On Friday, February 13th, Norwich University welcomed over fifty students from Montpelier High School, Central Vermont Career Center, and Harwood Union High School for its inaugural Day of Design. This immersive experience introduced high school students to the world of creative practice, design thinking, and hands-on making.
Throughout the morning, students participated in a series of engaging workshops led by faculty from the School of Architecture + Art and Global Humanities. In the Media Lab Magazine Design session, Professors Christopher Wiersema and Sean Prentiss guided students through the Norwich University Media Lab. Participants collaborated to create mock cover art for The Chameleon, Norwich’s literary and arts journal, gaining valuable insights into visual storytelling and graphic communication. Those mock cover designs can be seen below.
In addition, students explored architectural design in the “Design Is Both…And” workshop, led by Professors Tolya Stonorov and Eleanor D’Aponte. As Professor D’Aponte noted, “It was great to see students from different schools sharing ideas and working alongside Norwich architecture students to move from an abstract idea to a physical object.” Students also engaged with cutting-edge fabrication technologies in the 3D Making with Technology session, led by Professors Zach Seibold and Christina Shivers, where they experimented with tools such as robotic arms and additive manufacturing.
The day wrapped up with lunch and guided campus tours, providing additional opportunities for interaction between visiting students and Norwich faculty and students. Jeremy Vaughn, Graphic Design Instructor at Central Vermont Career Center, shared his thoughts on the event: “We all enjoyed our day at Norwich University. It was such a positive experience for our Central Vermont Career Center Media Arts students!”
The Day of Design provided a vibrant introduction to Norwich’s creative disciplines while highlighting the collaborative spirit that defines design education.
Below are the nine final mock Chameleon cover designs.
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