DESIGNCONNECT Quarterly Update // September 2019
GREETINGS FROM THE DESIGNCONNECT TEAM!
After concluding our first semester of programming at Detroit School of Arts (DSA) in June, we right away dived into a busy summer of development and planning while delivering what we pledged to do.
Three DSA students, Kalia, Daija and Victor, completed summer classes at the College for Creative Studies by July. We not only provided scholarship to them but also assisted their families in the application process. Determined that nothing would stand in the way of the success of the students, our founder and executive director Jocelyn Chen, along with DSA art instructor Kim Hall, provided daily transportation for two of the three students for two weeks. The smile on their faces as they completed their classes was ample reward for our efforts!
After several planning sessions between DESIGNCONNECT and the teachers, the following initiatives have been either completed or are underway at DSA. First, the “Visual Arts” program will be renamed as “Visual Arts and Design (VA&D)” to be more inclusive. The school has started the process of applying for Michigan state certified Career and Technical Education (CTE) for its VA&D program. Once approved, the program will be the first comprehensive career pathway program in the field of visual Arts and design among Detroit public schools. Two of DESIGNCONNECT’s supporters, Alejandro Herrera of the Kresge Foundation and Ren Stone from FCA Design, have agreed to serve on the VA&D Program Advisory Board to provide guidance and recommendations for the development of the CTE program. The school is in the process of establishing a dedicated “Digital Design Lab” for students in the VA&D program. The twenty computers we purchased for the school will go into the lab as soon as the room is furnished and IT prepped.
On the development and partnership side, we applied and received our first major corporate grant from Comerica Bank in July, followed by a second grant from Wells Fargo Bank in September. These grants will work towards furthering our general programming and providing even more opportunities for our students. ROSSETTI, a 50-year old architecture firm in downtown Detroit, hosted our August 7th event in their award-winning facility with a rooftop space to honor and celebrate our supporters. We are grateful to these caring corporate partners!
Our programing for the 2019-2020 school year is underway. Earlier this week, Grand Circus Detroit, a computer programming training facility located in downtown Detroit, hosted our students and staff for a Game Design Workshop as part of Detroit Design Month. Representatives from Scotland’s
Abertay University lectured about video game development and coding, giving students a unique perspective on alternative pathways in design and technology. A huge thank you to our friends at Grand Circus and Abertay University for sponsoring this event, providing transportation, and making sure each and every student had Abertay University goodies to go home with! Also this week, Carolyn Peters of College of Creative Studies (retired) sat down with our lead art instructor, Kim Hall, graciously offering advice, teaching materials, and pro-tips to help our teachers think outside of the box. Thank you Caroline for taking the time out to inspire our teachers!
Over the next two months, ROSSETTI will host DSA students for a field trip in their downtown office. College of Creative Studies will provide DSA students a comprehensive tour of its campuses and inside look at pursuing an art and design degree. In addition, DESIGNCONNECT will hold a joint event with Rhonda Walker Foundation on October 19 to provide awareness of careers in creative design to teenage girls in Detroit.
We have some exciting things happening inside DESIGNCONNECT! We welcomed three new members to our board of directors:
Chris Benjamin - Head of Jeep®, Chrysler and Advanced Interior Design, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles
Kelly Deines – Principle & Creative Director, ROSSETTI
Justin Salmon – Creative Designer, General Motors
We also welcomed Leah Barterian to the DESIGNCONNECT staff as our Marketing and Communications Manager. Leah is a contractor with Detroit Public Schools, currently working at Detroit School of Arts as a program director focusing on skillset and mindset development for students and educators.
Lastly, but certainly not least, a MASSIVE thank you to our donors and partners for your contributions and support, all of which are already making a difference in the lives of students in Detroit. Thank you for being a part of the DESIGNCONNECT family!