Our AAS Communication Design students arrive to our program with a bounty of interdisciplinary knowledge. These practitioners have a range of lived experiences and backgrounds spanning industries such as tech, biology, performance art, literature, economics, law, and medical research. As career-switchers, they bring in a nuanced perspective to communication design, one that is built off what they already know. Their decision to return to school—to initiate this compelling shift in their practice—takes courage and dedication. It is a decision that deserves our utmost respect.

During orientation, we let our students know that communication design is a lifelong practice that includes communicating with intentionality through different outputs, and with cultural sensitivity. We ask our students to bring their diverse experiences to the conversation, and to reexamine what they know with a tuned-in filter on what constitutes the framework of communication design. Beyond critical thinking and agency to foster sustainable thinking and social justice, our students develop creative skills independent of technology, media, or zeitgeist.

In their capstone class, students develop a project rooted in contemporary discussions surrounding design and current events. Working with their peers and instructor, students research a topic or an issue they feel passionate about. Responses of the 2023–24 graduates include investigations into political, social, and personal histories; representation on cultural heritage; and how technology is impacting the current state of design. The editorial processes included skills such as conducting interviews, site visits, and many iterations on form. Besides the shared interest in socio-political themes and form-making, the abilities of the AAS Communication Design community are grounded in the remarkable sense of peer collaboration that respects and values each individual's unique life experience.