Daily Life
For graphic design students at Chapman, the computer labs become a second home, more so sometimes than the dorms, and fellow “GDers” become a second family. With up to 24 hours spent just in class together a week, plus all the extra time doing homework in the lab, there is a lot of joking and helping each other out going on. There’s even a quote board of all the ridiculous things people say. As tight-knit as the group of graphic design students is, there’s mutual frustration when printers get moody, mutual excitement when a project turns out perfectly, and mutual laughter when sleep deprivation goes to our heads. It’s a great group of people to be a part of, and you can’t help being a part of it—you spend too much time together.

Graphic Design Club
As the only AIGA student group in Orange County, the Chapman Graphic Design Club is in a unique position for networking and professional exposure. The purpose of the club is to create a network for graphic design students on campus with access to AIGA Orange County for a leg-in to the industry in Orange County, but also for a lot of fun. Previous events include an all-night party, a housewarming for the new lab, Helvetica movie night, camping trip, guest speakers, and even a beach clean up. Even with all the class time we spend together, the club is a great place to talk and experience design outside the classroom while building long-lasting friendships.

Outside Connections
Because of the ties with AIGA Orange County, Chapman gets the opportunity to host gallery shows specifically featuring professional graphic design. The AIGA Grown in California Show, the HOW Magazine Self-Promotion Awards, and the No-Go Logo Show have given students and the community a look at design in a way that is rarely seen. AIGA also brings the Adobe Training Conference to campus each fall, and the Portfolio Review and Job Fair each spring in which student members can participate.