The AIGA Baltimore Student Portfolio Review is a daylong event designed to give design students advice on how to present themselves and their work. This April, we are proud to host the Second Annual Ink/Pixels portfolio review at Towson University's Center for the Arts.
Students will receive thoughtful, constructive, one-on-one evaluations of their work by an array of design professionals, art directors, senior designers, educators, and hiring managers from the Baltimore area. In addition to the afternoon portfolio review, students will also have the opportunity to sign up for sessions geared towards helping them prepare for the working world. It's a perfect opportunity to network and get all questions answered.
Registrants should consider parking in the Union Garage. If you choose to not park in the Union Garage, we ask that you be mindful of any parking restrictions or signs.
What does your resume say about you? One job, 50 applicants. How to make your resume stand out in the crowd and best represent your skills and personality.
Presented by: Allison Erst of Crashbox DesignA discussion covering career options, industry tips and how to stay curious and engaged in the field.
Presented by: Kevin Sprouls of Skelton DesignBaltimore Print Studios is the first public access print studio in Baltimore, MD. Kyle and Kim will present their successes and shortcomings in opening a public access print studio. They’ll explain the decisions they have made regarding the shop’s services, facilities, and offerings, and what they hope the future holds. They’ll also discuss the good fortune that came their way (a little), what was much more work than they expected (everything else), and just how crazy you might need to be to open your own.
Presented by: Kim Bentley of Baltimore Print StudiosShould I work for someone else, freelance, or start my own firm? What's networking and where do I begin? Should I use a contract and what should it say? These are just a few of the questions we will address in this session. We will take a look at one woman's path from a graphic design major at Towson University to being the president and principal designer of a 6-year-old firm, what she's learned along the way, and why the Tim Gunns of the world can help you "make it work."
Presented by: Kendall Ludwig of CurlyRedGather your questions and prepare for advice from those who were once in your shoes! We've gathered a group of talented recent grads to share their experience on entering the workforce, including tips on presenting your work, standing out in your job search, and much more!
Wind down the day with a little off the record one-on-one interaction with professionals and other students.
The portfolio review is designed to give you—a student about to embark on a career in the design industry—advice, insight, and useful information about how to present yourself and your work. This is your chance to have professional designers look at your portfolio in a no-risk, non-competitive environment. You can practice your interview skills and get honest feedback about your portfolio and resume.
You will receive thoughtful, constructive, one-on-one evaluations of your work by an array of design professionals—art directors, media producers, educators, and hiring managers—from the Baltimore area. Their goal is to help answer your questions and offer completely honest advice about your portfolio based on their creative perspective and experience. While this event is not a job fair, some reviewers may be looking for potential employees or interns. It is a great way to network and become aware of who’s who in the Baltimore design community.
Every effort will be made to maximize the number of reviewers who will sit with you and discuss your work. Keep in mind that reviewers will be asked to limit their critique time to 15 minutes, so be prepared to present your portfolio and get feedback within this time constraint. Dress appropriately. It is a creative field, but you still want to make sure you look professional.
Come with 7 to 10 of your best portfolio pieces. These can be in a book, binder, individual sheets, on a laptop or pretty much anyway you think will best display your work. It’s not a fashion show, so there aren’t any awards for the fanciest case or computer, the focus is on your work.
Additionally, it is a smart idea to bring at least 4 copies of your resume with 3 or 4 printouts of your best work attached so interested reviewers can take your information away with them. If you plan on showing interactive or dynamic work, come prepared with a fully charged laptop or other portable device.
Just like in an actual interview, Internet access may not be available. Therefore, it’s advised any interactive work which may require an Internet connection be prepared for offline viewing.
As always, if you have any questions about the review, don’t hesitate to drop us a line. This is your time to shine, and we want to help!
The conference is limited to the first 100 students that register, so register early to ensure you can attend.
Once registration is confirmed, no refunds can be given. We’ll of course take extraordinary circumstances into consideration, but sleeping in doesn’t count, in case you were wondering.
This event is open to students and recent graduates.
All areas of the conference are handicap accessible and special seats will be reserved up front for our attendees who need them. Please contact us if you would like to reserve one of these seats for yourself or someone in your party.
Towson University is a Smoke Free Campus.