Every year at Piedmont University, students must present a capstone project before graduating. A student’s capstone ultimately decides whether they graduate. Capstone students are also required to present their best work and demonstrate what they’ve learned over the years. 

For students in the art program at Piedmont University, presenting a capstone means having an art show. Each student has the choice of either showcasing their work in the S.W.A.G, which is the Smith Williams Art Gallery, or they go to a museum and have their work put up on display for a few weeks. 

Students work all year on this project. All of their professors sit on a panel to discuss and critique their work, and once it’s approved and they officially have their work finalized, students put their work on display and host an art show. Any and everyone is invited to see the student’s artwork and ask questions on that student’s reception night. 

“Well, I definitely know I will be within the graphic design wheelhouse as that is my major. I really don’t have an idea right now because I have not been told what is required of my capstone, so I don’t know if I’ll be doing posters, a website or a video,” said Sarah Bittner.

Bittner is a double major here at Piedmont University. She is majoring in mass communications and graphic design. When Bittner graduates, she plans to take the skills she has honed during her time in Piedmont’s art program and pursue a career in branding or design work, which would involve designing websites, apparel and logos for companies.

“From past years of watching other seniors do graphic design, I’ve seen everything pretty much under the sun that is designed-based go on display. I do know that I am going to try to incorporate my mass communications capstone with my graphic design,” says Bittner. 

Bittner, the standing Editor-in-Chief of Piedmont’s yearbook, The Yonahian, plans to incorporate the years she’s dedicated to the publication in her final project. 

“I’ll show off the book cover. I’ll show off the templates. I’ll show off the importance of making certain design decisions in the book and why I chose that, and how it would affect readers visually.”