GCM Info Booklet
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Table of<br />
Contents<br />
21<br />
35<br />
Opportunities<br />
What exciting opportunities are<br />
available to <strong>GCM</strong> students? Discover<br />
our scholarships and international<br />
exchange program. Get involved with<br />
extracurricular student groups unique<br />
to <strong>GCM</strong> and attend engaging industry<br />
and student events.<br />
Alumni Profiles<br />
5<br />
Why <strong>GCM</strong>?<br />
Discover what makes the country’s<br />
only degree-granting program in print<br />
management stand out.<br />
What’s life like after <strong>GCM</strong>? Read Q&As<br />
with a diverse group of alumni working<br />
in dynamic fields of the printing industries.<br />
Learn first-hand what the <strong>GCM</strong><br />
experience is all about and discover a<br />
few of the employment opportunities<br />
available upon graduation.<br />
10 Program<br />
43<br />
Find out how <strong>GCM</strong> combines technology,<br />
creativity and business to create a<br />
compelling, hands-on undergraduate<br />
degree program. Learn about the<br />
flexibility offered by the curriculum,<br />
Concentrations and Minors, as well as<br />
internship and Job Fair.<br />
Student Work<br />
A visual showcase of student work<br />
completed throughout the <strong>GCM</strong> program.<br />
Take a look at how our students<br />
are applying technical, creative and<br />
business skills acquired in courses to<br />
create inspiring projects.
4
Why a degree<br />
in <strong>GCM</strong>?<br />
5<br />
Is a degree in graphic communications<br />
management<br />
right for you?<br />
Our world is a visual one. Every day we come<br />
into contact with hundreds of printed and<br />
graphic products — from giant billboards, to<br />
sleek interactive websites and unique packaging<br />
carrying the coffee you’re drinking or<br />
the smartphone you just bought.<br />
The printing industry is Canada’s fourth largest<br />
manufacturing employer: it’s a $9 billion<br />
industry with over 50,000 employees working<br />
in more than 4,000 different organizations.<br />
The opportunities are diverse, both in region<br />
and role.<br />
There’s more competition for consumers’<br />
attention today than ever before, and in<br />
graphic communications, it’s your job to<br />
make sure the product stands out, no matter<br />
what it is. It takes many steps and people to<br />
do this — from vision leading executives and<br />
entrepreneurs, project managers to creative<br />
designers and printers. The School of<br />
Graphic Communications Management can<br />
teach you the wide variety of transferable<br />
skills sought in many fields. Everyone has a<br />
message they’re trying to spread. We help<br />
them get noticed.<br />
Technology continues to change the way we<br />
receive and process information, and the<br />
printing industries have been at the forefront<br />
of this revolution — whether it’s 3D,<br />
hybrid or digital printing. The field is continuously<br />
adapting and the need for experts is<br />
growing. With a degree in graphic communications<br />
management, you’ll be ready<br />
to lead the next wave in changing how we<br />
interact with products and packaging.
6<br />
Why <strong>GCM</strong> at<br />
Ryerson?<br />
9 Reasons to Choose<br />
<strong>GCM</strong> at Ryerson<br />
Reputation<br />
<strong>GCM</strong> is Canada’s only degree program for<br />
the printing industry and is one of the top<br />
programs of its kind in North America. <strong>GCM</strong><br />
is renowned amongst industry leaders, which<br />
is why many of them helped us build the<br />
modern Heidelberg Centre — where many<br />
of our classes are housed today. <strong>GCM</strong> is a<br />
recognized and respected name, and being a<br />
part of it means you’ll be a highly sought-after<br />
professional with a wide range of skills.<br />
Modern, Flexible<br />
Curriculum<br />
<strong>GCM</strong> combines the high technology and creativity<br />
of graphic communications with the analytical<br />
and strategic principles of business and management.<br />
Our modern, flexible curriculum lets you<br />
pursue your passion while learning base level<br />
skills transferable across jobs. You’ll have the<br />
option to pursue a Concentration in Packaging,<br />
Digital Graphics, Publishing or Leadership. Many<br />
students also choose to add a Minor in a second<br />
area of interest, from over 50 options.
