Renamed Advertising and Graphic Design program better identifies areas of focus

The program was previously named Commercial Art

For more than 20 years, Commercial Art had been a course where creative students could explore their imagination through a wide range of artistic projects.

“I always thought Commercial Art was a good name, a good umbrella that covered everything, because making money with your artwork is commercial art,” said instructor Damian Powers, who has taught the course at the Center for Career Services for more than 20 years. “But the more and more I talked to students, I found out they just didn’t associate with Commercial Art anymore.”

Mr. Powers had deep discussions with his students throughout the last year. The result is a new name for a course students have enjoyed for years: Advertising and Graphic Design.

  “We came up with a list of names, but advertising design and graphic design, they were always at the forefront,” Mr. Powers said. “It aligns with college curriculums, and it aligns with the industry more. There are advertising degrees and there are graphic design degrees. You don’t really have commercial art.”

In the classroom, students have embraced the new identity, one Powers hopes will pique more interest in future years. He said the curriculum largely remains the same, with many of the same projects that once defined Commercial Art.

Oliver Klar, whose father was a former student, was drawn to the course prior to the name change. But the younger Klar still saw value and clarity in the new name.

“Not a lot of students know the meaning of Commercial Art, so breaking it down into words that are easier to understand will help kids to know what this class is and they might be interested in it,” said Klar, a Pleasantville High School junior. “It’s not just advertising. It’s a lot of digital art and a lot of designing. It’s very, very fun.”