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Atlanta Design Students Participate in AIGA Atlanta's "Rise-Up" Mentorship Program

The third year of the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA)- Atlanta’s “Rise-Up” Mentorship Program wrapped successfully on Saturday, May 13th, with The Art Institute of a Atlanta as the closing event host. The annual 4-month program pairs emerging designers and students with established design professionals. The goal of the program is to empower individuals and strengthen the bonds in the design community. At the closing event, the event mentors and mentees come together to share jointly produced projects and their “aha” moments. Many of the event participates stated they had found a design friend for life. Both mentors and mentees expressed they had equally gained from the experience.

The Ai Atlanta students and Alumni participants included Graphic & Web Design (BFA) students Taylor Reed and Iman Josey along with Alumni Justin Neeley and Clarissa Sparks.  Student Jennifer Llewellyn, attended the closing event held on campus. Faculty member Sue Youngblood participated on the pairing committee and as the Ai Atlanta host. Recent Alumnus Scott Youngblood filmed the closing event and conducted interviews between the selected pairs of mentors and mentees. The film will be edited to present the success of the mentorship program at the AIGA National Design Conference in Minneapolis this upcoming October.

 

Pictured above from left to right: Clarissa Sparks, alumna; Nakita Pope, AIGA Education Co-Chair and Clarissa’s mentor; Justin Neeley, alumnus; Jennifer Llewellyn, student; David Laufer, AIGA President Emeritus and Justin’s mentor; Sue Youngblood, Graphic and Web Design faculty member.

The following are just a few of the excellent program mentors:

• Brian Rice, Senior Director of Design & Packaging at Georgia Pacific

• David Laufer, past AIGA Atlanta President and Chapter founding member

• Stefan Kjartansson, Partner and Creative Director of Armchair Media

• Dallas Franklin, Art Director of Neenah Paper and Board Member of Museum of Design Atlanta (MODA)

AIGA is the professional association for design. Students who are enrolled in Graphic and Web Design, Illustration, and Advertising are encouraged to get involved and connect with the Atlanta design community.