Alumni tell us why they love the Alumni Facebook page.

When we created the CCAD Alumni page on Facebook, all we asked was that you “like” us. What we didn’t anticipate was that you would love us.

In the few months it’s been up, the Alumni Facebook page has connected more than 1,000 alumni—you have shared everything from the best advice you ever received to the smell that always reminds you of CCAD. You’re sharing job openings and news; you’re searching for old friends and connecting with new ones. And now you’re telling us why you love the page.

From Walter King (CCAD 1981)
“For me, this site does double duty. As an alumnus, it’s where I access old photos, new information, and keep in touch with old friends. As a professor, it helps me stay in touch with all of the students I’ve taught over the past 25 years. It’s our CCAD alumni meeting place, and (since it’s already on Facebook) I can stay in touch with old friends all in one place with only one password to remember. Perfect!”

From Lisa Watson (CCAD 1991)
“The Alumni Facebook page is not only informative, but a motivating reminder of the past. All CCAD alumni hoped to make money with our talents. Reading of the success of friends and current students is good for the soul. It’s like social media stimulation for those rainy days in life!”

From Lauren Davis (CCAD 2009)
“There are certain things about social media I hate, and the main thing is the negativity (bullying, drama, games, etc.) that can stem from social media outlets. On the other hand, though, there are many things that social media is good for, one of which is connecting with fellow artists in your community or from our alma mater.

CCAD’s Alumni page on Facebook is a great example of this. My best friend (a fellow CCADer) recommended it to me, and it is amazing all of the people who do frequent the page. My favorite thing about it is being able to hear the stories, or see pictures of other people’s experiences at CCAD.

I know I haven’t been out of school long, but, like many people in my field, I work a lot just to be ‘living the dream,’ which I’m okay with, but it doesn’t leave time for going out and connecting with others. So I feel this page definitely helps me to see what is going on in the CCAD art world and with fellow artists in general. For instance, I would have never known that a fellow CCAD alumnus [Michael Carney (CCAD 2004)] is actually the one who designed the Brothers album artwork for the Black Keys. In all honesty…that is amazing.”

Want to get in on the fun? “Like” us today.

President Griffith presents the 2010 Alumni Award for Excellence to Rosanne Percival.

Each year, we ask our alumni to nominate their classmates for the Joseph V. Canzani Alumni Award for Excellence (AAE). It’s a way for us to acknowledge not only the success and contributions of one very deserving graduate, but also the impact CCAD alumni have all over the world.

AAE nominees must be an alum or associate alum of CCAD who has not previously received the award. Finalists are chosen based upon their accomplishments related to artistic excellence, the impact they have had on a broad spectrum of people, the significant advancements they’ve made in their art or design field, and their exemplification of CCAD’s ideals.

The award is presented during our annual Homecoming celebration. This year’s event has been completely redesigned to include an entire weekend of events for the whole CCAD family—alumni, students, parents, and faculty and staff. Save the date: Family Weekend & Homecoming is October 7-9.

To nominate the alum you think is most worthy of the award, click here.

Want to size up the AAE competition? Click here to read about 2010 award winner Rosanne Percival (CCAD 1980).

Interior Design alumna Jessica Katterheinrich joined WD Partners after graduation.

Every year, more than 200 students join the ranks of the 10,000 CCAD alumni living around the world. But we don’t send them out into the world unprepared. Beginning in freshman year, students work with Career Services and their professors to develop portfolios, resumes, and cover letters. They meet with alumni in mock interviews and experience the rigors of the Directions Career Fair. For some, all of this hard work results in a real-world job lined up before the ink on their diploma is even dry. So we asked them: What’s it feel like to graduate with work lined up?

Dayna Carli Smith, Advertising & Graphic Design
Where she’s headed: GSW Worldwide
“I am so excited to see how dreams can come true. I’ve been working hard for so long it’s amazing to see how it all pays off. It makes me want to work even harder, like I have been given a gift that I do not want to squander. And it makes me happy to make my parents proud, knowing they were worried about me going into a field so difficult to get a job in. I’m glad I can look at them and tell them I made the right decision and have proof to back it up with.”