7<br />
Paid Internships<br />
Gaining work experience is a key part of<br />
making sure you’re ready to jump into whatever<br />
field you want after graduation, which<br />
is why our students complete an internship<br />
between third and fourth year. These work<br />
placements often lead to part-time employment<br />
in fourth year and full-time work after<br />
graduation.You will have the chance to work<br />
with leading employers across the country<br />
and best of all, these positions are paid.<br />
Small Classes<br />
You’re not just a number at <strong>GCM</strong>. Small class<br />
sizes and hands-on lab courses means our<br />
professors will know you by name and are<br />
committed to your development. The class<br />
sizes also help you build personal connections<br />
with instructors and classmates. Developing<br />
a professional network for the future<br />
comes naturally here at <strong>GCM</strong>.<br />
Outstanding<br />
Employment<br />
Prospects<br />
Thanks to our reputation and industry<br />
connections, students often receive multiple<br />
job offers prior to graduation. Our goal<br />
is to help you find a rewarding career, and<br />
our school has an extremely high graduate<br />
placement rate. Many students use the<br />
internship and our annual Job Fair as first<br />
steps to shaping their dream careers.
8<br />
Leading<br />
Learning Labs<br />
Our learning labs feature state-of-the-art<br />
computer, imaging, printing and finishing<br />
technologies. Generous industry support<br />
means you’re working on the cutting edge<br />
software and equipment that the pros use.<br />
Small lab sections allow you to get to know<br />
classmates and professors.<br />
Industry Support<br />
and Connections<br />
Industry leaders and successful companies<br />
support <strong>GCM</strong> students with generous<br />
scholarships and awards, company tours and<br />
guest speakers. These relationships also give<br />
students rare opportunities to attend major<br />
showcases and events put on by the industry’s<br />
biggest players.
9<br />
Vibrant<br />
Student Life<br />
<strong>GCM</strong> has many student clubs and initiatives<br />
you can join, whether you’re looking to beef<br />
up your resume or social calendar. These<br />
groups often attend industry conferences,<br />
competitions and trade shows in North America<br />
and Europe.<br />
FCAD:<br />
The Creative Hub<br />
Ryerson’s Faculty of Communication and<br />
Design is home to Canada’s leading creative<br />
and communications programs. You’ll have<br />
the chance to work on extracurricular projects<br />
alongside students of fashion, film, photography,<br />
journalism, theatre and more. These<br />
unique collaborations will create new possibilities<br />
for professional development, and will<br />
help you develop close relationships with the<br />
future leaders of the creative industries.
10<br />
Program<br />
Overview<br />
Join Canada’s top graphic<br />
arts and management<br />
school. <strong>GCM</strong> will make you<br />
a well-rounded industry<br />
leader. Hone your creative,<br />
business and technological<br />
skills at <strong>GCM</strong>.
11<br />
We’re Canada’s undisputed leader in<br />
graphic communications management<br />
education and our graduates are at the<br />
forefront of this $9 billion industry. Our<br />
interdisciplinary approach gives you a<br />
unique breadth of technological, creative<br />
and business expertise, along with unique<br />
opportunities to gain industry experience<br />
throughout your degree.<br />
<strong>GCM</strong> prepares students to become<br />
well-rounded managers in the printing<br />
industries, with a high level of technological<br />
and creative literacy. Throughout your<br />
time as a <strong>GCM</strong> student, core courses will<br />
build a strong foundation for your technical<br />
knowledge and skills, and you’ll learn how to<br />
bring a product from concept to design and<br />
printing — meaning you get to hold your<br />
creations in your hand.<br />
In our premedia labs you’ll use professional<br />
digital cameras in a photography studio, as<br />
well as photo-quality proofers and printers.<br />
In production labs students work with digital,<br />
offset and flexographic printing presses,<br />
binding and finishing machines, computerbased<br />
simulators and specialized material<br />
testing equipment.<br />
Our students also develop the technical<br />
business skills to be successful managers<br />
and leading executives. You’ll hone essential<br />
skills in marketing, management, accounting<br />
and communication, and have the opportunity<br />
to create business plans for ventures you<br />
might launch someday. Many of our graduates<br />
are entrepreneurs, and we encourage<br />
students to think outside the box.<br />
We know classroom learning can only take<br />
you so far, which is why we’re committed to<br />
ensuring you gain work experience throughout<br />
your time at <strong>GCM</strong>. Our professors are<br />
well-connected to industry experts and<br />
our Advisory Council includes reps from<br />
Canada’s printing leaders who are vying to<br />
hire <strong>GCM</strong> students and graduates. These<br />
connections, plus our Job Fair, Business Plan<br />
Expo, industry competitions and internship<br />
program, set you up with a wide variety of<br />
opportunities to pursue your dream career.
