Caroline Canty - AIGA 2023-2024

In the Summer of 2023 I took the initiative and met with the advisor to take the organization off the ground. IN Spring of 2023 AIGA had attempted to take off as an organization but unfortunately everyone in it had graduated, but I knew this organization could lead somewhere.

I worked all summer building a system, then in the fall built an Eboard starting at 2 people and growing to 6, as well as members growing from 5 to 20 within one semester, then building over the next.

As a board we created a successful guest artist talk series called “Coffee with Creatives”, and designed a logo by Naikey Lenescat, my Vice President at the time. “Coffee with Creatives” was a series where we invited professionals in all sorts of design and art to come and have an informal discussion of their practices and their careers as a way to connect the student body with working professionals. While originally it had started as more design centered speakers, it shifted into general artist since it was more relevant.

As president of Salem Sate University AIGA, I represented the student chapter to the Boston AIGA Board. Even as a full time student, I developed event concepts, collaborated with my board members and fellow classmates, I managed agendas, calendars, booking meetings and led weekly board meetings to keep everyone on the same page.

I dedicated most if not all my available time to AIGA to help create something in the Salem State Art Department that never was a thing. As someone who's first year in college was during Covid in 2020, I found that I never really as able to connect with my classmates in or outside of the studios, nor even my faculty. One of my main missions of leading this organization was to create a community of artists, faculty, and professionals so that it opened the doors to new opportunities that would be beneficial in more ways than one.

As of 2025 the organization is still strong, with a full board of artists and designers, who willingly put themselves out there to take the board over, as 5/6 of my board had graduated. I am still in contact with them currently and hope to see it continue to grow.