Events
The Placemakers Exchange is calling all designers, thinkers, & community-builders.
Join PSU Planning, Sustainability & Logistics on May 20 for a day of ideas, collaboration, and real-world impact—featuring poster showcases, roundtables, breakout sessions, and guided placemaking tours across campus.
Got a project, intervention, or experiment in shaping space?
Submit a poster by May 11 and share your process—wins, challenges, and everything in between. No polish required—just thoughtful storytelling and a willingness to contribute.
Let’s co-create what our campus can be!
Show & Tell: Nate Corrado, Senior Art Director at Öpinionated (and our last ever lecture in the old Art Building!)
Are you just having lunch, but wish you were having a side of DESIGN KNOWLEDGE with it??? Why not bring some food and chow down right at season finale of the Show & Tell Design Lecture Series!
Join us live Thursday, May 21 at noon Pacific in AB 320 for a talk from Nate Corrado, Senior Art Director at Öpinionated.
Nate Corrado is an Art Director, Designer, and artist working in his hometown Portland, Oregon. He’s been lucky enough to work with an awesome list of brands and clients and has even won a couple of awards.
Find them online:
THIS WILL BE OUR LAST EVER SHOW & TELL LECTURE IN AB 320 (or any part of the old Art Building), so BE THERE!
Can't make it in person to AB 320? Tune in to psu.gd/twitch to watch online!
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 linup at psu.gd/showandtell! Check it out!
Promo by Amon Watson
Join us for our last comma hotline of the term AND in the art building! 🥺
This Thursday, May 21st from 12:40-1:20, come to AB320 for some good company and good vibes!
Promo Design by @dio.xide
Design Club final field trip: Studio Butch.
Design Club is going to Studio Butch!
This is open to Portland State Graphic Design students only, so please use your PDX.edu address when registering.
What is Studio Butch?
We specialize in helping brands grow consumer connection IRL through short-term activations and permanent spaces. Paired with digital integrations, we create impactful omni-channel experiences for the "phygital" world.
Don't miss this opportunity to explore the world of Studio Butch and end the term with a bang!
Sign-Up Here: Studio Butch Feild Trip!
Apply Now: The 14th annual Arlene Schnitzer Visual Arts Prize
Three Winners: Prizes $4,100
Deadline: Sunday, May 24, 2026 at midnight
More Info + Apply Here: https://bit.ly/apply-schnitzer
The Arlene Schnitzer Visual Arts Prize is the most important visual arts prize awarded annually by Portland State University’s Schnitzer School of Art + Art History + Design. It is meant to recognize excellence in visual art created by students pursuing undergraduate or graduate degrees from the Schnitzer School of Art + Art History + Design.
ELIGIBILITY: Students must be majoring in programs in the PSU Schnitzer School of Art + Art History + Design (Art Practice, Graphic Design, and Art History) and enrolled in half-time or greater status during Spring 2026. Prior winners of this award are not eligible. Winners will be announced in June 2026 and must be willing and able to display and help install their work at the exhibition held in their honor at the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art at PSU in January 2027.
Please note that this applies only to Art + Art History + Design majors
creating visual work.
ATTN: ART & DESIGN (BA/BS) MAJORS!
Interested in making a portfolio? Stuck on what you should include? Want some helpful resources? Come to our lunch and learn to hear all about portfolio best practices, project documentation, bookmark resources, ask questions, and eat some food!Whether you’ve got a bunch of projects or no idea where to start, we’ve got you covered!
Lunch & Learn: How to Make a Portfolio!
RM 320 (main art building) in at 12:40 PM on May 26.
Join virtually too! https://pdx.zoom.us/j/6810104366
Reach out to Bo-Linn (ibolinn@pdx.edu) with any questions.
Join Design Club for their last get together of the year!
How well do you know your emojis? 🦅🔥🕺🏾🍑🐐💅💅🫦😈✍️🙏🏾✍🏿!!