12<br />
Curriculum<br />
Here’s what your time at<br />
<strong>GCM</strong> will look like:<br />
Year<br />
Year<br />
In this foundation year, students are<br />
introduced to core concepts in the<br />
printing industry. Hands-on lab courses<br />
provide experience in design and layout,<br />
graphic communication premedia<br />
and printing processes. Introductory<br />
business courses give you essential<br />
base knowledge and your electives are<br />
an opportunity to take courses in any<br />
subject that interests you.<br />
Building on the knowledge and skills<br />
gained in first year, you’ll advance your<br />
understanding of printing and packaging.<br />
Second year courses include<br />
typography, consumer packaging,<br />
binding and finishing, material science,<br />
premedia workflows and processes. Students<br />
continue to take business courses<br />
to prepare them for management roles<br />
after graduation, and you can start<br />
selecting Concentrations (explained on<br />
page 16) through your electives.
13<br />
Year<br />
Year<br />
Third year gives you insight into more<br />
specialized topics in the printing industry<br />
with an increased focus on business<br />
and project management. Courses<br />
include colour management, digital<br />
and variable data printing, web and<br />
cross-media and project management.<br />
You’ll also be preparing for your summer<br />
internship between third and fourth<br />
year, and working towards any Minors or<br />
Concentrations you’ve chosen.<br />
In your final year, you’ll work to master<br />
topics within the printing industry such<br />
as production workflows and advanced<br />
and emerging technologies. As a final<br />
project, students have the option of<br />
preparing a business plan for a start-up<br />
business in the industry, or writing a<br />
technology-focused research thesis. You<br />
will finish your Concentrations and Minors<br />
and be ready for a lucrative career.
Fall Semester<br />
<strong>GCM</strong> 110 - Introduction to<br />
Graphic Communications<br />
<strong>GCM</strong> 120 - Graphic<br />
Communications Processes 1<br />
<strong>GCM</strong> 130 - Design and Layout<br />
MKT 100 - Principles of Marketing<br />
One Liberal Studies Course<br />
Winter Semester<br />
CMN 279 - Introduction to<br />
Professional Communication<br />
<strong>GCM</strong> 111 - Graphic<br />
Communication Technologies<br />
<strong>GCM</strong> 121 - Graphic<br />
Communications Processes 2<br />
GMS 200 - Introduction to<br />
Global Management<br />
SSH 105 - Critical Thinking I<br />
Fall Semester<br />
<strong>GCM</strong> 230 - Typography<br />
<strong>GCM</strong> 240 - Material Science for Print<br />
<strong>GCM</strong> 250 - Binding and Finishing<br />
MKT 300 - Marketing Metrics<br />
and Analysis<br />
One Open Elective Course<br />
Winter Semester<br />
ACC 100 - Introductory<br />
Financial Accounting<br />
<strong>GCM</strong> 210 - Consumer Packaging<br />
<strong>GCM</strong> 220 - Graphic<br />
Communication Processes 3<br />
<strong>GCM</strong> 260 - Digital<br />
Premedia Workflows<br />
One Open Elective Course<br />
One Liberal Studies Course<br />
One Liberal Studies Course
Fall Semester<br />
<strong>GCM</strong> 350 - Estimating and Selling<br />
for Graphic Communications<br />
<strong>GCM</strong> 360 - Colour Management<br />
<strong>GCM</strong> 370 - Management Studies<br />
<strong>GCM</strong> 375 - Project Management for<br />
Graphic Communications<br />
One Liberal Studies Course<br />
One Core Elective Course<br />
Winter Semester<br />
<strong>GCM</strong> 320 - Digital and Variable<br />
Data Printing<br />
<strong>GCM</strong> 362 - Web and Cross Media<br />
<strong>GCM</strong> 372 - Operations and<br />
Process Management<br />
One Open Elective Course<br />
One Core Elective Course<br />
WKT 608 - <strong>GCM</strong> Internship<br />
Fall Semester<br />
<strong>GCM</strong> 420 - Advanced Print<br />
Production Processes<br />
