Artwork by recent CSUMB graduate Jacob Kernodle is gracing the marketing materials for First Night Monterey – the result of a longstanding relationship between the university and the event’s organizers. This year’s theme for the annual event is “Imagine, Create, Participate.” Members of Professor Bobbi Long’s Publications Design course have been designing the poster and button for First Night Monterey since 2003.

“These projects give students real-world experience of working with a client and progressing through various stages of the design process,” said Professor Long.

Publication Design is not an art class "where students just have a muse. We teach them the actual design process. In design, you have to listen to your client, who tells you their needs and their ideas, and you interpret that," she said.

"This program gives students a chance to show their talents, skills, and creativity, but it also teaches them how to listen and respond to what they hear, as well as how to manage a project." Kernodle combined graphic design, business management, marketing and art to earn a degree in integrated studies. After graduation, he returned home to Shingle Springs, a town in the Gold Country near Placerville, where he plans to start an artists’ collaborative to showcase the work of designers and artists. According to its website, First Night Monterey seeks to foster the public's appreciation of visual and performing arts through an innovative, diverse and high-quality program which provides a shared cultural experience accessible and affordable to all. The centerpiece is its alcohol-free celebration on New Year's Eve in downtown Monterey. The First Night concept was created in 1976 by a group of citizens in Boston. It has grown to include celebrations in over 200 cities throughout the U.S. and Canada. First Night Monterey premiered in 1993. The volunteer core has grown from 50 to 500; the audience has grown from 9,000 to 40,000; and participation as a performing or visual artist becomes more competitive each year. First Night Monterey has won awards for promoting the arts, building community, and creating innovative programming. To learn more about the design program at CSUMB, click here.