How The School Of Visual Arts Sets Students Up For Success

It is no industry secret that starting your career network can never come too early. The School of Visual Arts’ (SVA) widespread professional community is where students gain valuable knowledge and face time with their future colleagues. Aside from the helpful information and advice they may receive from industry professionals, there are many chances to engage in current issues and topics that affect their fields of study and interest.

From studio visits to guest speakers and an annual career fair, SVA provides a diverse array of opportunities for students to develop their professional voice in order to succeed.

SVA in LA Destinations program

The SVA in LA Destinations program allows students to travel to Los Angeles during spring break in March and experience the industry from a unique perspective. They are taken on studio tours, hear from guest speakers, and share their work with professionals and creatives who are enthusiastic about giving their expert advice to young artists.

Kasey Tam, a rising senior in the BFA Animation program who participated in SVA in Los Angeles this past March, expressed how inspired and encouraged he felt by meeting Brooke Keesling, head of animation talent development at Bento Box.

“I found myself expressing facets of my personality that I barely reveal in my everyday school environment, which gave a big boost to my confidence. An inspiring message I got was to stay true to myself and embrace my mistakes.”

He recalls Keesling’s words of wisdom, “Your vision may not have been for that specific audience, but in due time if you stay authentic to your vision, there will be an audience for your works.” It was a response that helped reaffirm his faith in his vision and style.

SVA Career Fair

Students are given another valuable chance to test their professional prowess at SVA’s annual Career Fair (this year held in person for the first time since 2019).

Current SVA students were invited to meet with industry professionals, show portfolios and resumes, and learn about internship and career opportunities. Employers from a variety of fields were on hand to discuss internships, jobs, freelance work, and company culture. This year, representatives from Atlantic Records, Augenblick, Brand New School, Framestore, Fantasma Toys, The Mill, MSG Entertainment, Nickelodeon, R/GA, and Sesame Workshop were among the participating companies.

To help registered students prepare for the fair, the Career Development Office offered two workshops: Resume Basics and Get Ready for the Career Fair, as well as two-hour virtual office hours solely for fair registrants to have a brief resume review or check-in with one of SVA’s career counselors.

Samuel Holovacs, a senior and active student in the BFA 3D Animation and Visual Effects program made connections with Nickelodeon and Young Hero. When asked about their biggest takeaways Holovacs said, “The career fair taught me about recruiting practices – that I should be more willing to reach out to recruiters and check for myself how they hire and what to prepare for. I was able to connect with both recruiters and peers on a different level, gaining new connections and friendships.”

Studio tours and visit

A fast-paced and dynamic animation curriculum would be incomplete without ample opportunity to meet with professional contacts and potential collaborators. Studio tours and visits from working artists help give students an idea of what goes on behind the screen and what might be in store for them in the industry. From a tour of the New York City Nickelodeon office with the SVA Women in Animation Student Collective to visits from producers and recruiters like Hornet, Amazon Studios, and Turn10, students get to speak directly to the professionals they may be working alongside in the future.

SVA’s MFA Computer Arts students were recently invited to a studio visit at BUCK, a global design and animation studio with offices in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. We spoke to second-year MFA student Andres Salazar about his experience with the studio visit and its value to him as a soon-to-be graduate of the program.

“They showed us where different instances of the creative process happen – from fabrication spaces to studio backdrops, and from conference rooms to the general working area where most of the desks are located,” said Salazar.

After the tour, students were given a chance to ask questions and receive advice. “The panel went over time and it could’ve gone longer,” explained Salazar. “They asked each of us about our interests and focuses as aspiring animators/designers,” added Salazar. “This sparked interesting conversations and discussions making it possible for us to interact with BUCK’s employees.”

Aside from seeing a studio’s daily operations, students also got a chance to think about the future of the industry. “Since the start of my MFA here at SVA, AI has been the hot topic of conversation, and this came up during the panel at BUCK as well,” said Salazar, who participated in a robust discussion on the merits and challenges of AI. “They also explained how, being the studio everyone looks at, they had to learn how to use it to be able to stay relevant and keep up to the pace of technological advancements.”

Learn more about the school and see the latest student films

Making connections with current industry professionals and learning their craft directly from them helps set SVA students up for success early on in their creative journeys. The opportunities available during their time at the School of Visual Arts are essential to informing their futures and careers as they advance into the industry and go on to grow their own communities as well as add to SVA’s proud legacy in the arts.

Apply to become part of the ever-growing professional community of the School of Visual Arts. The school also invites everyone to enjoy the animation projects and films of the Class of 2024 graduates at this year’s thesis events. MFA Computer Arts Thesis Screening will be held on Wednesday, May 8 & Thursday, May 9. BFA Animation Thesis Celebration Screening will be held on Saturday, May 11. BFA 3D Animation and Visual Effects Thesis Screening will be held on Sunday, May 19. All events are free and open to the public.