Come Celebrate the last Design Club meeting in the old art building!!!
May 28th in AB 320 from 12:40-1:30.
Promo by Emily Ramos
COMMA × Thesis: MXR 2026
This year’s MXR will be hosted at Thesis.
Hosted by COMMA, MXR is an annual celebration of community featuring work, collaborations, and initiatives developed throughout the year. Join us for food, drinks, activities, and conversations around our mentorship programs with Thesis and Formation. Open to BIPOC students, designers, creatives, and allies.
This year’s MXR will be hosted at Thesis.
Friday, May 29
5–7 PM
2375 NW Savier St.
Portland, OR 97210
Interested in showing work at MXR? Fill out the interest form here!
Instagram: @psugd_comma
Check us out on the World-Wide Web: psu.gd/comma
Promo Design by @dio.xide
It’s time for FRESH 2026, the PSUGD Senior Portfolio Show!
RSVP for your ticket!
Join 60 graduating Portland State Graphic Design seniors at Volumes Design Library on June 4th as we celebrate the next chapter of their creative journeys.
Thanks to our wonderful friends at Volumes, we’ll be taking over their beautiful space for an evening of design, conversation, and community.
Come explore a wide range of student work, connect with the designers, and enjoy snacks, good vibes, and a whole lot of creative energy.
Whether you’re industry, family, friends, alumni, or simply design-curious, we’d love to see you there.
Hey Mentees! The last Mentorship critique event of the year is next Tuesday!
Portfolio review is just around the corner, but you are not alone! Come get some critique from peers, mentors, and faculty Tuesday, May 19 during community Hour (12:40-1:30) in AB320. This is the last mentorship event before the due date, so make the most of it!
Featuring special guests, Mallary Wilson and Nicole Marsh! Don't miss out on some rare one-on-one critique with these GOATs.
We'll have 8 PIZZAS! See you there!
Join Ann Cudd for a COTA Student Listening Session:
Your Voice Shapes PSU!
Join Ann Cudd for a COTA Student Listening Session: Tuesday, May 19 | 12:30–1:20 PM | LH 115
Share your experiences, perspectives, and ideas with university leadership in an open conversation centered on student life and the future of COTA.
All COTA students encouraged to attend.
Promo Design by: @Jes
Hey PSUGD Design Club! Let’s visit Instrument, where big ideas get built!
Instrument is a Portland-based studio where design, technology, and storytelling come together to create bold brand experiences, thoughtful products, and campaigns that connect with people.
This is a chance to see how a creative team turns ideas into real work.
For the first time, we’re going to an open house! Let’s join Instrument at their new location and show our support.
Sign up Here: Instrument Field Trip
Show & Tell: Jessica & Craig Winslow of Winslow Studio
Are you just having lunch, but wish you were having a side of DESIGN KNOWLEDGE with it??? Why not bring some food and chow down right at the Show & Tell Design Lecture Series!
Join us live Thursday, May 14 at noon Pacific in AB 320 for a talk from Winslow Studio’s Jessica Winslow (Photographer & Creative Strategist) & Craig Winslow (Experiential Light Artist)!
Winslow is an experiential design studio specializing in the creation of immersive experiences that blend traditional craftsmanship with cutting-edge technology. Winslow is creatively led by light artist Craig Winslow, who has a foundation in branding, 3D art, and industrial design, giving him a refined eye for sweating the details. His career began at the award-winning brand studio JDK Design, was awarded the 2016 Adobe Creative Residency, and has worked with Adobe, Tim Burton, Coca-Cola, NikeLab, The Neon Museum, and more. Managing the studio’s operations is Jessica Winslow who brings decades of experience with strategic direction, production, and community building at Instagram and Go Get Em Tiger. Her artistic eye as a commercial photographer has created vibrant work with Disney, Apple, Adobe, Google, Canon, and more.
Find them online:
Can't make it in person to AB 320? Tune in to psu.gd/twitch to watch online!