<strong>GCM</strong> 460 - Asset Management for<br />
Graphic Communications<br />
One Core Elective Course<br />
One Liberal Studies Course<br />
One Open Elective Course<br />
Winter Semester<br />
<strong>GCM</strong> 461 - Workflow Automation<br />
Choose one:<br />
<strong>GCM</strong> 470 - Business Plan, or<br />
<strong>GCM</strong> 490 - Thesis<br />
One Core Elective Course<br />
One Liberal Studies Course<br />
One Open Elective Course<br />
For complete course details, please<br />
visit ryerson.ca/calendar
16<br />
Concentrations<br />
Concentrations are a way for you to customize<br />
your degree and graduate with a unique<br />
skill set. By focusing on a specific area within<br />
graphic communications, students are able<br />
to study topics that interest them in more<br />
depth. There are currently four concentration<br />
topics to choose from:<br />
Packaging<br />
Learn what it takes to make your products<br />
stand above the rest on the shelf, and gain<br />
experience with some of the cutting edge<br />
technologies in this ever-changing field.<br />
Leadership<br />
Our variety of general and print-specific business<br />
courses, from managerial finance to finding<br />
market opportunities, will prepare you to<br />
lead a project team or start your own company.<br />
Digital Graphic Output<br />
Get ready to master the world of digital<br />
printing with deep and flexible knowledge<br />
of digital printing applications. You will be<br />
ready to step into a range of exciting roles<br />
in signage, packaging, or digital printing.<br />
Publishing<br />
From print magazines to e-books, you’ll<br />
gain a well-rounded view of today’s publishing<br />
industry and gain unique skills needed<br />
to stand out as a graduate.<br />
Completion of a Concentration is optional. Doing so will help you to achieve a level of expertise<br />
beyond the core curriculum and set yourself apart from others when entering the workforce.
17<br />
Minors<br />
Minors give you the opportunity to hone skills outside your<br />
<strong>GCM</strong> major. You’ll be granted a Minor by completing six elective<br />
courses in a particular subject. Ryerson currently offers<br />
over 50 Minors. Some available to <strong>GCM</strong> students include:<br />
Entrepreneurship and Innovation<br />
Finance<br />
Law<br />
News Studies<br />
Professional Communication<br />
Photography<br />
For more on minors available to<br />
you, check out ryersongcm.ca/<br />
program-overview/minors<br />
Marketing<br />
Fashion<br />
Environmental and Urban Sustainability<br />
Global Management
18<br />
Internship<br />
Between third and fourth year, you’ll complete<br />
a work placement at an organization<br />
of your choice. Most of these positions are<br />
paid, but some students opt for a volunteer<br />
position. Through your internship, you’ll<br />
put your learning to work in a professional<br />
setting, broaden your understanding of the<br />
industry and opportunities available, and<br />
make valuable connections in the field of<br />
your choice. This is your time to shine.<br />
Many companies continue to employ interns<br />
part-time through fourth year and hire them<br />
full-time after graduation. A majority of students<br />
find an internship through our annual<br />
Job Fair and career postings. You’ll have<br />
access and connections to a wide variety of<br />
organizations, including design agencies,<br />
printing and packaging companies, magazine<br />
publishers and many more.
19<br />
Job Fair<br />
<strong>GCM</strong> grads are in high demand, working in<br />
rewarding and engaging positions around<br />
the world. Many of our students find their<br />
internships and jobs at our annual Job Fair<br />
— another opportunity for you to stand out<br />
and connect with potential employers. We<br />
regularly get more than 60 companies at the<br />
event who want to hire our best students —<br />
it’s up to you to show them why that’s you.
