a mix of freelancer/contractor, students and ‘other’.

Events/ Topics of Interest

• Business Skills for Designers: 66.67%
• Collaboration and Team Building: 29.41%
• Hand Skills: 37.25%
• Design Basics: 29.41%
• Design for Good: 62.75%
• UI/UX: 37.25%
• Diversity and Inclusion: 33.33%
• Mentoring: 47.06%
• Emerging Designer Support: 19.61%
• Inspiration: 58.82%

Event Formats of Interest

• Speaker Events: 88.24%
• Panels: 47.06%
• Design Competitions: 15.69%
• Networking/Happy Hour Events: 52.94%
• Portfolio Reviews: 45.10%
• Studio Tours: 52.94%
• Hackathons: 7.84%
• Webinars: 19.61%
• Weekend Programming: 13.73%
• Workshops: 82.35%

Yeah, Yeah, What About That VIP Pass?
Lucky member Reva Hunter, of 84DesignStudio, was selected to receive AIGA DFW’s VIP season pass! As the VIP, Reva can redeem free admission to any of our events in 2017 and get an introduction to our guest speakers. Congratulations, Reva!

The post AIGA Dallas Fort Worth: 2016 Community Survey Results appeared first on AIGA Dallas.