Student Organizations
There are many organizations at the School of Art for students to get involved in. They include:
The Graduate Art Student Organization exists to support student-initiated projects that enhance graduate education. Students exist to support student-initiated projects that enhance graduate education. Students invite visiting artists and organize trips of specific interest to graduate students. All graduate students, full-time or part-time are invited to participate. Each year students elect a President and a Treasurer, as well as a representative to the Graduate Student Senate. The Graduate Coordinator serves as advisor to the group.
Students are encouraged to become active in the Student Art Education Association, an organization affiliated with the Student Division of the National Art Education Association. Through this organization, students organize and conduct workshops for K-12 students from area schools, organize local art exhibits and field trips, and volunteer for special projects in area schools and community organizations. They also organize and conduct programs that include guest speakers, sharing of art curriculum ideas, studio demonstrations, and other projects of interest to the members who share information with each other in a cross-collaborative environment.
The Clay Club holds three sales of student work each year to support our Visiting Artist program and to supplement the funding needs of the Ceramics area. Students learn to market their work while improving the quality of their educational experience.
Since 1997, Ceramics and the Clay Club have hosted workshops by Dan Anderson, Bob Archambeau, Rudy Autio, Peter Beasecker, Pipo Brockmann, Linda Christianson, Sam Chung, Josh DeWeese, Julia Galloway, Andrea Gill, John Gill, Shannon Goff, Shao Junya, Jun Kaneko, Jim Leedy, Ron Myers, Brandon Reese, Don Reitz, Paul Soldner, Beth Cavener Stichter, Peter Voulkos, Robby Wood, Luo Xiaoping, Jane Shellenbarger, Brad Schweiger, Tara Wilson, Deborah Schwartzkopf, and Steve Zaworski.
The student Computer Art Club is open to all undergraduate and graduate students in the School of Art. The overall goal of the club is to promote awareness of Digital Arts, to highlight advances and opportunities in the field, and to assist Digital Arts students. Club activities include demonstrations, art shows, trips to conferences (SIGGRAPH), and social events. Past activities have included guest speakers from the computer graphics industry, Digital Arts exhibitions on and off campus, and various field trips including the Ottawa Animation Festival. Digital Arts Club members share information and knowledge with each other in a cross-collaborative environment. The CAC is also an ACM SIGGRAPH Student Chapter.
Student Art Glass Association (SAGA) is an organization open to all undergraduate and graduate students in glass which provides additional experiences and opportunities. Students work as a team producing glass objects for sale. The work is exhibited and sold. A percentage of the proceeds goes to the students involved and the rest is utilized to fund visiting artists, educational activities, and provide specialized materials for students enrolled in glass. It is a student run organization.
2-DAA is a student organization dedicated to creating alternative study and promotional opportunities for 2-D art students, especially those involved with painting and drawing (although all students are welcome). Field trips to Chicago and New York took place last year. This year Chicago and Washington are on the agenda. Visiting artists invited by the club give students the opportunity to meet and work with regional and national artists. Workshops, socials, exhibitions and fund-raisers are also part of the rich experience of being a club member.
For more information about 2-D Artist's Association, click here.
The Art Historians' Association is a student-driven organization dedicated to fostering professional development in the arts, with an eye toward careers in art history after graduation. Students meet to discuss current issues in the discipline of art history and to organize excursions to museums, galleries, lectures and site-specific destinations. The Art History Association also organizes the Annual Undergraduate Art History Symposium at BGSU each spring within the School of Art.
Interested students should contact the AHA for information on meetings, excursions and events.
For more information about Art Historian's Association click here.
Photo Club's mission is to enhance the learning experience of photo students specifically. In addition they extend their presence beyond the School of Art to other departments who have a keen interest in fine art photography. They raise money by exhibiting and selling work, operating bake sales, and participating in ArtsXtravaganza among other things. The fundraising that they do goes to bringing in visiting artists, allowing them to be able to afford equipment, and to attend conferences/trips. In the past Photo Club has gone to New Orleans and Philadelphia. This Fall 2016 semester they are planning to visit Chicago and also Orlando for a photographic educators conference. Photo Club recently brought in visiting artist Jess Dugan, a successful photographer of transgender people. On top of all of this the members of Photo Club like to do community building such as watching films together and planning print exchanges between one another.
For more information about Photo Club, click here.