20
Opportunities<br />
21
22<br />
International<br />
Exchange<br />
<strong>GCM</strong> gives you opportunities to see the<br />
world while completing your degree — and<br />
getting top quality professional experience<br />
at the same time! By participating in an international<br />
exchange, you can spend a semester<br />
abroad studying in countries like Germany,<br />
Denmark, Sweden, Belgium and others.<br />
An international exchange is an unforgettable<br />
and enriching experience. Immerse yourself<br />
in a new culture and learn what your industry<br />
looks like on the other side of the world.<br />
Spending a semester abroad is a rare opportunity<br />
that will enhance your critical thinking,<br />
inspire you to create and help you figure out<br />
what you want from your career and life.<br />
...you can spend a<br />
semester abroad<br />
studying in countries<br />
like Germany,<br />
Denmark, Sweden,<br />
Belgium and others.
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25<br />
Scholarships<br />
& Awards<br />
Each year, <strong>GCM</strong> faculty, staff, alumni and industry<br />
leaders gather to celebrate students’<br />
achievement by handing out dozens of<br />
awards to our top students, totalling tens of<br />
thousands of dollars. Many of these awards<br />
are donated by top Canadian companies in<br />
the printing industries.<br />
Coming out of high school, you’re<br />
able to apply for the Canadian<br />
Printing Industries Scholarship. The<br />
scholarship is currently valued at<br />
$1,500 per year and is renewable<br />
for all four years.<br />
You need a high school average of 80%<br />
or higher to qualify, and dozens of <strong>GCM</strong><br />
students receive this generous scholarship<br />
every year. This generous scholarship is<br />
coordinated by the Canadian Printing Industries<br />
Scholarship Trust Fund. Learn more<br />
about the scholarship at printscholarships.ca<br />
As a <strong>GCM</strong> student you’re also eligible for a<br />
wide range of scholarships and bursaries from<br />
around Ryerson based on academics, extracurricular<br />
involvement and financial need.
26
27<br />
Student<br />
Life<br />
<strong>GCM</strong> is one big family. Students,<br />
professors and staff interact on a first<br />
name basis. Student groups foster<br />
community by running numerous social,<br />
athletic and academic events throughout<br />
the year, including orientation week,<br />
Ryerson’s parade and picnic, the famous<br />
<strong>GCM</strong> Halloween night, graduation formal<br />
and much more.<br />
You have many opportunities to get involved,<br />
meet new people and have fun at <strong>GCM</strong>.<br />
Here’s a sampling of our student groups:<br />
<strong>GCM</strong> COURSE UNION<br />
The Course Union represents <strong>GCM</strong> students<br />
within Ryerson. The student-led executive<br />
and class reps organize social activities,<br />
trips, intramural athletic teams and academic<br />
events. The course union is also a good<br />
liaison between you, the student union,<br />
faculty and university administration.
28<br />
COLLOQUIUM<br />
The Colloquium Team organizes a gala<br />
speaker event each year, bringing together<br />
students and industry on a current relevant<br />
theme. Industry speakers share their expertise,<br />
and the mix of student and industry<br />
attendees always guarantees rewarding<br />
opportunities for discussion and networking.<br />
LETTERPRESS CLUB<br />
The Letterpress Club is an interdisciplinary<br />
group with members who collaborate to<br />
complete a letterpress project each semester.<br />
Members learn the fundamentals of<br />
letterpress printing such as movable type<br />
and the uses of various inks and papers.<br />
They also get hands-on experience learning<br />
typography, composition, layout and letterpress<br />
printing.<br />
PHOENIX CHALLENGE<br />
The Phoenix Challenge is a flexography<br />
competition which takes place at the annual<br />
international FTA Flexo Forum each spring.<br />
Past teams have competed in Las Vegas,<br />
Dallas and San Diego.<br />
RYEPACK<br />
RyePack is Ryerson’s student group dedicated<br />
to creating opportunities for learning about<br />
packaging. Students engage with the packaging<br />
industry through several unique field trips,<br />
speaker events and design competitions.<br />
RYETAGA<br />
RyeTAGA is the Ryerson student chapter<br />
of the Technical Association of the Graphic<br />
Arts (TAGA) — an important research association<br />
in the printing industry. The student<br />
chapter publishes its own annual journal of<br />
student research for competition and has<br />
won several top prizes at conferences across<br />
North America, including in Portland, San<br />
Francisco and Pittsburgh.<br />
XPLOR<br />
Xplor Ryerson helps connect students who<br />
share an interest in digital documents to<br />
industry professionals from the Xplor International<br />
Network. Xplor International is a not-forprofit<br />
group for professionals in the electronic<br />
document industry, offering networking and<br />
educational opportunities for its members.
