Chinese Cohort Visits Laguna College of Art & Design

The internationally cooperative Digital Media and Animation workshop arose from an innovative collaboration between Laguna College of Art & Design, Southern California's premiere art and design college, and elite educational consulting firm Dave Long & Associates.

The two-week workshop provided an in-depth digital immersion to ten students from four different Chinese universities. Students with a wide range of experience, proficiency, and professional goals honed their digital skills in LCAD’s state-of-the-art computer laboratories located at the Visual Communication campus in the scenic and storied Laguna Canyon.

LCAD Graphic Design faculty member Dan Jensen, commented, “I was so impressed by how the students helped each other to make sure the class stayed on track. Language was not a barrier because of how well the students communicated with one another. I really hope that we will have more students from China attend LCAD as full-time students. “

According to former California Secretary of Education Dr. David Long of Dave Long & Associates, “(LCAD President) Jonathan Burke and (LCAD Vice President and Dean of Visual Communication) Jack Lew made a potentially long and drawn out planning process happen within minutes of our first meeting. Their knowledge of and enthusiasm for the curriculum is inspiring. From our first meeting, they both saw to it that the Chinese students would leave with the best educational experience possible.”

In addition to their exceptional educational experiences, the students also delighted in the rich and diverse American culture that is unique to Southern California. One student, Mao “Harvey” Da, beamed from LCAD's modern on-campus housing facilities, "We ate Mexican food every day!"

Xun Chi, another LCAD instructor in the summertime Digital Media and Animation Workshop, commented, "The workshop was a really great experience for me, too. The students were exceptional learners and very nice people. I'm originally from China, but, to maximize the students' American cultural experience, I used English to communicate with them." Chi continued, "We had a lot of fun together. We went to the beach for a photography project. They were interested in shooting almost everything they saw, ate, drank, etc."

During their two weeks at LCAD, the students also had the opportunity to mingle with a pre-college Graphic Design class and to take a field trip to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the recently challenged Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, and Laguna's own Laguna Art Museum.

When asked if they would be interested in returning again next summer for a similar instantiation of LCAD's summertime Digital Media and Animation Workshop, the Chinese students sang an unequivocal chorus of, "Yes!"

LCAD President Jonathan Burke, says, "I really can't imagine a more harmonious collaboration. I have to thank Dr. David Long, Frank and Felicia Jao of U.S. College Compass in Huntington Beach, Jack Lew, all of the Chinese students, and all of the international and LCAD faculty and staff who pitched in to help make this an annual event the entire LCAD community will look forward to every summer."