PNCA : studentlife : services : campus

Campus Activities

“PNCA’s best resource is its faculty. Yes, they are talented and they have achieved, but what sets them apart is the extent to which they go to for their students.”
— Senior Nathan DeHart

At PNCA, students get to know one another quickly through new student orientation, small classes and exhibition openings. Student body representatives meet weekly to discuss student needs and to organize all-school events. Other groups develop out of specific student interest, such as knitting club, yoga classes, life drawing sessions, the printmaking club and the Student Art Promotion group. Here’s a sample of just a few of our campus activities:

Extra curricular activities

Tango, sign language, pilates and open life drawing are offered throughout the week for students to join in. These classes are voted in by Student Council and are offered free to BFA students.

Student Council

Student council meets once a week over lunch to discuss current events and to vote on how to spend the student body fees. It is an open meeting for all BFA students. Student leaders are elected to run the meetings and all attendees are welcome to contribute opinions or to propose events.

AIGA students visit Vancouver BC for national conference

The country’s preeminent organization for graphic design professionals, the American Institute for Graphic Arts, has an on-campus chapter at PNCA. The Portland Chaper of the AIGA brings panel discussions and portfolio reviews to campus and co-sponsors exhibits. Last year, student AIGA members travelled to Vancouver, British Columbia for the annual national conference.

Idiom showcases student photography

Senior Nathan DeHart headed up Focus Group, PNCA’s student photography organization, and edited the book Idiom, showcasing student photography. “PNCA’s best resource is its faculty,” Nathan says. “Yes, they are talented and they have achieved, but what sets them apart is the extent to which they go to for their students. What I found wonderful while creating Idiom was the support that everyone in the school gave.”

Students perform in the Lunchtime Series

The Lunchtime Series, sponsored by Student Services, features performances of all kinds. Students and community members sign up to perform in what has become an impromptu cabaret with acts that range from tango performances to poetry and fire batons.