Graphic & Web Design Summer Academy

Visual Communication Design Summer Academy
Jefferson University's Graphic and Web Design Summer Academy offers high school students an immersive, studio-based introduction to professional design practice. Over one week, you'll work alongside faculty, current college students, and peers to develop a complete design project—from initial research to final presentation.

The Experience
Working in our VCD studios on Jefferson's East Falls campus, you'll tackle a meaningful design challenge for a real community partner. This is your opportunity to create work that matters while exploring what it means to think and work like a designer.

What You'll Learn
The academy balances focused project work with skill-building workshops across four key areas:

• Digital Design: Work with industry-standard tools including Adobe Creative Suite, Figma, and creative coding with P5.js
• Physical Making: Create printmaking posters, bind your own sketchbook, explore hand lettering and typography, and use laser cutting and specialized printing for prototypes
• Design Research: Practice UX observation and testing, learn inclusive design principles, and develop user-centered thinking
• Design Process: Participate in critique culture, learn to iterate and refine ideas, and present your work professionally

Who you’ll meet
Throughout the week, you'll connect with alumni through virtual studio visits, gaining insight into their work at branding agencies, UX teams, experiential design firms, and beyond. These sessions help you better understand career opportunities in graphic and web design and what the work actually looks like day-to-day.

What You'll Make
Daily studio time, regular critiques, and expert guidance will help you develop a complete project that demonstrates your design thinking and problem-solving abilities. You'll learn both the technical skills and the conceptual approach required to create engaging and effective design. Whether you're refining existing skills or discovering design for the first time, you'll leave with work you're proud of and a real sense of what design school could be like.

The academy concludes with a showcase and reception where you'll present your final projects. Family, friends, and members of the design community are invited to celebrate your work.

Program Details

• One week intensive, Monday–Friday, 9:00am-4:00pm
• Jefferson's East Falls campus
• Access to professional software, equipment, and studio space
• Open to rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors in high school

Eligibility:
Open to high school students grade 10-12. We encourage anyone excited about art and design to apply.

Time + Dates:

• Wednesday, July 13th – Friday, July 17th, 2026
• 9:00am – 4:00pm Daily
  

Closing Reception and Student Work Showcase:
Friday, July 17, 2026 at 4:00PM

Location:
Thomas Jefferson University, East Falls Campus
Hayward Hall, Room 104
4201 Henry Ave
Philadelphia, 19144

Registration & Fees:
Enrollment in this 5-day workshop is $500. If you require a payment plan, please contact Beth Shirrell, [email protected].
Refund Policy: Contact the organizer to request a refund. Eventbrite's fee is nonrefundable.

Lunch:
Lunch will be provided only on Monday and Friday, snacks will be available each day. Students are also asked to bring a reusable water bottle and a brown-bagged lunch.

Materials: All necessary materials and supplies will be provided.

Questions? Contact Beth Shirrell at [email protected]

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Host or Publisher Jefferson Visual Communication Design