The College of Communication and Information at Kent State University is pleased to announce a gift of $10,000 from Brokaw, an independent, global marketing, advertising and design agency headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio. CEO Gregg Brokaw has given the gift in support of the School of Visual Communication Design's Taylor Hall Gallery Exhibitions and Lecture Series.
The Taylor Hall Gallery is a unique space on campus to showcase student, alumni and faculty design work, as well as host visiting shows by design artists. The 1,110 square foot gallery space features high ceilings, a customizable floor plan, professional-quality lighting and is proximate to lecture space providing an integrative teaching opportunity.
The lecture series will focus on exposing students to the work of and philosophies of artists in the field. The gallery space will exhibit artistic work from a variety of design artists and help students establish and grow their skills in curation, art presentation, exhibition development and museum and gallery maintenance. The exhibitions and lectures conceptually connect what students learn in the classroom to real world outcomes.
Gregg Brokaw, B.S., M.A., Kent State, said of the gift, “Kent State’s VCD program gave me the foundation for a successful design career. It was an obvious choice to give back to the program and help others gain that same amazing design foundation.”
Brokaw has worked in Chicago at Thirst under the leadership of world-renowned designer, Rick Valicenti; for eight years owned a Chicago motion graphic business entitled, Brokaw Motion; and is now Co-CEO of Cleveland’s Brokaw Inc.
David Robins, Interim Director of the School of Visual Communication Design agreed about the educational impact of the exhibit space, "The Taylor Hall Gallery is a great way to build on the strong foundation of our classes and to give our students a hands-on experience with curating and managing exhibition shows. We are incredibly thankful for the support of Brokaw and all our friends and alumni."
The Gallery was created as part of the Fall 2017 move of the VCD program from the Art Building into Taylor Hall, the national landmark building that underwent a $9.2 million interior transformation. The renovation features photo and design studios, updated classrooms and a centralized student advising space.
This generous donation is made in conjunction with Kent State University's Giving Tuesday annual event as a challenge match to encourage alumni to make their own gifts to the school. Alumni gifts are a major component in supporting innovative programs like the Taylor Hall Gallery that underscore the transformational power of education.
To make a gift in support of the Taylor Hall Gallery, visit Kent State University's Giving Tuesday page.