29<br />
RYERSON COMMUNICATION AND<br />
DESIGN SOCIETY<br />
The Ryerson Communication and Design Society<br />
(RCDS) is the first student-led umbrella<br />
society in a creative faculty in North America.<br />
The society represents all nine schools in the<br />
Faculty of Communication and Design. RCDS<br />
builds community, hosts conferences and<br />
competitions, and offers over $200,000 in<br />
extracurricular project funding for students in<br />
the Faculty of Communication and Design.
30<br />
Industry<br />
Events<br />
Working with industry is a big part of your<br />
time here at <strong>GCM</strong>. On top of internship and<br />
Job Fair, you have many opportunities to<br />
connect with the people you want to work<br />
with. Instructors often bring in guest speakers<br />
to classes and we secure rare plant tours with<br />
printing companies.<br />
Through student groups and academic<br />
competitions you can attend trade shows and<br />
conferences, and join industry associations.<br />
We also host a variety of industry dinners,<br />
seminars, open houses and networking nights.<br />
We give you the tools and opportunities to<br />
shape your dream career, all you have to do is<br />
choose what it is.
Networking: It’s<br />
not who you know, it’s<br />
who knows you.<br />
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32<br />
The Faculty of Communication and Design<br />
FCAD is home to nine of Canada’s leading schools<br />
in media and creative industries. For seven decades,<br />
our unique programs have been at the heart of the<br />
evolution of cultural industries in Canada.
33<br />
A CREATIVE SPACE<br />
Our facilities allow students to set their<br />
imaginations free at the crossroads of technology<br />
and creativity. Through <strong>GCM</strong> you<br />
can access professional studios, workshops,<br />
advanced printing and fabrication technologies,<br />
as well as industry-standard software.<br />
A UNIQUE STUDENT EXPERIENCE<br />
FCAD offers students exclusive opportunities<br />
to further their learning both inside and<br />
outside of the classroom.<br />
Co-curricular learning − Opportunities<br />
within the FCAD schools and across campus<br />
offer paid opportunities to work on client-based<br />
projects, putting your skills to the<br />
test with professional-level assignments.<br />
Zones − Got an idea for a project, business<br />
or creative event? Pitch your ideas to any<br />
of the zones on campus, including FCAD’s<br />
Design Fabrication Zone, Fashion Zone<br />
and Transmedia Zone. Zones offer advice,<br />
mentorship and resources for you to explore,<br />
ideate and build under the guidance of<br />
industry leaders.<br />
Partnerships − Large brands have partnered<br />
with FCAD on numerous occasions, offering<br />
students opportunities to work with technology<br />
and expertise from Heidelberg Canada,<br />
Kodak, Esko, Color-Logic, The Printing<br />
House and many more.<br />
A global perspective − Through international<br />
exchanges, research, faculty, distinguished<br />
visiting professors, alumni and multinational<br />
affiliations, there are many ways to plug<br />
yourself into an international network. FCAD<br />
attracts talented students from around the<br />
world and offers you one-of-a-kind opportunities<br />
to see the world for yourself through<br />
diverse perspectives.<br />
Our dynamic community, with its breadth<br />
and focus on innovation, is uniquely positioned<br />
to be at the forefront of change.<br />
LEADING SCHOOLS<br />
Creative Industries<br />
Fashion<br />
Graphic Communications Management<br />
Image Arts<br />
Interior Design<br />
Journalism<br />
Professional Communication<br />
RTA School of Media<br />
Performance
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Alumni Profiles<br />
35
36<br />
Andrea<br />
Lo<br />
2013 Graduate<br />
Manager, Content Production — Flipp
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Today you’re working at Flipp — one of<br />
Canada’s fastest growing and most awarded<br />
tech startups — how did you find your<br />
way there?<br />
I actually got it through networking at <strong>GCM</strong><br />
Colloquium! When I graduated, I was working<br />
