Design Camp

Design Camp 2024

Design Camp is a pre-college design program organized by the Department of Applied Design and Gear Up for high school students. During Design Camp, students will learn about the many professional fields within Design from App State Faculty and Students. You will also create scale models during one-day activities for each program. The design thinking skills and creative experience gained can empower students on their path toward becoming innovative problem solvers and prepare them to tackle the challenges of the future. After four full days and completing a project in Design Foundations, Apparel Design, Industrial Design and Interior Design, a reception is held for all campers and parents to showcase each camper's efforts.

During each day, campers engage in one-on-one and group activities associated with the design process. There are presentations about the project and from outside professional designers that engage the campers. Campers are also given tours of the various studio and lab spaces used by the faculty and students at Appalachian. A sample daily schedule is below:

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  • Introduction to Project
  • Drawing Demonstration and Camper Participation
  • Group Brainstorming Activity
  • Thumbnail/ Concept Generation
  • Alumni Professional Presentation
  • Feedback and Critique of Concepts
  • Refinement of Ideas
  • Model Building Demonstration
  • Finalization of Concept as Rendering and Model
   

Student Eligibility

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This camp is for mature high school-age students (rising 9th through 12th grade). If you are creative, like to build or draw objects, or are just inquisitive about how things work, then this is a perfect camp for you! Because of the volume and complexity of the material that will be presented, we would like to encourage participants to come rested and prepared to take on the challenge. Only 60 students will be accepted for this program. All camp attendees are required to participate in all aspects and activities of the Design Camp. Activities include the following: brainstorming, drawing, and building models with a variety of materials. Campers will use industry-specific tools for all of these activities. All materials and tools will be provided by the camp. 


Camp Fees


Additional Information

  • Residential Camper Check-in: Sunday, July 21, 2024 Time: TBD; Residence Hall Location: TBD

  • Day Camper Check-in: Monday, July 22, 2024 from 8 a.m. - 8:45 a.m. at Reich College of Education Lobby

  • Day Camper Pick-up: 5 p.m. daily, at Reich College of Education 

  • Residential Camper Check-out: Thursday, July 25, 6 p.m. (after reception)

Reich College of Education is located at 151 College Street, Boone, NC 28608
Long-term parking is available at Rivers Street Parking Deck and parking passes for chaperones will be provided at resident check-in. Drop-off (30-minute) parking is available at the Library Parking deck adjacent to the Reich College of Education. Buses must park at the Greenwood Parking Lot and do not require a parking pass. Directions will be provided at check-in. An interactive campus map is available for planning your route. 


Camp Leadership

Michael Rall

Mr. Michael Rall is an Associate Professor in the Department of Applied Design, with a degree from North Carolina State's College of Design in Industrial Design. He has worked with the community for several years, engaging middle and high school students in the various design fields. The expansive nature of Industrial Design has allowed Michael to work in a variety of fields from gifts to furniture. He is particularly interested in how the ever-changing areas of new technology, both input (Touch-Sensitive Displays) and output (3D Printers), can be implemented into the classroom. Michael is an avid user of both technologies in his creative work as a way to rapidly visualize new design work.

Faculty

Professors from Appalachian State University as well as other design professionals may provide additional lectures and lab sessions. Faculty will be assisted by undergraduate students from the Department of Applied Design.

Staff

College-age counselors provide supervision of students during this camp. Participants will experience life on a college campus, staying in the residential facilities on campus and eating in the campus cafeterias and eateries.


Questions

If you have questions about registration, please contact Conference & Event Services by emailing Carey Driskell at driskellc@appstate.edu.

If you have questions about camp content, please contact Michael Rall, Design Camp Director and Associate Professor of Industrial Design by emailing rallma@appstate.edu or by calling (828) 262-8994.