Students Dazzle At Farmingdale State College 2023 Senior Expo

FARMINGDALE, NY — Seniors of Farmingdale State College showed off at the 2023 Senior Project Expo.

A food subscription service for children that helps them create well-balanced meals; a platform to help people chart their career paths; one to help potential donors find humanitarian organizations around the globe; and a means to access live music from virtual reality were just a few of the projects on display.

Students in the Visual Communications Arts program made the creations.

"It’s like an expo meets a trade show," said Memorial Gallery Director Beth Giacummo, who curates the placement of displays in the Gallery. "I’m always impressed with what they come up with; you get to see them shine."

Projects by nearly two dozen members of the class of 2023, who majored in graphic design and interaction design, showcased the creation, construction, and description of products or applications related to their major. Students spent their senior year planning and executing the projects. Not only did students get to display their talents to the campus, but the projects also served as three-dimensional portfolios for potential employers.

Some students focused on solutions to real problems.

Carol Sung, class of 2023 valedictorian and an interaction design major, created "Let's Eat,"  a connected mobile round table display that brings visitors to New York City’s Chinatown restaurant community. It was developed to help revitalize the community following the coronavirus pandemic.

Others addressed more personal needs. Aasin A. Thomas, an art and graphic design major who is now a lead designer for Golden Label Collection, created a proposal for Focus, an interior design company that transforms traditional classrooms into more inspirational spaces. He was motivated by his "struggles in an environment that failed to nurture my creative growth as a designer and artist," he said. His father’s belief in the effect of surroundings on creativity inspired his work.

"His words somehow urged me to create a modern sanctuary that fosters concentration and sparks inspiration for all student creativity," he said. "The most exciting aspect of the senior project was developing the classroom space."

Kimberly Wild, assistant professor of visual communications, said faculty tries to impress upon students they need to pick something they are passionate about, that they can connect with, or they would not want to work on it for a full year.

"I absolutely love the senior project class," she said. "I’m so proud of how hard they work."