For the first time, graphic design majors joined communications, business and fine arts students for their annual fall trip to New York. The trip, which was worth one credit hour, showed students the iconic city, and there they learned valuable skills that applied to their majors.
Assistant Professor of Communications Art Brown helped lead the trip for graphic design students. “This was an experimental year for graphic design,” Brown said. “New York has been a center for graphic design for decades – especially during the golden era of fashion magazines in the 1920s and 30s, and it’s home to Madison Avenue advertising agencies.”
Students had to sign up as a part of a specific class and pay a trip fee in order to earn an hour of credit. Each also had to write a reflection paper following the conclusion of the trip, and their other assignments varied depending on the major that they traveled with.
Junior and graphic design major Sydney Rhoton had visited New York twice before, but by going on the school trip, she had the opportunity to experience new things.
Before the trip, Rhoton was most excited about going to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. “Everyone hyped it up, and I had never been before,” said Sydney.
Rhoton explained how different seeing art in person is compared to studying it in a textbook. “It’s weird when you’re trying to soak in all of the material that you learned back at Milligan,” Rhoton said. “Seeing it in real life kind of validates what you learn in class.”
Although students were often split up to experience different activities that catered to their major, everyone went to see the Broadway production of “To Kill a Mockingbird.”
“The play was definitely a highlight for me, it was so good,” Rhoton said. “Another highlight for me was that I finessed my way into the business group and got to tour Macy’s.”
Anna Hathcock is a senior double majoring in accounting and business. Hathcock was also part of the group of students that toured Macy’s.
“I had been to the Macy’s store before, but seeing the different business aspects was awesome,” Hathcock said. “We talked about what each floor was catered to, and it made me notice different things – for example, the lighting changes throughout the store depending on the department.”
Business students also got the opportunity to tour the offices of Acuris, an insurance company for businesses. The company evaluates which businesses are going bankrupt, and then they alert shareholders. Jack Allen, who graduated from Milligan two years ago, led the tour.
“I learned a lot from the alumni tour because we got to ask questions, and it was cool to hear their perspectives because they have literally been in our shoes,” Hathcock said. “It was really cool to see how they got where they are.”
Headline photo: Business students tour Macy’s with Professor Heather Vacarro.