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 linup at psu.gd/showandtell! Check it out!
Promo by Amon Watson
Design Club Presents: Shortcut Trivia
Design Club Presents:
Shortcut Trivia
Think you know your way around Adobe? Come test your shortcut knowledge with Design Club’s Shortcut Trivia, a fast, fun challenge focused on the Adobe tools we use all the time: Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign.
Whether you’re a keyboard shortcut pro or still clicking through every menu, this is a great way to learn new tricks, sharpen your workflow, and maybe flex a little in front of your design friends. Expect helpful tips, friendly competition, and plenty of “wait, that shortcut exists?” moments.
Join us Thursday, May 14th from 12:40–1:30 PM in AB 320.
Come hang out, play, learn, and leave with a few shortcuts that might actually save your life during finals week.
Mentorship Photo Workshop with Special Guest, Eli
Hey Sophomores!
The portfolio review is almost here! That means it's time to produce and photograph your work...not sure where to start? Mentorship is hosting a photo workshop with Eli on Tuesday, May 12 in AB 320 during Community Hour (12:40 - 1:30).
Learn how to utilize your phone to take high quality photos of your work! Take advantage of your resources and remember...
you are not alone!
See you there!
OLD SCHOOL: Brown Bag Lunch Meet-Up!
Join us for a May 11 brown bag lunch meet-up!
A casual gathering for ART, ARH, A+D, and DES students who are returning to school or
navigating PSU as adult learners.
Let's create space to connect, share experiences, and build peer support across programs. Open to all returning and older students in the Schnitzer School community at Portland State University.
Bring your lunch and come as you are!
Machine Embroidery Workshops! (Copy)
What’s the Stitch?
Join us for hands-on machine embroidery workshops in the Sewing Lab, happening Fridays throughout the term. Learn the basics, explore creative techniques, and bring your designs to life with stitched detail.
Our first workshop begins next Friday, May 8th in FHM 243 on the 2nd floor!
All skill levels welcome!
PSUGD Kemeny Lecture Series Presents: Tereza Bettinardi
Kemeny Lecture Series Presents Tereza Bettinardi
Join us on Tuesday, May 12th for a talk from @terezabettinardi following the release of Alphabettes Soup: Feminist Approaches to Type (via @bikini.books) designed by Teresa herself!
Tereza Bettinardi is a designer and editor who lives and works in São Paulo, Brazil. She founded Clube do Livro do Desgn, a virtual book club turned into a publishing house devoted to expanding the range of design writings available in Portuguese.
Free Tickets Here
COMMA Hotline!
COMMA HOTLINE—PIZZA PARTY!
Our Next Hotline meeting! This Thursday May 7th at 12:40 pm in AB 320
Join us for pizza, snacks, and good company!
+bipoc only+
Show & Tell: Emy Su, Designer & Illustrator
Are you just having lunch, but wish you were having a side of DESIGN KNOWLEDGE with it??? Why not bring some food and chow down right at the Show & Tell Design Lecture Series!
Join us live Thursday, May 7 at noon Pacific in AB 320 for a talk from Emy Su, Designer & Illustrator!
Emily Suvanvej (aka Emy Su) is an award-winning, Thai-American designer & illustrator who lives at the crossroads of visual mischief and lovingly-crafted imperfection. Formerly an Art Director at BUCK, she’s worked with top brands like Spotify, Nike, YouTube, and The New Yorker, and was recently a core creative force behind BUCK's first game called Let’s! Revolution!. Take a peek at Emily's work at emy-su.com, or send her your favorite lost media on IG at @emy_su.
Can't make it in person to AB 320? Tune in to psu.gd/twitch to watch online!
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 linup at psu.gd/showandtell! Check it out!
Promo by Amon Watson
A Different Kind of Here
Step into the worlds middle school and college students imagined & built together.
