Design News

I hope this message finds you healthy and safe as we all continue to endure the challenges of COVID-19. If you’re reading this, you’ve already achieved more than many thought possible.

After receiving over 800 submissions from 400 design students attending over 35 post-secondary schools across Canada, York U Designers took home awards in 5 out of the 9 categories!

On a scale of 1 to 10, Fiona Yeung (BDes '15) loves her job as an Interaction Designer at Google as an 11.  She started as an intern at Google in 2014 and was hired fresh out of school the following year in 2015. Highlights of her time with Google include her first promotion, speaking at Google I/O (a peak experience she calls both humbling and surreal), becoming the director of Hexagon, and having many opportunities to use her passion for mentoring and giving back to the community.

I hope this message finds you and your families and communities in good health and spirits during the current circumstances. I know that the conditions necessitated by COVID-19 have lasted much longer than expected and I am grateful for your continued resilience and widespread generosity shown by people throughout AMPD over the past six months.

Pride Month 2020 will be remembered as a month of action. Without the big parade or shoulder-to-shoulder crowds on Church Street, we were forced to set aside the free swag, the "gay tourism" and the corporate sponsorships to reflect on why we celebrate Pride in the first place. We were reminded that it is a time to protest, to care for ourselves, care for those who live in the margins, and to make some noise. And looking back at this past year, it is clear that AMPD made a lot of noise.

Another school year has come to an end, which means it is time to celebrate and send-off our graduating class as they prepare themselves for the next stage of their careers.

These are truly extraordinary circumstances. In any other year, we would gather in the large Centre of Excellence at the Aviva Centre, surrounded by family and friends. There would be hugs, high fives, and photo opportunities. But even though the love cannot be shared in-person, we want the Class of 2020 to know that we hold them deeply in our hearts.

Last week, President Rhonda Lenton wrote to the York community about the University’s planning for the fall academic term. That message emphasized adherence to public health and safety and access to courses so that students can progress in their programs. The message also noted the potential for select experiential activities on campus. As explained in that communication, courses will clearly state whether on-campus activities may be required.

For students in York University's Design program, the annual showcase organized by the graduating class has been a valuable, experiential opportunity for profiling their work and putting the culmination of four years of hard work on display for friends, family, community members and industry professionals.