Events
June 5th! PSUGD Fresh Senior Portfolio Show
WELCOME TO THE SHOW!
You're formally invited to the Portland State Graphic Design Portfolio Show, FRESH: Best in Show, on June 5th, 2025! RSVP HERE!
The dog days are over, and we're celebrating our scrappy, creative bunch of 60 senior graphic design students as they enter the next chapter of their creative journeys—and you won't want to miss it!
Thanks to our amazing friends at Thesis, we are hosting the show in their beautiful space.
✏️ Explore a wide range of student work
💙 Connect with the designers
🎾 Enjoy tasty snacks and good vibes
This event will have a lot of fun (and a bit of pomp and circumstance)! Whether you're industry, family, friends, or just design-curious, we'd love to see you there.
June 5, 9am–5pm: Sophomore Portfolio Review Submissions Due
2025 Sophomore Portfolio Review Submissions:
Thursday, June 5 9am–6pm (Pacific time)
No late submissions will be accepted under any circumstances
Submit all materials to spr.psu.gd
For additional information about the Sophomore Portfolio Review, including submission requirements and required preparation, visit psu.gd/guidelines to review the 2025 guidelines and psu.gd/sophomore for more information about the process.
June 4th! Just Play! Friendtorship Year End Event!
Friendtorship presents Just Play, a collaboration between Walt Morey Middle School and PSU art, design and athletics.
Please join us for an exhibition and interactive showcase of games and play, collaboratively designed by middle schoolers and PSU design students. With an exhibition of posters celebrating PSU athletes.
Please RSVP here for pizza! All are welcome. Free and open to the PSU community.
When: June 4th, 2025
Time: 11:30–1:30
Where: PSU Rec Center, 1800 SW 6th Ave
May 29th! Comma MXR!
What’s up, COMMA fam?
It’s that time of year again — the annual COMMA MXR is going down at Portland Center Stage at The Armory!
We’re wrapping up the COMMA X Thesis mentorship with a celebration you won’t want to miss. Come through for a night of community, creativity, and a showcase of the incredible talent within the COMMA program.
Snacks and bevvies are on us.
Let us know if you’re coming — we’d love to see you there!
When: Friday, May 29th
The Armory 128 NW 11th Ave Portland, OR 97209
What’s COMMA?
COMMA is a group organized by & for BIOPOC in the graphic design program here at PSU. We’re a space for BIPOC students to create connections, share experiences, learn, and have fun! We meet monthly during the academic year with pop-up special events for the wider BIPOC creative community in Portland. Find out more about us @psugd_comma!
What's MXR?
MXR is COMMA’s annual end of the year event where we invite anyone involved with COMMA to celebrate all of the hard work that went on throughout the year. It’s open to alums as well and is a great opportunity to make friends and meet new folks!
May 22nd! Kemeny Lectures Present: Breanne Trammell
Kemeny Lecture Series Presents: Breanne Trammell
Please join us on Thursday, May 22nd for an evening with Breanne Trammell! RSVP Here!
Breanne Trammell (she/they) is an artist, educator, amateur archivist, nonmusician, and snack enthusiast. Rooted in printmaking but expansive in form, her work maps constellations of publics and ephemeral artifacts that explore site, memory, and the political and personal histories embedded within them. Breanne’s practice often manifests through playful interventions, publishing projects, and participatory events.
This event is in collaboration with Art Practice & Printmaking Studio at PSU.
May 22 at noon: Show & Tell presents Dot Dodd, Graphic Artist at International Paper!
Are you just having lunch, but wish you were having a side of DESIGN KNOWLEDGE with it??? Join us live THURSDAY MAY 22 AT 12:05PM for the Show & Tell Lecture Series where we’re presenting a talk from DOT DODD, GRAPHIC ARTIST AT INTERNATIONAL PAPER!
Dot Dodd is a Portland-area graphic designer with over a decade of in-house experience at local institutions such as Powell’s Books, Nutcase Helmets, and Scout Books. Among other things, she’s created bike helmets, t-shirts, signage systems, weekly promotional materials, and a very large mural. As a graphic artist for International Paper, she currently specializes in flexographic printing but has experience with letterpress, mimeograph, offset, Risograph, and screenprinting. When not posting vintage coffee mugs on Twitter, Dot can be found buying paper ephemera at estate sales, sorting her vintage sign-painting books, or organizing and volunteering with TypeCon, the annual typography conference from The Society of Typographic Aficionados.