In this Friendtorship Project, PSU A+D, PSUGD and Walt Morey Middle School students collaborated to create mini-worlds filled with castles, cat people, fantastic cowboys, snakes, merpeople, star-hidden factories, secret civilizations, and a Magic School Bus.
Frientorship is an ongoing collaboration between Portland State University Art + Design students and Walt Morey Middle School students, uniting college and middle school voices through shared creativity, curiosity, and exchange.
MK Gallery, Second Floor, PSU Art Building
2000 SW 5th Ave
Celebrate with us: May 6 | 11:30 AM – 1:30 PM
Mentorship Event for the Sophomore Portfolio Review!
It's time to get feedback on your projects and start building your portfolio deck, but you're not alone! Mentorship is hosting a critique event happening during Community Hour (12:40-1:30) in AB320. Bring what you have and get valuable critique from your class mentors and faculty team.
You got this!
PRIVATE LABEL: A Thesis Exhibition by Julia Sax
PRIVATE LABEL: Curating identity through the medium of camp
Join us in the 1st Floor Gallery for Private Label, a thesis exhibition by Julia Sax, on view April 30 through May 8.
Through an installation that reimagines domestic space and media consumption, Private Label explores queer expression, identity formation, and Camp as both aesthetic and language.
Blending humor, artifice, and cultural critique, the work considers how identity is constructed, performed, and packaged.
For more work from the project and designer, visit privatelabel.tm and ju1ia.makes
Be Honest at Wieden + Kennedy!
TAKE YOUR SEATS! The show awaits!
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.
Stay tuned for more updates on student sign-ups!
Calling all Artists, Art Lovers, Students & Faculty in Art History, Art Practice, & Graphic Design!
Come help us make a bunch of weird, beautiful, meaningful stuff that’s going to get run over by a steamroller this fall.
(We’re serious.)
We’re kicking off a collaborative art-making event to create drawings, textures, and layered materials that will become part of a giant steamroller print event in our new building. Your marks = part of the final prints.
No pressure, no experience needed. Just show up.
Not a “maker”? Perfect. Bring scraps, photos, printed things, notes, ephemera...anything you’re into, and we’ll fold it into the mix.
What’s happening:
• Drawing
• Collaging
• Experimenting
• Hanging out
• Snacks + good energy
What happens to the work:
Everything made will be transformed into large-scale carved prints and printed using a literal steamroller (more on that later )
Details:
5:30–7:30
Shattuck Annex
Free + open to all (bring a friend!)
Let’s say goodbye to the old building by making something big, messy, and unforgettable together.
Marks Portland: Folio Nights
“Folio Nights” invites emerging creatives to connect directly with the Marks team through 1:1 portfolio reviews across Experiential, Graphic, Technical, 3D, and Environmental Design. The evening will also include talks and casual conversations with industry professionals.
Not ready to present work? No problem. A happy hour will run throughout the event, making space to meet people across client services, project management, and more—no portfolio required.
Location: 120 SE Clay St, Suite 102, Portland, OR
Date: Thursday, April 30
Time: 5PM
Space is limited— so save your spot now!
RSVP: https://forms.gle/hB9JFVnEQifKgEdD7
Portfolio Submission: https://forms.gle/ShENbhuv66trH4VJ7
Show & Tell: Soonghyun Kim, Visiting Scholar at Portland State University (Professor at Kyung Hee University)
Are you just having lunch, but wish you were having a side of DESIGN KNOWLEDGE with it??? Why not bring some food and chow down right at the Show & Tell Design Lecture Series!
Join us live Thursday, April 30 at noon Pacific in AB 320 for a talk from animator Soonghyun Kim, Visiting Scholar at Portland State University (Professor at Kyung Hee University)!
