Creative Industry Day

Creative Industry Day is an event by creatives for creatives. This portfolio-based event creates an atmosphere that fosters communication between students and creative industry professionals, artists, photographers, designers, and developers.

Students get feedback on their portfolios and learn more about the creative industry – and industry folks get a chance to give advice, scout for talent, and make connections. The event is sponsored by the RIT Office of Career Services in collaboration with the College of Art and Design, Golisano College of Computing and Information Sciences, and Alumni Relations.

Creative Industry Day 2021 Virtual Career Panel and Talks

By the Numbers

520

Career Talks & Panels attendance

925

1:1 portfolio reviews between students and creative industry professionals

351

Students participated in portfolio reviews

60

Companies and agencies participated

85

professionals (more than half RIT alumni)

An aerial view of students talking to company representatives at a career fair.

Creative Industry Day

Tentatively scheduled for February 2022
 

An RIT students talking to a representative from Microsoft at the career fair.

Career Talks & Panels

New Economy, Meet the New Economy Grads

February 22, 2021
Link to recording for this Kick-Off & Keynote (ends at timestamp 26:15)

Dean Todd Jokl, RIT College of Art and Design
It’s not just majoring in a creative discipline and experience with technology that prepare you for the career journey you are about to embark on (although it helps!).  Ultimately, attitude, resilience, and adaptability are what will set you apart.

RIT College of Art and Design Dean, Dr. Todd Jokl, shares the career journey that has taken him from archaeology excavations in Peru, to the dot.com boom and bubble in San Francisco, to leading one of the premier colleges of art and design in the country, right here at RIT.  “Gaining the experience and education provided in RIT’s creative disciplines sets RIT graduates apart.  Equally important is how our graduates combine their education and skills with personality attributes that differentiate them from the pack and enable them to engage in a rapidly changing (and challenging) world.”

Promoting Yourself and Your Work

February 22, 2021
Link to recording for this session (Starts at timestamp 28.00)

Panelists will tell you how to be memorable – in a good way – and suggest how to showcase your work most effectively to a prospective employer or client. Pick up tips for strengthening your portfolio and polishing your image. Get advice about how to do well in an interview or networking situation.

Maury Postal Ketchum EVP, Executive Group Creative Director, RIT Graphic Design, Marketing alum

Rick Barrack CBX Founding Partner & Chief Creative Officer, RIT Graphic Design alum

Lauren Shapiro Work & Co Design Director, RIT New Media Design alum

Nishat Akhtar Instrument Associate VP Creative

Ethics and a Meaningful Career

February 24, 2021
Recordings for this Panel:  Podcast/audio version | Interpreter spotlighted version.

Is social accountability important to you? Learn from our panelists how to identify and support organizations that balance purpose and profit. Hear more about a global movement of people using business as a force for good. Moderated by Keli DiRisio, Assistant Professor, RIT School of Design.

William Colgrove Threespot (B certified Corp.), Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer. RIT Graphic Design alum.

Seth Eshelman Staach (B certified Corp.), Principal & Founder, RIT Industrial and Product Design alum.

Tobi Saulnier 1st Playable Productions (B certified Corp.), CEO.

Kristen Clauss Butler/Till, (B certified Corp.), Finance Director

Working Remotely in a Creative Team

February 25, 2021
Link to recording for this session

The pandemic has kicked into high gear the practice of working remotely. Interacting with your colleagues, managing work, and good communication can be a challenge. Pick up strategies, tools, and tips to make this way of working enjoyable and effective. Moderated by Barry Strauber, Owner/CEO of RISING, RIT Lecturer, and RAF member.

Sarah Casale Optic Sky Productions Motion Graphics Artist/Associate Producer/Office Manager/HR Manager, RIT Graphic Design alum. RAF Board Member

Liz Chatterton The Article Group Copywriter. RAF Board Member

Josh Lowery Makeway Director of Operations/Co-Founder. RAF Member

Inside the Game Industry

February 25, 2021
No recording, by request

Ever wonder what it’s like to work in games? Learn from folks in development, design, art, and production roles as they discuss how to stand out in the hiring process, opportunities within the industry, and future employment trends. Moderated by Amanda Thau, RIT Career Services Coordinator.

