PNCA : studentlife

Student Life

As an active student you may find yourself on a trip to Seattle museums, at a design conference in Canada, or at a Native American printmaking seminar in Eastern Oregon

In the close-knit community of PNCA, academic and student services are personalized. Students can take advantage of academic advising, housing services, and career services; they can also investigate study abroad and student opportunities at other art colleges. Personal counseling is offered, with special workshops focusing on issues like life transitions and coping with stress.

As a PNCA student, you’ll belong to an active community of artists with the opportunity to exhibit your work in numerous campus galleries, participate in collaborative installations, and host opening receptions for your shows. Students can study abroad, travel, or join campus activities from yoga classes to art clubs.

As an active student you may find yourself on a trip to Seattle museums, at a design conference in Canada, or at a Native American printmaking seminar in Eastern Oregon. Field trips may take you kayaking on the Willamette River, painting on Sauvie Island, or to numerous artist studios and galleries. Perhaps you’ll take an intensive workshop with a renowned visiting artist or create coursework for offsite exhibition, such as recent projects showing intermedia work at a vacant apartment complex and broadcasting student audio work on the radio.

Student activities and organizations include Student Council, Print Club, Focus Group, Open Figure Drawing, and leadership meetings. Yoga classes are held regularly, and students gather for broom hockey at Lloyd Center ice rink. The Student Art Promotion Group will put you behind the scenes of curating, promoting, and understanding the exhibition of art. As one student puts it, involvement in Print Club brings her “absolute joy.”

If you prefer to make your own way outside of established programs, PNCA’s supportive environment will help you develop your initiative and leadership capabilities. Students have formed discussion groups, film nights, drawing sessions, and other groups to match their interests.

Primary to the PNCA student experience is the main opportunities to exhibit work both on the College campus as well as in the larger community.