Ahead of this year’s promotion, a job market is still recovering from COVID-19.

Many departments organize showcases for students to network with industry professionals.

Here is a look at some of the showcases that are happening or have taken place this year.

Theater and dance

In the past, the Department of Theater and Dance has hosted two live showcases, one in Los Angeles and the other in New York. Due to COVID-19, the department has chosen to make its storefronts digital.

The department hosted streams on April 21 and 22, with the acting showcase taking place first, followed by the musical theater showcase the next day. According to Joseph Price, head of the theater and dance department, the streams acted as a virtual place.

“This year we’ve teamed up with a group called Broadway Unlocked, which creates these virtual locations to show off what we’ve filmed,” Price said. “Each student has a pre-recorded video showcasing what they’ve been working on and people in the industry can join in, view it, and even chat with the student.”

Price said the theater and dance department had been working since the start of the fall 2020 semester to develop the showcase after estimating that COVID-19 restrictions would still be in place by the time April arrived.

Interior design

Because the showcase for displaying 3D designs, the department chose to host their showcase on April 16 in person but move it to a larger space at the University Plaza Convention Center.

According to Nancy Asay, a senior professor in the Department of Construction Technology and Management, the storefront had no food and an open bar as in the past.

“Each student was given an equal section to display their work as well as their digital portfolio,” said Asay. “We were able to get around 350 people to come and see the showcase, and some students have already had job offers.”

According to Jolean Hackney, senior interior design major, who won the “Best of Show Award,” the event provided a plethora of job and internship opportunities for her.

“MSU Interior Design’s senior showcase was a great success this year, and the hard work that we seniors put into our show really paid off, and it made the evening very enjoyable,” Hackney said. . “My booth featured bespoke furniture created by my dad and I, as well as many projects that I completed throughout my time in the interior design program.”

Fashion and merchandising

This year’s fashion and merchandising showcase will take place on May 12 at the Glass Hall Atrium with limited guests. The event includes the senior collections, which they designed during the spring semester and which were announced and promoted by their senior merchandising partners.

College of Business Associate Dean Elizabeth Rozell said that despite the challenges posed by COVID-19, this year’s seniors have “persevered and shown great talent.”

“Our students rose to the challenge of pursuing their dreams of being merchants and fashion designers,” said Rozell. “We have the same expectations of our students as in past years.”

Tiffany Ivie, Senior Fashion and Merchandising Major, received the Outstanding Senior Fashion Design Award for this year, and her “Dauntless” collection will be one of many collections on display this year. Ivie said her collection took her a total of 250 hours.

“I work full time, and I’m also in a full semester of classes, so the weather was definitely a big part of the challenges I encountered while designing and sewing my collection,” Ivie said. “I can definitely say that I learned more this semester than I learned in any other semester. I have a lot more confidence in myself when it comes to creating whatever I want, and it’s a great feeling.

Design

This year, the design department showcase will take place at the Student Exhibition Center from May 3 to 14. A limited number of people are allowed to view the showcase at a time.

According to assistant professor of art and design Masha Gerasimchuk-Djordjevic, the showcase was originally intended to be virtual, but as vaccination rates increased in Missouri, the department decided to host it in person.

“During the showcase, students can showcase the work they’ve done for a client as part of their design course, as well as select four pieces from their portfolio,” said Gerasimchuk-Djordjevic. “At the community level, it allows visitors to see what our students are capable of and that they are ready to get started in graphic design and illustration.”

The showcase will be a drop-in event for all members of the community.

Follow Todd Dearing on Twitter, @mtodddearing

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