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The university held its annual Art Action Day last Friday, Oct. 31. Prospective art students who traveled to the campus were given the opportunity to interact and create art projects with other high school students as well as college students pursuing a career in art. Mary Jones, professor of art, said the event is beneficial for students looking to have an art degree one day.

“It gets the word out; it gets people to campus so that they know what Grand View is like,” Jones said. “I am always amazed every year someone comes to this event because a friend or cousin or sibling came to this event.”

The event kicked off with a small introduction from President Henning, who welcomed high school students and their parents to campus. The students and parents were then taken on a campus tour to experience it firsthand.

Once students completed the tour, they were taken to their workshops in the drawing studio, where they were taught how to create zines. These are typically small, handmade, self-published magazines. The students were asked to fill the zines with a character or symbol that best represented them according to their interests.

Cyndi Wiley, professor of art and design, said she looked forward to interacting and creating in the company of others.

“It’s fun,” Wiley said. “It gives us a chance to get students and our department to interact with people who are in high school and let them know that they can have a career in art, design and photography.”

Diane Johnson-Schaefer, director of admissions, spent her last day before retirement at Art Action Day, where she held a question- and-answer panel for the parents and guests of the prospective students. Johnson said she had participated in Art Action Day in previous years and enjoyed seeing the students’ work.

“I have a lot of favorite things about Art Action Day,” Johnson-Schaefer said. “But really, for me to see what that final project is really fun.”