Find more about Dot on Instagram at @dotdotco
Watch in person in AB 320, or live on Twitch at twitch.tv/psugd!
What is Show & Tell anyway? It’s PSU Graphic Design’s long-time online lunchtime lecture series where working design professionals stop by to blow our minds with wisdom! Our lectures are hosted by the students of DES 125 Show & Tell! All talks are free and open to the public!
You can learn more about the series and see the whole lineup at psu.gd/showandtell! Check it out!
Promo by Lyndsey Januszewski
May 15 at noon: Show & Tell presents Josh Kenyon, Creative Director, Founder of Jolby!
Are you just having lunch, but wish you were having a side of DESIGN KNOWLEDGE with it??? Join us live THURSDAY MAY 15 AT 12:05PM for the Show & Tell Lecture Series where we’re presenting a talk from JOSH KENYON, CREATIVE DIRECTOR & FOUNDER OF JOLBY!
Josh Kenyon, Founder and Creative Director of Jolby, a design and illustration studio. Josh has work for the last 20 years with companies like Disney, The Nature Conservancy, Sanuk, Epitaph Records, Nike.
Find more about Jolby at jolby.com!
Watch in person in AB 320, or live on Twitch at twitch.tv/psugd!
What is Show & Tell anyway? It’s PSU Graphic Design’s long-time online lunchtime lecture series where working design professionals stop by to blow our minds with wisdom! Our lectures are hosted by the students of DES 125 Show & Tell! All talks are free and open to the public!
You can learn more about the series and see the whole lineup at psu.gd/showandtell! Check it out!
Promo by Lyndsey Januszewski
May 8 at noon: Show & Tell presents Emily Klaebe, Senior Designer at Order!
Are you just having lunch, but wish you were having a side of DESIGN KNOWLEDGE with it??? Join us live THURSDAY MAY 8 AT 12:05PM for the Show & Tell Lecture Series where we’re presenting a talk from alum EMILY KLAEBE, SENIOR DESIGNER AT TYPE FOUNDRY & DESIGN STUDIO ORDER!
Emily Klaebe (she/her) is a typeface and brand designer creating systems founded in thorough research and strategic thinking. Since 2020, Emily has been designing identity systems at Order. In 2021, her role grew to include leading design at Order Type Foundry. OTF, an extension of the brand design office, designs and releases practical typefaces for long term applications. In 2022, Emily completed San Francisco’s Type West postgraduate certificate program at the Letterform Archive in designing comprehensive type families. Her typefaces and brand systems show the result of a process defined by focused intention and detail.
Find more about Emily @emklaebe on Instagram!
Find more about Order at @order.design.nyc @ordertypefoundry on Instagram!
Watch in person in AB 320, or live on Twitch at twitch.tv/psugd!
What is Show & Tell anyway? It’s PSU Graphic Design’s long-time online lunchtime lecture series where working design professionals stop by to blow our minds with wisdom! Our lectures are hosted by the students of DES 125 Show & Tell! All talks are free and open to the public!
You can learn more about the series and see the whole lineup at psu.gd/showandtell! Check it out!
Promo by Lyndsey Januszewski
May 1 at noon: Show & Tell presents Andi Silva, Design Director at R/GA!
Are you just having lunch, but wish you were having a side of DESIGN KNOWLEDGE with it??? Join us live THURSDAY MAY 1 AT 12:05PM for the Show & Tell Lecture Series where we’re presenting a talk from ANDI SILVA, DESIGN DIRECTOR AT R/GA!
Andi Silva is an ecuadorian graphic designer with a decade in the design and tech scene. He majored in Typography Design at the University of Buenos Aires and loves bringing a strong visual and typographic focus to every project. For the past six years, he’s been leading visual projects for R/GA USA’s (mostly in the Nike team) where he works as Design Director, before that he spend four years shaping creative work in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Watch in person in AB 320, or live on Twitch at twitch.tv/psugd!