Soonghyun Kim is a professor of animation at Kyung Hee University and currently a visiting scholar at Portland State University. His work explores visual storytelling through animation, character design, and picture books, with a particular interest in how narrative, movement, and emotion are constructed through images. His research and creative practice focus on animation directing techniques, character-centered storytelling, and the expansion of picture books into digital and extended reality (XR) formats. He has published academic research on visual narrative and has also worked on various creative projects that bridge theory and practice. As an educator, Kim is interested in helping students understand the fundamentals of design and animation, emphasizing process, experimentation, and storytelling over technical complexity. Through both teaching and creative work, he seeks to make animation and character design more accessible and meaningful to new learners.
Can't make it in person to AB 320? Tune in to psu.gd/twitch to watch online!
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 linup at psu.gd/showandtell! Check it out!
Promo by Amon Watson
Friends of Figma!
If you’ve been wondering how to grow your skills and advance your design career, this talk is for you. Thai Dang will share his strategies, observations, and personal stories. Thai currently works as a Lead UX Designer at Levi Strauss and has had an illustrious 20+ year career across institutions like Amazon, eBay, Intuit, and Taco Bell.
More information on FoF event page
Hey PSUGD Design Club! Let's go to Industry!
Okay… that went fast. The field trip is officially full (!!)
But don’t disappear on us—join the waitlist.
INDUSTRY is a Portland, Oregon-based creative brand consultancy and design collective that focuses on strategy, product design, and brand storytelling. They help companies create brand meaning through design research, interaction design, and marketing, working with major brands.
Join the Waitlist →
More About INDUSTRY →
This field trip is for PSUGD students only.
Please use your PDX email to register for this event.
Promo by Emily Ramos
Show & Tell lecture series: Nishat Akhtar
• SHOW & TELL
•
LECTURE • SERIES •
• SHOW & TELL • LECTURE • SERIES •
Join us live to kickoff our final Show & Tell lecture series in the old Art Building
Thursday, April 23 at noon Pacific in AB 320 for a talk from Nishat Akhtar, Chief Creative Officer at INSTRUMENT!
Nishat Akhtar is a designer, artist, and creative leader. As Chief Creative Officer at Instrument, she helps guide the studio’s creative vision, shaping both the work of today and how it continues to evolve for the future. Her clients and collaborators have included Nike, Google, Amazon, Oura, and Adobe, alongside a personal art and illustration practice she continues to nurture. Through talks and workshops, Nishat shares a belief that creativity belongs to everyone, and that play is where it all begins.
Can't make it in person to AB 320?
Tune in to psu.gd/twitch to watch online!
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 at psu.gd/showandtell!
Check it out!
Promo by Amon Watson (@comishly)
Show & Tell: Nishat Akhtar, Chief Creative Officer at Instrument
Are you just having lunch, but wish you were having a side of DESIGN KNOWLEDGE with it??? Why not bring some food and chow down right at the Show & Tell Design Lecture Series!
Join us live Thursday, April 23 at noon Pacific in AB 320 for a talk from Nishat Akhtar, Chief Creative Officer at Instrument!
Nishat Akhtar is a designer, artist, and creative leader. As Chief Creative Officer at Instrument, she helps guide the studio’s creative vision, shaping both the work of today and how it continues to evolve for the future. Her clients and collaborators have included Nike, Google, Amazon, Oura, and Adobe, alongside a personal art and illustration practice she continues to nurture. Through talks and workshops, Nishat shares a belief that creativity belongs to everyone, and that play is where it all begins.
Can't make it in person to AB 320? Tune in to psu.gd/twitch to watch online!
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 linup at psu.gd/showandtell! Check it out!
Promo by Amon Watson
Paste-up Workshop! Before Design was Digital // Analog Processes in Graphic Design
Apr 19, 2026
10:00 am - 2:30 pm
Cost: $55 before March 31 ; $65 after March 31 Ages 18+, limited to 20 participants
@portlandartmuseum
Analog production methods shaped graphic design for generations, influencing both aesthetics and workflow. This workshop begins with an examination of analog graphic design production, drawing from Briar Levit’s research and her documentary Graphic Means: A History of Graphic Design Production. Participants will explore how mid-century through late twentieth-century processes influenced layout, design, and visual communication.