Ryan Richmond, Fashion Design
Where he’s headed: Abercrombie & Fitch
“It’s a wonderful feeling, having work lined up before graduating, and quite honestly, I wasn’t expecting this outcome. I’m extremely grateful, however, not only for being hired while still a student, but also for the support and instruction I got from my teachers at CCAD; they truly care about the success of their students and make it a point to push us to be the best designers and artists we can be. I’m excited for what my future holds and can only thank CCAD and the people I’ve grown close to over the years!”

Kristen Macauley, Fine Arts
Where she’s headed: The Jones Group
“Honestly, it’s nerve-racking. Looking back on freshman year, I never knew I would be here today. I am about to move into a world filled with creative individuals looking for a moment to shine, and I can’t wait for mine. When I first started to apply for jobs, I thought most of them were a long shot. Then I had an interview with Jones New York and the next thing I knew I started packing for New York City. I feel very fortunate that the Jones Apparel Group provided me with such a wonderful opportunity. Not only do I have a job, but it is in my field of choice. I couldn’t ask for anything more.”

Jessica Katterheinrich, Interior Design
Where she’s headed: WD Partners
“It makes all the nights I slept on the studio floor instead of my own bed feel worth it.”

Taehee Lee, Media Studies
Where she’s headed: Left Channel
“I am relieved and excited to work on something I really love doing. It just feels great. Most of my Korean friends are probably a bit jealous. My main focus was always going to graduate school, and I did get accepted, but I was offered a job and made the last minute decision to accept it over graduate school.  When I was offered the job, all I could think was, I need to seize this opportunity because grad school will always be there but this may not.”
Editor’s Note: Taehee was also this year’s Media Studies Outstanding Senior. You can read a full interview with her here.

The class of 1981 reunited in May.

Each year, several CCAD classes reunite to remember their time here, see where their careers have taken them, and visit the place they once called home. This July and October, we welcome back the classes of 1974, 1998, and 1999. Here are the specifics.

Classes of 1998 & 1999 Reunion
Date:  July 16, 2011
Location: Canzani Center Multi-Purpose Room and Auditorium—60 Cleveland Avenue, Columbus.
Want more information? Click here.

Class of 1974 Reunion
Date: October 8-9, 2011 (during Family Weekend and Homecoming, October 7-9)
Location and Details: Still being determined, but we know that it is on campus and that it will be completely awesome (and that you’ll want to come … seriously).

Class of 1981
The class of 1981 reunited in May to reconnect, reminisce, and honor classmate Cindy Baun Blanchard. Click here to check out the pictures from their reunion.

(Left to right) Randi Prudden, Cierra Cunningham, Jasmine Stewart, and Anna Fowler

Given that more than 50 CCAD alumni are employed by Abercrombie & Fitch, it’s less of a surprise than you’d think to find four just in the company’s knit bottoms division: Anna Fowler (CCAD 2008), Randi Prudden (CCAD 2010), Cierra Cunningham (CCAD 2010), and Jasmine Stewart (CCAD 2006). We couldn’t resist the opportunity for a group interview. But before we talked to them, we had to ask the company why they love working with CCAD grads.

“Abercrombie & Fitch loves going through the recruitment process at CCAD each year,” said Anne Vetta, senior recruiter for design at Abercrombie & Fitch. “We know we can expect to meet well-rounded, talented students from the design programs.  The foundation year at CCAD is truly unique, and we really appreciate the fine artist skills that are developed during that first year.  We also receive amazing support from the Office of Career Services as well as the Institutional Advancement Office, which is crucial.”

Now without any further ado, a word from our alumnae.

Q) What’s it like to work with three other CCAD alumnae?

Jasmine Stewart (JS) It’s great, because you know the skill set of the other person. You know they learned the same things you did, so you know what you can expect from them.

Randi Prudden (RP) That’s the best part about it. They’ve been through the same thing that you have. Just to be like, “Anna, you know how Mrs. Hannan said this, well what does that mean in Abercrombie terms?”

Cierra Cunningham (CC) It’s really cool to walk around A&F’s campus and recognize a lot of faces. It’s less intimidating, and you feel at home because you recognize so many people.

