Kendall College creates new position to coordinate community projects

Katie Moore is the director of community engagement at Kendall College of Art and Design (KCAD), a newly created position that will make it easier for businesses and organizations to connect with the college and for students to connect with the community.

The new position is designed to allow KCAD to drive growth and innovation through community partnership efforts. Moore says the long-term plan is to create a center for community engagement, but in the short term her focus will be on creating a process for organizations interested in working with Kendall to submit their proposals and then be connected with the most appropriate class and professor.

Moore cites a recent project with the Meijer State Games of Michigan, where there was an opportunity for students to create a logo for an event. Students were then able to apply design and branding principles they were learning in class to a real-world project.

This type of collaboration is a real win on multiple levels for students, says Moore: "As a former student from Kendall, the most positive experiences were when I was working on projects in the community. Making connections and understanding how the business of art works is very important for students."

Moore says they accept any type of project request (private industry, nonprofit, governmental) and that she will then review and find the right fit and right time for all parties involved. She says the best approach to learning about the program is to email her directly at [email protected].

Writer: John Rumery, Innovation and Jobs News Editor