Design

About CCA's Sputnik Design Studio

Sputnik is CCA’s in-house undergraduate design studio managed by the Communications Office. It is a wonderful opportunity for Graphic Design students to extend their training beyond the traditional classroom environment and deal with real projects, real deadlines, and real limitations (of time, money, and resources).

Every semester, the Graphic Design faculty nominates third- and fourth-year students to interview for Sputnik. Eight to 12 are selected. Sputnik may be taken as an upper-level elective or for internship credit.

Who Does Sputnik Serve and What Do They Produce?

Sputnik is a resource for staff and faculty only, and does not accept student or class projects.

Sputnik produces 80 to 100 print and multimedia projects for the college each year—everything from CCA’s magazine, Glance, to posters, brochures, invitations, signage, books, promotional videos, and more. Under the direction of staff and a faculty advisor, the students design each piece from concept to production, meeting with clients, presenting ideas, and press checking. The experience is a terrific example of the college’s motto: theory and practice. Sputnik students have won design awards from UCDA, HOW, Print, among many other prestigious organizations.

Benefits of Sputnik Design Studio

• Experience actual projects from beginning to end: concept to design, prepress, and press check
• Work directly with clients, both individually and in teams
• Acquire skills in software and print production
• Gain an understanding of the impact of paper selection, print costs, and mailing costs
• Acquire actual print and multimedia pieces for your portfolio, many of which are produced in quantities ranging from 1,000 to 30,000 and mailed to students, alumni, donors, and the greater CCA community
• Enjoy personal instruction from a faculty member, two full-time staff, and a full-time editor in a small class of just eight to 12 students
• Hear guest speakers talk about print buying, prepress, and the design of mailed pieces

Sputnik Design Studio Objectives

• Make work under actual deadline within limitations of time, money, and resources
• Design for audiences other than college-age graphic design students
• Present your work to real clients who will not be swayed by buzzwords
• Prepare mechanical files that will output correctly
• Complete real projects that have real impact

Scheduling Your Project

Sputnik projects last the duration of a semester. Availability is limited, so in order to have your project considered, you must contact our team 8-10 weeks before the beginning of the semester in which the project will take place. Contact the Design and Production Manager to start the process, or if you have any questions or concerns regarding a publication or project you’re currently working on.

Have a design project need that may fall outside of Sputnik? Fill out on online project form to submit your design or printing project.

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