in advertising, but felt like I wanted something<br />
more fulfilling. So as I was looking at other<br />
jobs, I met another <strong>GCM</strong> alumnus at Colloquium<br />
who told me about his job at Flipp.<br />
It sounded awesome. He got me in for an<br />
interview, I loved the company and culture,<br />
and I’ve been here ever since.<br />
Working at a tech startup isn’t the most<br />
traditional path for a <strong>GCM</strong> grad. How are<br />
you putting your degree to use there?<br />
You were actively involved in the <strong>GCM</strong><br />
Course Union, how did that enhance your<br />
time at Ryerson?<br />
Being part of the Course Union opened the<br />
door for me to meet a lot of people, not<br />
just in <strong>GCM</strong> but across campus. I met some<br />
great people who are still my close friends to<br />
this day. As the Vice President I developed<br />
leadership skills that I still use today when<br />
motivating my team, managing projects and<br />
fostering collaboration.<br />
Pairing these soft skills with the technical<br />
ones I learned in class is very valuable. The<br />
<strong>GCM</strong> program is very practical and five years<br />
out of school and I’m still using and building<br />
on what I learned at Ryerson!<br />
I’m applying a lot of what I learned at <strong>GCM</strong><br />
to my role. I’m helping guide retailers towards<br />
a digital workflow, but in order to do<br />
that, I need to really understand their print<br />
workflow. I do a lot of consulting on-site<br />
with retailers and the first thing we do is try<br />
to understand their print production. So the<br />
language, workflows and timelines are very<br />
relevant to what I learned.
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Faris<br />
Abu-Kwiek<br />
2014 Graduate<br />
Project and Traffic Manager —<br />
Marks, an SGSCO company
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Can you tell us about your role at Marks<br />
and how you got there?<br />
At Marks I work on packaging and point of<br />
purchase items for brands like Unilever Ice<br />
Cream, Bacardi, Hershey Canada and more.<br />
When I first joined the company, I helped<br />
design the special edition Oh Henry! Canada<br />
150 bar.<br />
The agency actually approached me for the<br />
job. After I graduated, I worked at Canadian<br />
Tire and Rogers, and Marks liked that I had<br />
this experience and could understand the<br />
client mindset and what they care about. My<br />
former professors helped convince me getting<br />
agency experience would help extend<br />
my learning and they were right, knowing<br />
both the client and agency side is a huge<br />
advantage for me.<br />
Your professors helped? Do you still connect<br />
with them often?<br />
I constantly stay in touch with many of them.<br />
It’s important to stay connected because<br />
they have so much experience and knowledge<br />
of how to approach aspects of my<br />
career. They also know so many industry<br />
leaders, and they’re always willing to help<br />
graduates connect with them. I love how<br />
family-oriented <strong>GCM</strong> is.<br />
You actually came back to speak at <strong>GCM</strong><br />
last year, why was that?<br />
I have so many good memories of <strong>GCM</strong>,<br />
from the projects I worked on, to meeting<br />
and learning from other graphics geeks on<br />
school trips to Germany and around the<br />
United States. I honestly miss school and<br />
wanted to get back in the community.<br />
Speaking with students in <strong>GCM</strong> classes was<br />
great. I love the school and would be like to<br />
come back and teach, one day. It was also<br />
good learning for me to see how the courses<br />
I took in undergrad are evolving for the<br />
future of the print industry.<br />
Why should students choose <strong>GCM</strong>?<br />
<strong>GCM</strong> gives you an edge. I can apply to a<br />
similar job as a business graduate, and I<br />
have the graphics component that makes<br />
me stand out. Today I work with a lot of<br />
brand managers, who don’t necessarily<br />
understand print, just cost and operations.<br />
By knowing all three, I stand out amongst<br />
the competition.