What is Show & Tell anyway? It’s PSU Graphic Design’s long-time online lunchtime lecture series where working design professionals stop by to blow our minds with wisdom! Our lectures are hosted by the students of DES 125 Show & Tell! All talks are free and open to the public!
You can learn more about the series and see the whole lineup at psu.gd/showandtell! Check it out!
Promo by Lyndsey Januszewski
April 26, 5-8pm: Be Honest 2025 at Wieden+Kennedy!
Be Honest is cooking up something good this year on April 26th 5-8pm at Wieden + Kennedy! 🍳✨
Be Honest is PSUGD’s annual student showcase, where design students of every grade level get to show off the cool stuff they’ve made in the program. Grab a plate and chow down on work that PSUGD’s finest have been cooking up for the general public!
Learn more about Be Honest here, or follow us on Instagram @psugd_behonest for the latest updates!
April 24 at noon: Show & Tell presents Rob Lewis, Associate Creative Director at Translation
Are you just having lunch, but wish you were having a side of DESIGN KNOWLEDGE with it??? Join us live THURSDAY APRIL 24 AT 12:05PM for the Show & Tell Lecture Series where we’re presenting a talk from ROB LEWIS, ASSOCIATE CREATIVE DIRECTOR AT TRANSLATION!
Rob Lewis is an artist and art director living and working in Portland, Oregon (by way of Cincinnati, OH). He started as a writer at Wieden + Kennedy where he worked on brand campaigns for Powerade, Nike, and a variety of creative assignments for global brands. As an art director at Portland based studio, Kamp Grizzly: Rob helped establish the youth focused, music education program called adidas Sound Labs as the creative lead, designed graphic apparel for the musician Khalid, worked on a contemporary unisex clothing line called Last Heavy as a graphic designer, art directed and voiced a global campaign for adidas Basketball, worked directly with Beyonce and Ivy Park to produce an art zine for her first Ivy Park collection with adidas, was nominated for an Emmy for the Netflix commercial “A Great Day In Hollywood” as well as working on/contributing to many other projects. Now, as an Associate Creative Director (Art) at Translation, he’s worked on national and global projects for Beats by Dre, Puma Basketball, the Big 12 and the NBA.
Watch in person in AB 320, or live on Twitch at twitch.tv/psugd!
What is Show & Tell anyway? It’s PSU Graphic Design’s long-time online lunchtime lecture series where working design professionals stop by to blow our minds with wisdom! Our lectures are hosted by the students of DES 125 Show & Tell! All talks are free and open to the public!
You can learn more about the series and see the whole lineup at psu.gd/showandtell! Check it out!
Promo by Lyndsey Januszewski
April 17th! Kemeny Lecture Series Presents: Greg Durrell!
Please join us on Thursday April 17th for Symbols of Change — Designing for Unity in a Polarized World-a lecture by Greg Durrell.
Greg Durrell, born in 1983 in Toronto, Ontario, is the owner of Tomorrow — a Canadian design and branding studio dedicated to creating impactful brands, products, and films for purpose-driven organizations. Durrell’s design career began at the age of 16, and by 2001, he was a designer and art director at War Child Canada, where he discovered his passion for using design to drive positive change. He played a pivotal role in the design team for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games and later co-led the award-winning rebrand of the Canadian Olympic Team with Ben Hulse. Durrell’s expertise extends to a deep understanding of Canada’s design history, which he showcased in his 2018 documentary, “Design Canada.” The film, which explores the influence of European-immigrant designers on Canada’s identity in the 1960s, received international acclaim and debuted at #1 on iTunes in the documentary category. Durrell’s work continues to define iconic institutions, with recent branding projects including the International Olympic Committee (2021), Mountain Equipment Company (2022), and the Green Party of Canada (2025).
The Matthias Kemeny Design Lecture Series is coordinated and managed by the Portland State Graphic Design program. This series brings internationally celebrated design professionals annually to Portland to give a lecture for the benefit of the students and faculty in the Graphic Design program and the broader design community. This series is free and open to the public, highlights a wide range of design practices, and facilitates a community-wide dialogue about design and related fields. The series has been made possible by the Matthias D. Kemeny Charitable Fund of the Oregon Jewish Community Foundation.
