The Career Success Center in the College of Business, along with faculty in the Design programs at Oregon State University, will be hosting a Design Symposium today from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. in CH2M Hill Alumni Center.

    According to Brandi Bigelow, the office manager at the Career Success Center and a former student of design at Oregon State University, the Design Symposium is a popular event that allows students the opportunity to network with employers in the design industries, and learn how to prepare for the industry after graduation.

    “This is the best opportunity all year for design students to learn from, get connected to, and receive feedback on their designs from industry professionals,” said Holly Hill, the assistant director of the Career Success Center.

According to Hill, over 30 employers will be represented at the symposium, from many top design businesses.

Students who attend the event can expect to sit in on two panels dedicated to design. At each panel, students can question panelists and ask for their professional opinions and advice relating to design careers, according to Bigelow.

The Alumni panel will consist of panelists for interior design, apparel design, graphic design and merchandising management.

According to Marilyn Read, an associate professor and coordinator of the interior design program, the other panel will be a keynote speaker, Angela Snow VP/Design Culture & Community from Nike inc. Snow is a professional with years of experience and success in design.

The Design Symposium has happened for close to 30 years and similar to those in the past, there will also be a portfolio review session during the event to provide students with constructive feedback on their work.

“It’s a chance for students to showcase the work that they’ve done, which is really fun. Being able to see the projects they are working on is really amazing” Bigelow said.

    According to Read, the event has been condensed from a full-day into a half-day event to focus on panelists, as it has shown to be more effective in the past. Some students also receive initial interviews during the symposium to later be recruited by design businesses.

“The event is important for success, especially those planning to stay in the Portland area,” Bigelow said.

    According to Bigelow, the Portland area is fairly small when it comes to design opportunities so networking at this type of event, is a crucial step for a design student’s future.

This year is the first time the Career Success Center is organizing the event to provide students the opportunity to build important networks.