The VMA Voyage
At VMA, You are More than a Major in our Programs.
We acknowledge that you are shaped by multiple stories and experiences that influence how you present yourself as a student and meet you where you are in your life. Your individualized success drives our work. Whichever program you choose, we invite you to bring your full self to VMA, using your experiences and interests to inform your learning. Learn what is important to you and what is essential. Create a unique you!
The Visual and Media Arts Voyage
You will work with a dedicated faculty to explore what makes creativity and innovation essential in the world. Throughout your time at Grand Valley, you will develop your skill set, discover your professional direction, and later embark on the next chapter of your life.
Your learning will be guided by the following principles:
Curiosity
You will engage in learning experiences that ask you to discover things about art, design and media, about you, and the world around you... Factors that will better position you for life after graduation and the world of work.
Making
You will engage in learning-by-doing experiences through digital and analog technologies that encourage you to think about why and how artifacts of art, design, and media exist the way they do.
Innovation
You will engage in learning experiences that will develop the ability to bring a creative and innovative vision to your practice. Innovation is an essential skill to the world of work, regardless of major.
Growth
You will engage in learning experiences designed to develop your individual creative goals, embracing the importance of success and failure through reflection, preparing you for a lifetime of learning and career development.
Belonging
You will engage in learning experiences that generate positive experiences with your professors, the VMA staff, and your peers, creating a community of mutual understanding and support.
“"Without the constant critique and push for growth when I was at Grand Valley, I would never have the drive I do today. Self-reflection has been my greatest asset and vice in reaching towards new skillsets."”
—
Heather Murray, BA (Studio Art), 2014
The Destinations in Your Voyage
As part of VMA, you will engage in multiple hands-on, career-connected educational experiences, preparing you for the future you will face.
In the Classroom
- Project/problem-based learning
- Partnerships with Community Organizations
- Creation of works of art, design, and media
- Create ideas and develop projects in your major.
- Course-based Undergraduate Research
- Simulations
Outside of the Classroom
- Welcoming Events, Orientations, Community Events
- Peer Mentoring Groups
- Student Teaching, Internships and Apprenticeships
- Exhibitions, Public Presentations, Screenings
- Student Organizations
- Student Employment at GVSU
- Study Away and Abroad
Reflecting and Visualizing Your Learning Journey
Throughout your four years, we will ask you to look back and process these experiences in a neatly organized portfolio. You will document your achievements, your learning, and celebrate your accomplishments, allowing you the space to visualize how you became the graduate that you will be in four years.
About the CLAS Voyage
In GVSU’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS), we believe that education extends beyond the classroom walls. That's why we've created the CLAS Voyage—a dynamic and immersive experience designed to empower students to navigate their academic journey, explore their passions, and chart a course toward personal and professional success.