April 11th! Q&A Session #3: Sophomore Portfolio Review 2025
Planning on participating in the Sophomore Portfolio Review this Spring? Here are three steps to get started right now:
Read the 2025 Guidelines thoroughly on psu.gd/sophomore. This gives you important information about the Review's submission and other requirements, what to expect from the process, and what you can do to find help.
Watch the required guided tour video of the Review process, also available on psu.gd/sophomore.
Attend one of our three required Q&A sessions to get any lingering questions about the process and requirements answered by faculty.
Finished steps 1 and 2 and ready to attend a Q&A session? Good news! Our last session is coming soon! 2025 Information sessions will be held:
Tuesday, February 11 at noon in AB 320
Wednesday, March 5 at noon on Zoom at psu.gd/sprinfo
Friday, April 11 at noon on Zoom at psu.gd/sprinfo
Please arrive on time with any questions you may have and materials ready for taking notes.
The 2025 Sophomore Portfolio Review Guidelines, submission deadline, and more information about the review can be found at psu.gd/sophomore!
April 10: Adobe Creative Cafe
A gathering for a new generation of designers. Open to all students, recent grads and young creators. Have your portfolio reviewed, enjoy light bites, merch, and a panel discussion featuring professional designers sharing career advice. This is a great place to network. You might even win a Creative Cloud membership.
This is a free event - no fee to attend! Please note that our event has limited capacity, so kindly RSVP only if you plan to attend. We can't wait to see you there!
Learn more and RSVP at: https://creativecafeportlandstate.splashthat.com/
Apply to the Laika Scholarship!
The LAIKA Scholarship supports six undergraduate students annually in the College of the Arts. This scholarship is open to all undergraduate students with majors in the College of the Arts. Applicants should demonstrate academic and/or career interest in the creative industry. Preference is given to students with diverse and/or underrepresented experiences in the creative industry. Eligible students may reapply annually.
Deadline to apply: April 1st
Apply Here!
Promo by: Lelyann Tran
Winter Riso Hours!
The Risograph is is located in the Rad Lab for your use. Riso Print Assistants will help you print your jobs, which you can pay for with PSU print credits (the same you use for the other Rad Lab printers). We are open five days a week M-F throughout the winter term!
PSUGD Students! Join the Design Club Slack!
Find out about internships, jobs, special opportunities, resources, advising and more! Join the slack ---> HTTP://tiny.cc/designclubslack
And follow PSU Design Club on IG for community events and other resources!
March 11th! Design Club Crit! Featuring: critiques from professors and peers, free food, class and career advising, and good vibes!
Let's talk about DESIGN! Featuring: critiques from professors and peers, free food, class and career advising, and good vibes!
March 6th! Kemeny Lecture Series Presents: Jen White-Johnson
Get your free ticket HERE!
Jen White-Johnson (she/they) is a distinguished Afro-Latina artist, activist, designer, and educator, whose creative expressions delve into the intersection of content and caregiving. With a profound focus on reshaping ableist visual culture, Jen, an artist-educator grappling with Graves disease and ADHD, brings a heart-centered and electric approach to disability advocacy. Her invaluable contributions to these movements manifest through powerful and dynamic art and media that simultaneously educate, bridge divergent worlds, and envision a future reflective of her Autistic son's experiences. Jen's activism extends to collaborations with notable brands and art spaces, including Coachella, Target, and Adobe, both in print and digital realms. Her photography and design work have gained recognition in esteemed publications such as Art in America, Juxtapoz Magazine, AfroPunk, and she has contributed insightful essays to publications like "After Universal Design: The Disability Design Revolution" and "An Anthology of Blackness." Notably, Jen's work is permanently archived at The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the National African American Museum of History and Culture in DC.
Jen holds a BA in Visual Art from The University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) and a MFA in Graphic Design from the Maryland Institute College of Art, where she also imparts her knowledge as a current instructor, Jen resides in Baltimore, MD, with her husband and 11-year-old son.
About the Kemeny Lecture Series:
The series has been made possible by the Matthias D. Kemeny Charitable Fund.The Matthias D. Kemeny Design Lecture Series is coordinated and managed by the Portland State Graphic Design program. This series brings internationally celebrated design professionals to Portland annually to give a lecture for the benefit of the program's students and faculty, as well as the broader design community. The series is free and open to the public and highlights a wide range of design practices in an attempt to facilitate a community-wide dialogue about design and related fields. The Matthias D. Kemeny Charitable Fund has made the series possible.