Participants will then engage in a hands-on exploration of these methods, using copy galleys, Letraset, grids, and other analog materials to build a print layout. Briar Levit (PSU Professor of Graphic Design) and Michael Ellsworth (design studio Civilization’s Creative Director and Designer) will guide the process, emphasizing composition, typography, and material awareness.
No experience is required. Participants will leave with a completed layout and a practical understanding of analog graphic design techniques.
Why join? Ideal for designers, artists, and creatives drawn to print, process, and material-based making, this workshop offers a focused introduction to the craft and discipline of analog graphic design.
Join us for a companion screening event at PAM CUT’s Tomorrow Theater for the film Graphic Means: A History of Graphic Design Production, April 9, 2026 at 7 p.m. A panel discussion with @aprilgreiman , @p_l_a_z_m, and @briarlevit, facilitated by Michael Ellsworth will follow the film.
Ink x Thread: Weaving + Screen Printing Opening Reception
A group exhibition featuring work from PSU students & Portland-based artists— experimenting with material, pattern, process through print & textile.
On view April 10–24
AB Lobby Gallery, PSU Art Building
Reception: April 16, 5–7 PM
Sophomore Portfolio Review Info Session 3
Planning on participating in the Sophomore Portfolio Review this Spring? Here's how you can get started right now:
Step 1: Read the Guidelines
The 2026 Sophomore Portfolio Review Guidelines
Step 2: Attend an Information Session
Attendance at one of the three Information and Q&A Sessions is required:
Friday, February 13
Monday, March 9
Thursday, April 16
All sessions held 12:40–1:30PM on Zoom at psu.gd/sprinfo.
Please note: you need only attend one of the required sessions. If you miss all three, it is your responsibility to get any questions you have about the material here answered from one of the various resources/people offered. Learn more about the Q&A session requirement here.
COMMA Hotline
Come join us for Comma Hotline THIS THURSDAY, April 16 in AB 320! '
This hotline meeting will be super chill, so just bring yourself and a friend if you can!
What’s COMMA?
COMMA is a group organized by & for BIPOC in the graphic design program here at PSU. We’re a space for BIPOC students to create connections, share experiences, learn, and have fun!
Find out more about us @psugd_comma!
Pizza and snacks will be provided.
Promo by @dio.xide and @emanuelrave_
OVLA Presents Contracts for Creatives!
Virtual Workshop
Contracts for Creatives
April 16, 2026 • 12:00-1:30pm PDT
This workshop walks creators through best practices in common business contracts. We will be taking a concise look at the most common clauses in the most important documents. This presentation will cover everything from creative licensing to commercial tenancies. Our goal is to give participants tangible tools and informed context for entering agreements.
Register here! Free!
Knight-Hennessy Scholars Program Info Session
The Knight-Hennessy Scholars program offers full funding for graduate study at Stanford—but more importantly, it supports those thinking critically, creating intentionally, and leading in their fields.
Join an information session at Portland State University on Tuesday, April 14 at 4:00 PM, where an admission officer will walk through the program, scholar experience, and application process—and answer your questions. Open to all majors looking to start building a strong profile early.
A&D Social Mixer
Come out to our social event! Come to FMH 219 on April 14 to meet other A&D majors, talk about cool classes you're taking, ask faculty questions, make new friends, and eat pizza!
April 14, 12:30pm
FMH 219
PSUGD Kemeny Lecture Series presents: April Greiman
Join us Friday, Apr 10 from 6pm to 8pm
for a special talk by April Greiman
April Greiman is a pioneering designer and transmedia artist who helped usher graphic design into the digital age. Among the first designers to embrace the personal computer as a creative medium, she recognized early that emerging technologies could expand the possibilities of visual communication.
Working across publications, environments, and digital media, Greiman transformed the computer from a production tool into a creative instrument, shaping a new visual language for design in the late twentieth century.
Get your Free Tickets Here!