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Robert<br />
Leclair<br />
2009 Graduate<br />
General Manager —<br />
The Printing House Limited
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How did <strong>GCM</strong> prepare you to be a leader at<br />
The Printing House?<br />
<strong>GCM</strong> prepared me extremely well, it gave me<br />
the technical and management knowledge<br />
needed for a leadership role. The program also<br />
facilitated many networking opportunities.<br />
Today I manage 12 immediate staff and help<br />
coordinate 76 locations across the country. I got<br />
here by networking and studying at <strong>GCM</strong>.<br />
Why should students focus on networking<br />
during school?<br />
When sponsors and industry professionals<br />
came into the university I always made sure I<br />
had the opportunity to start a conversation.<br />
A resume is only a piece of paper, how you’re<br />
perceived in the industry is way more important<br />
when it comes to landing jobs and moving<br />
up the ladder.<br />
As a student, make sure you take every opportunity<br />
to shake someone’s hand who comes<br />
through that door, because they might be your<br />
boss one day. That’s what happened to me.<br />
You have a unique story of how you discovered<br />
<strong>GCM</strong>, can you tell us about it?<br />
I worked with the yearbook company back in<br />
high school, and they wanted to hire me when<br />
I graduated, but I wanted to go to university.<br />
So one of the company heads asked the chair<br />
of <strong>GCM</strong> at the time — Mary Black — to come<br />
and meet me. in my high school. Mary drove<br />
3 ½ hours to my tiny school to speak to me<br />
about <strong>GCM</strong>. Seeing she cared about the program<br />
and students really impressed me. Then I<br />
came to visit the school and hearing about the<br />
industry excited me even more. The program<br />
is a leader in the field.<br />
Do you think <strong>GCM</strong> is still a leader?<br />
Definitely. It’s a great program to be in, one of<br />
a kind and it opens up so many doors. Even<br />
at my company today, I hire at least one or<br />
two people out of the program each year and<br />
have a current student working part time. I’m<br />
constantly in contact with current professors<br />
asking who the top potential employees are<br />
coming out of the program.
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Student Work<br />
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Packaging<br />
Design<br />
Package design produced<br />
by the <strong>GCM</strong> Phoenix<br />
Challenge team
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Poster Design<br />
Students have an opportunity to<br />
create letterpress prints in the<br />
extracurricular Letterpress Club<br />
A student project<br />
that shows how<br />
typographic choices<br />
affect the appeal<br />
and accessibility<br />
of a document
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Hand-bound<br />
Books<br />
Handcrafted book<br />
created by a fourth<br />
year student
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Editorial<br />
The RyeTAGA journal is produced annually<br />
at <strong>GCM</strong>. The entire book – content, design<br />
and printing – is done by students<br />
Magazine designed and printed as<br />
part of student course work
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Book Design
In the Design and Layout course, first year students<br />
implement software tools to meet client requirements<br />
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Business Plan
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Join Us<br />
“<strong>GCM</strong> is known for a career-relevant<br />
education with practical internships leading<br />
to outstanding employment prospects.<br />
<strong>GCM</strong> students combine their enthusiasm<br />
for technology, creativity and business. We<br />
welcome you to our campus for a tour of our<br />
facilities, and we are confident you will enjoy<br />
the opportunities available through <strong>GCM</strong>!”<br />
FACULTY & STAFF<br />
Graphic Communications Management<br />
Connect with <strong>GCM</strong> @RU<strong>GCM</strong><br />
“Our faculty and its nine leading schools<br />
have been at the heart of the evolution of<br />
cultural industries for seven decades. Here<br />
you can immerse yourself in new worlds<br />
of design, storytelling, media and creative<br />
leadership – surrounded by like-minded<br />
peers and mentors. We hope you’ll join us.”<br />
CHARLES FALZON<br />
Dean, Faculty of Communication & Design<br />
Connect with FCAD @RyersonFCAD
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