Creative Industry Days Career Panels and Talks feature:

Brian May C77 Entertainment, Senior Technical Artist, RIT Game Design and Development, Information Technology alum

Gabriel Ortega Firaxis, Graphics Programmer, RIT Game Design and Development alum

Luna Meier Unity Technologies, Software Engineer, RIT Game Design and Development alum

Wyatt Savarese Epic Games, Producer

Jackie Wiley, Blizzard Entertainment, Game Designer, Content, RIT Game Design and Development alum 

"Fly on the Wall" Interview

February 26, 2021
Link to recording for this session

Learn by observing a mock job interview. You will get a real-time look at the stages of an interview, typical questions, effective answers, and a chance to debrief from both the interviewer and interviewee's perspective. Moderated by Nan Burgess-Whitman, RIT Career Services Coordinator.

Joe Pietruch Forbes Senior Engineering Manager/Platform. RIT Game Design and Development MS, New Media Design BFA alum

Siobhan Gannon RIT Film & Animation Student, 3D Animation/Tech Artist

Student Info

Prepare your Portfolio

Increase the odds of creative professionals seeing your work and contacting you about future opportunities. Register to have your work included in the official 2021 Creative Industry Student Portfolio Site, where your work remains for up to one year. Your work may be reviewed before the event and by professionals who are unable to attend this year’s event. Check out our Portfolio Preparation page if you need to know how to get started. 

Apply to Job Postings and Interviews

Check out RIT Career Connect to search for creative opportunities, and sign up for virtual interview slots if you have been selected for interviews. Use the keywords: CID2021 to filter job postings beginning in January.

Interpreting Services

If you need an interpreter, please request one through https://myaccess.rit.edu. (All events will be virtual).

Employer Info

Register

Registration for the annual Creative Industry Day held spring semester will open in Fall 2021. 

Do you know someone in the creative industry that should be included in future event invitations? Submit contact info for our follow-up.

Portfolios

Look at what our talented RIT students are creating by visiting the Creative Industry Day Student Portfolio Site. Check back as more and more students add their work. Feel free to reach out to students prior to the event or if you are unable to attend Creative Industry Day this year.

Post a Job. Then choose if you want our assistance in managing your Interview Schedule. 
You can post your job directly in Career Connect powered by Symplicity. An account may have already been created for our employer partners. To check if an account exists, select Forgot Password and enter a username (email address) to receive a reset password link. If an employer partner does not have an account set up, select Sign Up to create a profile and begin posting jobs. 

Access to the Creative Industry Day Portfolio Site and Resume Book will remain available for recruiting talent from RIT.

Please provide feedback about your experience with our virtual event. Surveys will be sent out to participants.

Alumni Info

Launch your career

Did you know as an RIT alumni, you have full-access to Creative Industry Day? Whether you graduated 4 months ago or 5 years ago, employers are excited to meet RIT Tigers from all years of experience.

2021 Participants

  • Activision
  • Adobe Systems
  • Amazon
  • American Standard
  • Bottomline Technologies
  • Butler/Till
  • BZDesign, Inc.
  • C77 Entertainment
  • CBS
  • CBX, LLC
  • CGI Communications, Inc.
  • ChaseDesign
  • Deloitte
  • Demiurge Studios
  • Dixon Schwabl
  • Epic Games
  • Flynn
  • Forbes Media
  • FSD
  • Greenermind
  • Growler Interactive
  • Harebrained Schemes
  • Helen & Gertrude
  • HookBang
  • Instrument
  • iHeartRadio
  • Iron Design Inc.
  • ITX Corp
  • Optic Sky Productions
  • Jay Advertising Inc.
  • Kin + Carta (Spire Digital)
  • Makeway
  • Microsoft
  • National Public Radio (NPR)
  • NetherRealm Studios
  • Newell Brands
  • Nickelodeon Animation Studio
  • Partners + Napier
  • Pilot Studios
  • Procter & Gamble (P&G)
  • Proletariat Inc.
  • Punchcut
  • Retail Business Services, a proud company of Ahold Delhaize
  • Salt-Studios
  • Signing Animation
  • Simple Tech Innovations
  • Space Telescope Science Institute
  • Sports Illustrated
  • Sprout Studios
  • studio etc.
  • The CSI Group
  • Threespot
  • Total Wine & More
  • Truth Collective
  • TUNING Design Co.
  • Two Bulls
  • Vargas Associates
  • VOLUME STUDIOS
  • Wix.com
  • Work & Co
  • Zendesk

Contact Us

Questions?
Feel free to reach out to our office by email or phone

 

Gretchen Burruto

Associate Director
geboce@rit.edu
585-475-2301