Editor’s Note: We got to experience this first hand. As we were taking our tour of A&F, we walked past soon-to-graduate Jordan Jones, who was interning for the company at the time and finishing up his collection for the Senior Fashion Show.

Q) Why do you think Abercrombie keeps coming to CCAD for employees?

AF) I think it’s that they know we have the skill set, we’re hard workers, and we come out knowing design.

JS) We’re well-rounded. We’re able to be creative. We’re able to work hard. But most importantly, we’re able to talk about our work, which can be intimidating for designers. CCAD makes you talk about your work and explain your ideas, which is very helpful once you get out into the workforce.

RP) When you step into a design role, you’re not just a designer. You’re a part-time merchant, a part-time graphic designer, a part-time critic. You do everything, and I think that Foundation year at CCAD—when you spend all your time learning about so many different things—helps you to develop the confidence to say “yeah sure, the store should be set up this way.” You know how to do interior design work and how it will look and 2D and 3D presentation and everything. As CCAD grads, we’re like, “throw it at us. Come on. We can take it. ”

JS) Right. You come out knowing all the computer programs. You can draw by hand. You can kind of do everything or at least have the foundation to look to.

AF) I think that’s the biggest thing, having that foundation—because you don’t learn industry until you’re in it, but having that foundation is super important and key. I’ve worked with a couple people who were just coming in and weren’t from CCAD, and they didn’t have the same skill set. It’s nice to work with other people coming from CCAD because you’re like, “oh yeah, you know that.”

Q) Each of you designed a four-piece collection for the senior fashion show the year you graduated. Are you going to this year’s event? Are you looking for future coworkers, or just to support your alma mater?

(All four) “Yes, of course, we’re going!”

RP) I’m going back to support the school, but you never know when Human Resources is going to call.

AF) Just to see the final collections. It’s really cool to see people who come in—and maybe they’ve been sewing since they were four or maybe not—but they have that final collection which is such a big accomplishment.

Q) We have several recent graduates heading to Abercrombie for their first “real” job. What would be your advice for them?

CC) Coming from CCAD, you’re taught to work hard, so it is really an easy transition to working here.

JS) Be passionate and work hard—and be open to learning.

AF) Keep an open mind. Everything you learn in school is a great foundation, but you’ll need to hit the ground running because everything changes when you start.

Q) Why do you love your job?

JS) I have been working here for almost five years, and every day is a challenge, and every day is interesting—and I just love it. I am constantly learning every single day.

AF) It’s a fun, casual atmosphere. What we like today isn’t necessarily what we’re going to like tomorrow, which keeps it interesting.

CC) It is just so inspiring to work here.

RP) I think that people are like “oh, it’s Abercrombie & Fitch. You’re not going to be challenged.” But that predetermined idea is completely wrong. You have to be even more creative than normal because you are working within one brand and each thing has to be different than what it was before—and that’s really hard to do sometimes. You have to find other ways to solve problems. It’s challenging, but I look forward to it every day.

Illustration alumnus David Breaux worked as an animator on feature film "Thor."

We do our best to get most of the news you submit to us onto the CCAD News Blog, but since there are more than 10,000 of you making news all over the world, not everything can make it into the blog. We’re glad to have another venue where we can share everything with you—this newsletter’s classnotes.

You, too, can submit classnotes via the easy-to-use form on the alumni landing page. We only post career-related successes, awards, exhibitions, and publications, but we’d also love to know when you move, get married, or have children—just use that same form.

Now, without further ado, your classnotes from February-May 2011.

Ron Miller (CCAD 1970) has provided cover and interior art for Astronomy, Sky & Telescope, Scientific American, and Geo magazines. His work has also been featured on two Scientific American sites and on the cover of a new science fiction novel. Miller has also written and illustrated three new young adult books for Lerner Publishing and is working on a coffee table art book for Farrar, Strauss, and Giroux. Read more on the CCAD News Blog.

Kurt Fondriest (CCAD 1985) partnered with the Brookfield Zoo to provide a learning experience for his students at Misericordia Home North through expressive art. Read a complete article and see the amazing footage here.