Students may also become involved in:
Toledo Friends of Photography is a dedicated group of art photographers and professionals who are committed to promoting fine art photography in the northern Ohio region. Students have the opportunity to become involved and possibly become members of the Society for Photographic Education. This organization sponsors annual conferences at the national level.
Midwest Society for Photographic Education is a regional organization that students may choose to get involve with.
The Print Society
All students with an interest in printmaking are encouraged to join this active student club. The Print Society organizes field trips, visiting artist workshops, a booth at the Black Swamp Arts Festival, and various activities related to printmaking. Fundraisers, including T-shirt printing events and print sales, are held several times during the year to support Print Society activities. Funding supports visiting artists and student attendance at national and regional print conferences.
For more information about Print Club, click here.
Students can also become involved in:
Regional and National Printmaking Associations
There are numerous professional printmaking associations in existence and students are encouraged to join these in order to gain a broader understanding of the world of prints. Two of these are:
Mid-America Print Council
is a Midwestern print organization that sponsors a biennial conference of workshops and panel discussions, a members' exhibition, and a newsletter.
Southern Graphics Council International is a national print organization that sponsors an annual conference of workshops and panel discussions, a members' exhibition, and a journal.
The Sculpture Club is one of several student lead clubs within the School of Art. It's primary mission is to produce, promote, educate, and exhibit student sculpture both locally and regionally. The club also helps with bringing in visiting artists as well as organizing and implementing the annual iron pours. They produce and sell t-shirts, write grants for funding and assume the role of BGSU representatives when making regular trips to Southern Conference of Cast Iron Art at the Sloss Furnaces in Birmingham, Alabama. The Sculpture Club actively seeks members from the university community regardless of major. Annual dues are just $5.00.
BGSU AIGA Student Chapter
BGSU, the School of Art, and the Division of Graphic Design, in affiliation with AIGA Toledo, fully supports, and offers advising, mentorship and resources for, the BGSU AIGA Student Chapter, our highly respected student-run organization of AIGA, the professional association for designers. This AIGA and University partially funded organization is available to all undergraduate graphic design majors. The overall goal of the student chapter is to promote awareness of design, to highlight advances and opportunities in the field, and to assist younger design students n their individual and collective efforts to expand their design experiences. Chapter activities include at least one trip per year to a major city, as well as several regional trips, to visit printers, design studios, museums and art centers. The chapter frequently hosts local, regional and national speakers involved in the design profession, many of whom are alumni of the program. The chapter meets at least once a month to do such things as: plan club activities, attend lectures, view movies of interest, and discuss topical design issues. All interested majors are encouraged to contact Professor Todd Childers faculty advisor to the group, for further information and contact with the current slate of student board members.
For more information about Graphic Design Club, click here.
Designers Accord
The Division of Graphic Design (faculty group) is a signing member of the Designers Accord, a nonprofit coalition of designers, educators, researchers, engineers, business consultants, and corporations, focused on working together to create positive environmental and social impact. As such, our Graphic Design student majors and non-majors alike are being asked to voluntarily join the Division in its support for sustainable design practices by having a keen awareness for, and a full intention towards reducing their individual impact on our environment. A commitment to his initiative could include, but not be limited to: responsible and reduced printing output; increased use of environmentally-friendly project materials; reduced overall use of total project materials as an alternative creative solution; monitored and reduced electric power consumption whenever possible; and proper disposal of all recycled and recyclable materials.
On a national level, all Designers Accord adopters, supporters, and endorsers follow a basic code of conduct:
- Do no harm
- Communicate and collaborate
- Keep learning, keep teaching
- Instigate meaningful change
- Make theory action
Fiber Arts Club provides the students with the opportunities beyond the classroom The Black Swamp Festival and The Arts Extravaganza are two events the club participates in each year, with these activities students learn to interact with the public and to market their work. The students create the work sold at these events. A portion the profit form the sales of the artwork helps supports the visiting artist program.
Local/National Fiber Arts Organizations
The organizations listed below focus on one or more areas of interest to the fiber artist. Students are encouraged to join and participate in these organizations as they provide excellent opportunities for network and observing professionals at work.
National organizations
Surface Design Association
Handweavers Guild of America
Regional organizations
North Central Regional Surface Design Association
Ohio Designer Craftsmen
Midwest Weaver Guild
Area organizations
Toledo Area Weavers Guild
Black Swamp Spinners Guild
Updated: 12/03/2021 12:59PM