Students from the graphic communication honor society, Gamma Epsilon Tau, and faculty attended Adobe MAX Oct. 28-30. Adobe MAX is an annual creativity conference held by Adobe Inc. This year it was held in Los Angeles, California.
“The conference is where Adobe launches their new software products and teaches the participants how to use them,” Rion Huffman, professor of graphic communication, said. “Also, the sessions are led by the foremost experts in the content areas, so it is the best way to learn the content.”
The agenda for the conference included keynotes, photo walks, and more. GET President, Audrey Marney, a senior majoring in graphic communications with an emphasis in photography and videography, attended to better skills and explore new things.
“I attended Adobe Max to deepen my technical skills, explore new creative tools, and learn from industry professionals who are shaping the future of design and content creation,” Marney said.
The Creative Park and the information sessions were highlights for Vice President of GET, Katelyn Doering, a senior majoring in graphic communications with an emphasis in photography and videography.
“I attended Adobe MAX because I wanted to experience what everyone was talking about,” Doering said. “It was awesome, because there were numerous informational sessions to choose from, as well as the Creative Park, where we got to walk around and talk to companies and other creatives.”
Huffman said artificial intelligence was a big topic for many people at the conference.
“For myself, I would say that I learned a lot about how AI is influencing the creative fields,” Huffman said. “I think the students also had that takeaway, but they also had a lot of fun learning at the conference and our outside events, such as a Venice Beach Photo walk on the first night.”
Marney said the conference was also a way for students to stay current with their industry.
“It’s important, because staying current with industry trends directly impacts the quality and relevance of work,” Marney said. “Experiences like Adobe Max push me to grow creatively and stay competitive within the department.”
Beyond learning and professional growth, Doering said she had a good time with her friends.
“My biggest takeaway was making memories,” Doering said. “It’s not all about having a strict schedule and going to every session. I really enjoyed exploring and having fun with my friends, as well as learning in some of the sessions.”
Over the years, the event has gotten smaller, but Huffman still saw many helpful elements at the conference.
“I have been to this conference multiple times and I think it was an excellent event, however it has gradually become smaller because they started offering some of the sessions online for free,” Huffman said. “Still, there are many elements that demand you to participate in person. Being able to talk to some of the experts is a huge perk, but there is also a Creative Park that has vendors and giveaways from the industry. The Creative Park is exciting and entertaining. There is also a huge creative party on the second night called ‘Max Bash.’ There is live music, and they close four blocks of downtown Los Angeles for the party.”
“I am involved in GET because I care about digging deeper into my major,” Doering said. “It’s so important to connect with those similar to you. I love being on the executive team as well because I get to help lead and be more involved than just being a general member.”
Marney is also involved to grow her skills and building community.
“I’m involved in GET because it allows me to apply my creative skills in a collaborative environment, contribute to meaningful projects, and help build a strong community within our department,” Marney said.
This year there were a total of 19 Pitt State participants: 17 students and two faculty members. The 17 students are all members of GET.