SAU President Dr. Trey Berry accepts a $5,000 check from Amanda Blanchard of Southern Aluminum. Pictured, from left, are SAU Art and Design students employed by Southern Aluminum Andrew Hinkle, Zach Miller, and Morgan Daniel, Berry, Chair of the Department of Art and Design Steven Ochs, Blanchard, Interim Provost and VPAA Dr. Ben Johnson, and Assistant Professor of Graphic Design Shawn Latham.
The Department of Art and Design at Southern Arkansas University is benefiting from a $5,000 investment made by Southern Aluminum of Magnolia.
This marks the sixth grant provided by Southern Aluminum to SAU Art and Design, and investments totaling $25,000 over the last four years.
“We at Southern Aluminum feel it extremely important that local businesses and industries support SAU because of the caliber of students and the skills these students can contribute here in Magnolia,” said Mark Taylor, president and chief executive officer of Southern Aluminum. “SAU is producing as high of quality skills and knowledge as we have seen when comparing with large universities, and we honestly feel that Southern Aluminum and SAU will mutually benefit through supporting and nurturing this relationship.”
This grant will be used to purchase an oversized color laser printer and an additional black-and-white laser printer for the department. In the design field, there is a constant need to have projects printed out for editing purposes and for formal presentations. Previous grants have allowed the Department to update and purchase additional software licenses while also expanding and updating its 35-station computer lab.
SAU’s Department of Art and Design is evolving to take graphic design to the next level. Although graphic design implies print, the idea of design and what is being taught at SAU embraces far more.
