MILLIGAN COLLEGE — Milligan College’s senior graphic design minors will display their designs and artwork from March 1-6 in the Milligan Art Gallery located inside Derthick Hall. An opening reception will take place on Sunday, March 1, from 2-4 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

The exhibit will be the first showcase for graphic design minors and will include works by Graham Denton of Lenoir City; Brenna Kincaid, Danville, Ind.; and Ashlyn Lightfoot, Orlando, Fla.

The exhibit, titled “Second Wave,” highlights how a minor in graphic design has served as a creative outlet for students majoring in another field. Between the three seniors, their academic majors include business, chemistry, humanities and fine arts in photography.

“At Milligan, our academic structure allows students to add a minor like graphic design or fine arts, helping them explore creative thinking, approach critical thinking differently and build visual communication skills,” said Art Brown, assistant professor of communications. “Graphic design students also have the opportunity to learn from students in different academic programs and their different approaches to communication.”

The graphic design minor has strengthened these seniors’ college experiences by enhancing their creativity and teaching them critical skills for today’s job market in various industries.

“As a chemistry major, I added graphic design and fine arts minors to incorporate more creative opportunities,” said Denton. “I have found that chemistry overlaps with graphic design more than you might expect. Both subjects deal with problem-solving, decision making and execution.”

As the first class of graphic design minors to have their own exhibit, Lightfoot hopes this exhibit inspires more of her peers to incorporate a graphic design minor.

“We hope this exhibit sets a precedent for future graphic design minors,” shared Lightfoot. “Graphic design can enhance most majors at Milligan, and it is very manageable to add into your course load.”

For more information on Milligan’s graphic design and fine arts programs, visit www.milligan.edu.