Calling all High School juniors and seniors in South Connecticut
Summer Studio 2025 is a FREE immersive, pre-college experience in graphic design for motivated high school students. Hosted by Southern Connecticut State University’s Department of Art & Design, the program offers hands-on, college-level coursework in a supportive and creative environment. Over the course of four weeks, students explore the foundations of visual communication while building skills in digital design, typography, and concept development.
Whether you’re considering a future in design or simply want to explore your creativity, Summer Studio is the perfect place to start.
Program Dates:
July 7 – August 1, 2025
Monday through Friday | 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM
On-Campus at Southern Connecticut State University
What You’ll Learn:
– Design Thinking & Visual Problem Solving
– Typography & Layout Principles
– Adobe Creative Cloud Tools (Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign)
– Portfolio Development & Professional Critique
– Collaborative Projects & Peer Review
Program Benefits:
– Earn 3 college credits in a college-level design course
– Build a portfolio for college admissions
– Receive mentorship from university faculty adn professional designers
– Participate in an exhibition to showcase your work
– One-year Adobe subscription
– Free Surface laptop to keep upon completion
Who Should Apply:
High school students entering grades 11–12 who are curious about design, eager to learn, and ready to challenge themselves creatively. No prior experience is required—just an open mind and a passion for making things. Students will leave the program with a printed portfolio, digital files, and a deeper understanding of the field of graphic design.
Requirements:
- – High School (rising) junior or senior
- – 3.0 GPA (B average) or higher
- – High school counselors may recommend participation in specific courses where students have demonstrated academic promise or successfully completed related college-level coursework with a 2.0 GPA (C average) or higher.
The grades you earn for your Early College courses will start your official academic record at SCSU. Early College courses appear on the SCSU transcript and count as attempted credit calculated in the SCSU GPA. The grade you receive on your high school transcript for the course will be determined by your high school’s grading policy and may be different from the grade you receive on your SCSU transcript for the course. Credit earned at SCSU will be accepted at any public Connecticut State College or University; other colleges and universities accept your college credits at their discretion.
Questions?
Reach out to Professor Melanie Uribe uribem2@southernct.edu
Program Director, Summer Studio