March 5th! Q&A Session #2: Sophomore Portfolio Review 2025
Planning on participating in the Sophomore Portfolio Review this Spring? Here are three steps to get started right now:
Read the 2025 Guidelines thoroughly on psu.gd/sophomore. This gives you important information about the Review's submission and other requirements, what to expect from the process, and what you can do to find help.
Watch the required guided tour video of the Review process, also available on psu.gd/sophomore.
Attend one of our three required Q&A sessions to get any lingering questions about the process and requirements answered by faculty.
Finished steps 1 and 2 and ready to attend a Q&A session? Good news! Our first session is coming soon! 2025 Information sessions will be held:
Tuesday, February 11 at noon in AB 320
Wednesday, March 5 at noon on Zoom at psu.gd/sprinfo
Friday, April 11 at noon on Zoom at psu.gd/sprinfo
Please arrive on time with any questions you may have and materials ready for taking notes.
The 2025 Sophomore Portfolio Review Guidelines, submission deadline, and more information about the review can be found at psu.gd/sophomore!
March 3rd! Design Club Crit! Featuring: critiques from professors and peers, free food, class and career advising, and good vibes!
Let's talk about DESIGN! Featuring: critiques from professors and peers, free food, class and career advising, and good vibes!
Feb 27th! Jen Wick: Show & Tell Design Lecture Series
Are you just having lunch, but wish you were having a side of DESIGN KNOWLEDGE with it??? Join us live this Thursday, February 27 at noon Pacific for a talk from Jen Wick!
Jen Wick specializes in creating engaging, relevant design systems and editorial solutions for her clients in the arts, publishing, education and nonprofit industries. She has been in love with the craft of design since she was a teenager, when she started cutting, pasting, and distributing her first zines. She learned volumes while working on the production end of the design industry, working in copy shops and printing businesses, and has served as art director and senior designer for newspapers and publishing companies. Over the last 20 years, Jen has helped bring countless publications to life, and has created, commissioned and directed just as many illustrations, photo shoots, events, and marketing packages. She also had the chance to fine-tune her collaborative process, and the opportunity to grow and evolve alongside her clients. Jen currently serves as Creative Services Manager at Port of Portland.
Watch in person in AB 320, or live on Twitch at twitch.tv/psugd!
What is Show & Tell anyway? It’s PSU Graphic Design’s long-time online lunchtime lecture series where working design professionals stop by to blow our minds with wisdom! Our lectures are hosted by the students of DES 125 Show & Tell! All talks are free and open to the public!
You can learn more about the series and see the whole lineup at psu.gd/showandtell! Check it out!
Promo by Lyndsey Januszewski
Feb 26th! A+D+AH Oldsters Meetup!
Come to a B-Y-O-LUNCH SOCIAL with your fellow oldsters- returning, first-timers, post-bacc undergrad & grad students in the Schnitzer School of Art + Art History + Design!
Special guest Kris Evans will offer one-on-one advising.
Age-appropriate snacks will be available.
Feb 24th! Design Club Crit! Featuring: critiques from professors and peers, free food, class and career advising, and good vibes!
Let's talk about DESIGN! Featuring: critiques from professors and peers, free food, class and career advising, and good vibes! Room 320 in the art building!
Feb 20th! Naily Nevarez, Associate Director of Product Design at Planned Parenthood: Show & Tell Design Lecture Series
Are you just having lunch, but wish you were having a side of DESIGN KNOWLEDGE with it??? Join us live this Thursday, February 20 at noon Pacific for a talk from Naily Nevarez, Associate Director of Product Design at Planned Parenthood!
Beyond her professional work, Naily Nevarez is passionate about helping others fulfill their potential. She has mentored over 40 individuals from diverse backgrounds—spanning races, ages, genders, and industries—supporting their transitions into or growth within product design. Through her YouTube channel, she blends personal insights with research to inspire intentional living and goal achievement. Recognized for her leadership and commitment to social impact, Naily was recently honored as a 30 Under 30 by The Hispanic Executive.
Watch in person in AB 320, or live on Twitch at twitch.tv/psugd!