Lisa Horkin (CCAD 1985), Marty Husted (CCAD 1979), Ryan Orewiler (CCAD 2004), and Denise Romecki (CCAD 1976) all exhibited in Face 2 Face: 25 Years of Art and Community, which opened Friday, April 15. Read an article about this show on the CCAD News Blog.

Tracy Hayes (CCAD 1990) has opened a new Skuba Design Studio location on Magazine Street in New Orleans. Click here to learn more.

Peter Wachtel (CCAD 1990) has published two new e-books—Kid Toyology and The Wonderous World of Wonders. Read more here.

Hilary Frambes (CCAD 1992) was chosen as the Ohio Delegate to Parenting magazine’s Mom Congress, April 10-13. More information about her trip is available in the CCAD News Blog.

Celene Hawkins (CCAD 1992) was awarded a 2010 Aid to Individual Artists grant through the Summerfair Foundation in Cincinnati. Read more here.

David Breaux (CCAD 1995) completed animation work on Iron Man 2, Tron Legacy, Real Steel, and Thor. Read an interview with Breaux on the CCAD News Blog.

Tiffany Liss (CCAD 1995) has accepted the position of marketing communications specialist manager for Rexford Industries, LLC, in Indianapolis.

Christopher Maslon (CCAD 1996) was the first foreign elected official appointed to Daejeon Health and Sciences College’s board for the Executive Committee of Liberal Arts. The college is located in Daejeon, South Korea. Included in his nomination was a move by the board to add more arts and design courses to the college’s curriculum. Maslon will head the arts courses offered. Read a complete story about his appointment in the CCAD News Blog.

Anthony Anselmo (CCAD 1998) recently returned to CCAD to provide mock interviews to current students. He shared this album from his self-guided tour with us.

Justin Shady (CCAD 1998) wrote about Joshua Peters (CCAD 2008) on his blog. Peters recently designed a poster for Billy West’s appearance at Packrat Comics in Hilliard, Ohio. Read the blog here.

Michael Guinane (CCAD 2000), Marc Lincewicz (CCAD 1992), Ryan Orewiler (CCAD 2004), Michele Ulmer (CCAD 2005), Molly McNitt (CCAD 2004), and Jurate Phillips (CCAD 2002) participated in the German Village Art League exhibition The Language of Art. Learn more on the CCAD News Blog.

Anthony Nesossis (CCAD 2000) worked as creative director and graphic designer—along with MediaFLOW’s Vincent Blake—to create a new logo, tagline, and web presence for the Educational Council Foundation of Ohio.

Beth Dean (CCAD 2003) has accepted the position of director of user experience at Ongo.

Anousone Panyanouvong (CCAD 2007) received a $10,000 grant from Microsoft to launch her urban forest plan as part of the company’s Make it Great competition. Read more about her project (and how CCAD helped to make it happen) on the CCAD News Blog.

Chelstin Ross (CCAD 2009) exhibited her work during the 2011 Columbus Arts Festival. She was one of 10 central Ohio artists selected to participate in this year’s Emerging Artists Program. She was also featured in the Columbus Dispatch. Read the article here.

Nick Cavalier (CCAD 2010) directed the Felix Culpa’s Our Holy Ghost music video, which debuted at Alternative Press magazine and was featured on Absolute Punk and Blank TV (and the CCAD News Blog). The video has also been entered into the Chicago Underground Film Festival and the Chicago, NY, and SF United Film Festivals.

Katrina Seitter (CCAD 2010) was promoted from freelance designer to graphic designer at Stonefly Communications Group in central Ohio.  She has also taken up a freelance position with the Creative Good, which was started by CCAD alumnus Brian Greenwood (CCAD 1999).

Have news you’d like to share? Click here.

(Left to right) Stephanie Stover, Laurie Beth Sweeney, Amanda Fondriest

As the Alumni Relations Office, it’s our job to stay connected with you, our alumni, to promote your success and ensure that the relationships you formed while studying at CCAD last a lifetime. Through ongoing events, continued news coverage, and opportunities to stay in touch, we work diligently to serve you.

Who we are: Director of Development & Alumni Relations, Laurie Beth Sweeney; Development & Alumni Relations Coordinator, Stephanie Stover; and Alumni Communications Coordinator, Amanda Fondriest.

Need to get ahold of us? Contact us here.