What is Show & Tell anyway? It’s PSU Graphic Design’s long-time online lunchtime lecture series where working design professionals stop by to blow our minds with wisdom! Our lectures are hosted by the students of DES 125 Show & Tell! All talks are free and open to the public!
You can learn more about the series and see the whole lineup at psu.gd/showandtell! Check it out!
Promo by Lyndsey Januszewski
Adobe Creative Cafe
Adobe is hosting an event ON FREAKING CAMPUS February 13th.
A panel of friendly faces will include Sara Martin from Jolby, Jamal Qutub from
Instrument, and Freelance Art director and Illustrator Jason Sturgill!
Come and chat with folks from Jolby, Instrument, Future Fonts, Lincoln Design Co, Studio Mega and MORE about your work! Plus a chance to win some free Creative Cloud subscriptions!
Please RSVP as space is limited.
https://creativecafeportlandstate.splashthat.com/
Lau Peltzer, Design Director at Öpinionated: Show & Tell Design Lecture Series
Are you just having lunch, but wish you were having a side of DESIGN KNOWLEDGE with it??? Join us live this Thursday, February 13 at noon Pacific for a talk from Lau Peltzer, Design Director at Öpinionated!!
Laura Peltzer hails from Argentina where she studied Visual Communication Design and worked as a graphic designer for several years before joining Steinbranding TV Studios in Buenos Aires, Argentina, as Creative / Art Director for several TV Channels: Discovery Networks, TV Azteca, FOX Latam and Telemundo. In 2010 she began working as a freelance Art Director / Senior Graphic Designer for TV channels and fashion brands in Europe, including Swarovski, Louboutin, Escada, Harpers Bazaar, Vogue, Carine Roitfield, Buccellati and Reebok. Laura moved to Portland in 2016 and started working as a freelance designer at Opinionated in 2019, joining full time as our Sr. Brand Designer in early 2020. Since then she has helped create beautiful design work across campaigns, packaging and logos for Opinionated client brands. Now that Laura has lived in Portland for 8 years she considers herself an Argentinian with Pacific Northwest flare.
Watch in person in AB 320, or live on Twitch at twitch.tv/psugd!
What is Show & Tell anyway? It’s PSU Graphic Design’s long-time online lunchtime lecture series where working design professionals stop by to blow our minds with wisdom! Our lectures are hosted by the students of DES 125 Show & Tell! All talks are free and open to the public!
You can learn more about the series and see the whole lineup at psu.gd/showandtell! Check it out!
Promo by Lyndsey Januszewski
Q&A Session #1: Sophomore Portfolio Review 2025
Planning on participating in the Sophomore Portfolio Review this Spring? Here are three steps to get started right now:
Read the 2025 Guidelines thoroughly on psu.gd/sophomore. This gives you important information about the Review's submission and other requirements, what to expect from the process, and what you can do to find help.
Watch the required guided tour video of the Review process, also available on psu.gd/sophomore.
Attend one of our three required Q&A sessions to get any lingering questions about the process and requirements answered by faculty.
Finished steps 1 and 2 and ready to attend a Q&A session? Good news! Our first session is coming soon! 2025 Information sessions will be held:
Tuesday, February 11 at noon in AB 320
Wednesday, March 5 at noon (see psu.gd/sophomore for location)
Friday, April 11 at noon (see psu.gd/sophomore for location)
Please arrive on time with any questions you may have and materials ready for taking notes.
The 2025 Sophomore Portfolio Review Guidelines, submission deadline, and more information about the review can be found at psu.gd/sophomore!
Sophomore Portfolio Mentorship Program Sign-Ups are OPEN!
We are excited to announce the annual mentorship program, where sophomores can connect with juniors and seniors for extra guidance on their quickly approaching Portfolio Review!
Navigating the sophomore portfolio review is 10 times more brutal when you’re on your own! A mentor’s insight can push your work to the next level. The mentor/mentee partnership is a beautiful connection that lasts years past the review and creates a win-win environment for everyone!
We accept mentors and mentees for the next two weeks, so sign up today to join the community!
Mentor Sign-Up Form: https://forms.gle/kDRhiPwr1Pf92aNS9
Mentee Sign-Up Form: https://forms.gle/hmTWJ3wmXby74cev5