Preview of the Van Derlip Application that I submitted. I went on to receive the grant on the day of my graduation. A portion of the application has been left out due to a NDA.

1. CHRIS Havranek
Van Derlip Grant
Travel Plans // Creating Context // TRU2U

2. My Plans
for the Van Derlip
Since coming to MCAD, to one that helps improve living
I’ve developed my need to travel conditions and the rest of the
and witness completely differ- Earth. Switzerland has been the
ent cultures first hand. I grew leading country in eco-friendly
up watching Discovery Channel initiatives: alternative energy,
and PBS dreaming of actually improved public transportation
journeying to those faraway and many other innovations
worlds. At MCAD I had the have all been top priority. On
opportunity to leave the country top of this, the Swiss have digital
for the first time. I was lucky marketing agencies that have
enough to be able to study been producing top-level work.
abroad at Temple University in I want to spend time in Switzer-
Tokyo, Japan. land experiencing a new culture Photo by Emily Tetens
It was an amazing experi- and just as importantly, learning
ence that ignited my passion for skills that I can take back home.
traveling. Shortly after returning Documenting my journey and
home, I was already dreaming bringing back what I’ve learned
of going abroad again. Because I to MCAD would be an honor.
have already lived in Japan, and The Bachelor of Science program
want to get as much of a global is moving towards a much more
perspective as possible, I began global perspective making this
to research other locations. even more beneficial to the pro-
Numerous weeks of research gram and the school as a whole.
lead me to Switzerland where My next steps include:
I’m now focusing my attention. contacting the Swiss embassy
I have setup a savings account in Minneapolis, researching
dedicated to my plan of living potential employers and raising
abroad in 2011. I will teach enough funds. This is where the
English part time to pay the bills Van Derlip grant will be criti-
and freelance PR or marketing cal to this endeavor. This grant
to continue learning. would be a generous investment
Since joining the MCAD in me, but it’ll be returned ten
community, I’ve become much fold in what I’ll bring back to Left
more environmentally conscious, MCAD. Photo by Chris Havranek
Ghibli Museum Garden
narrowing down my career path Tokyo, Japan

3. `
Creating Context
Exhibition
Last spring the Creating involved with large-scale class Right
Photo by Chris Havranek
Context exhibition was the most projects, but this undertaking Process Wall
anticipated project I had ever was on a whole new level. I did Below
The process book was featured for
taken on. I still consider it one not have a professor checking to all to see. Attendees could see how
of the most pivotal points for make sure I was keeping on task, everything came together
me while attending MCAD. The class lectures to draw knowledge
Bachelor of Science program was from or a classroom full of peers
celebrating it’s tenth anniversary to critique how I was mov-
and I wanted to be apart of tell- ing forward. Jerry Allen was in
ing it’s story. MCAD had done charge of my internship, but he
a great service to me in the short did an excellent job on letting
amount of time I had been at- the students run with this one.
tending, and now it was my turn Even though I had only been
to begin to give back. in MCAD for a seemingly brief
For me, the Bachelor period, I felt confident enough
of Science program helped me in what I had learned to apply it
grow more than any other school to real world application. Rather
I’ve attended. It was a whole than waiting to graduate to ap-
new way of learning and it gave ply my newly acquired skill sets,
me back that drive to continu- I decided to dive in immediately.
ously push myself further. I had Not only that, but I wanted to
been limited to very traditional do so in a way that I could give
classroom settings in the past, back to MCAD.
significantly stifling my learn-
ing process. Prior to MCAD I
was given an assignment and
told exactly how to do it. While
at MCAD I was given an as-
signment and a blank slate. I
began to look for new outlets of
creativity, which I hadn’t been
able to truly do in my previous
schools.
Before the planning stag-
es of the exhibition, I had been

4. ` `
My Role: In the end we ended
up with an exhibition that I
After reviewing our budget,
we discovered we did not have
was proud to be involved with. enough for catering, so rather
Event Coordinator Everyone attending had a chance
to see the past, present and a
than giving up we realized we
had several more than adequate
glimpse into the future of the chefs in our team and catered
Bachelor of Science program. the event on our own. We
Lester Shen, two alumni (Steven learned a lot about ourselves and
Candy and Shanita John) and the amount of work it takes to
Jerry Allen all did a fantastic job put on an event such as the Cre-
Being the lead event the coming months. I regularly in telling the story of the pro- ating Context exhibition; best of
coordinator was not a com- met with Kristen Anhorn and gram. Getting funding can be all was seeing it come to life and
pletely new task for me. I ran the Jerry Allen to make sure that the one of the hardest portions, but knowing we were all apart of it.
Bachelor of Science Welcome aesthetic was satisfactory, but for you learn ways to move forward. Photo by Chris Havranek
Freshman event in the fall with the most part we were left to our
success, but Creating Context own interpretations and deci-
was going to be a much more sions. Come December, Jamie’s
in depth endeavor. This time I group presented a well planned
would need a team that not only out strategy for what the next
knew how to get the job done, phase of planning should be.
but also one that worked well The spring was by far the
together. The fall semester was busiest portion for all of us. I
spent strategizing and planning switched roles to become more
for the final event. The spring of a project manager alongside
semester was all about ironing Jamie. This change allowed me
out the details and the execution to take on more tangible tasks. I
of all of our planning. I was for- managed the catering, organized
tunate enough to have a group the guest speakers and presented
from the Visualization Studio what was necessary to get the
class help me tackle this exhibi- funding we needed. I felt much
tion with a few others joining more comfortable during this
on in the spring to complete the stage of the planning because I
various tasks. was working alongside a team
In the fall, I took the role rather than over them. I was
as a client more than a project directly involved with the execu-
manager. Jamie Otto’s Visualiza- tion phase, getting things done
tion Studio group was in charge and watching it come together as
of planning the specifics. I came a team.
to Jamie’s group with the exhibi-
tion’s intended goals and what
I needed them to help me with.
Everything from budget, cura-
tion, and conveying the ethnog-
raphy of the Bachelor of Science
program would be dealt with in

5. ` `
What I loved
What I didn’t
All projects worth doing they had a concern. I do not Left
Photo by Chris Havranek
have pros and cons, this one was think we could have gotten Work from Kevin Byrne
not an exception. The fact that I nearly as much done without
was a fellow student and a client that.
helped on numerous levels, but We were all students
also hindered us at times. Seeing working directly with the
the inner workings of MCAD is school’s faculty, staff and ad-
something most students who ministration. It is not common
come through do not often get to see the long hours and sleep-
to see. Witnessing first hand that less nights that they endure to
MCAD does not just happen, keep pushing MCAD to further
there are a lot of people involved itself as a school. It was inspiring
in making this school what it is. to say the least to see so many
On the other hand, you also see people work towards something
the ugly side of any institution: they believe in and I hope I can
politics, grudges and personal come back to MCAD one day to
agendas. do the same. With this unique
Being a student and a inside view, also came the
client was not easy for me at politics and grudges that develop
the beginning. I struggled with over time. From what we saw the
keeping the balance between positive much outweighed the
being a professional client and negative, but it was still disheart-
being a friend. Giving critical ening at times.
feedback on ideas or deliver- Like I said, anything
ables that were off track was not worth doing has its ups and
the easiest, but over time this downs, but I’d recommend any-
became less of a problem. One one who wants to give back to
of the benefits of being a stu- MCAD to take on similar proj-
dent was the close proximity; it ects that share a common goal
was beneficial when it came to of improving MCAD without
communicating with the team. hesitation.
Rather than waiting for an email
to possibly be responded to, my
team could simply ask to meet
in an hour or call me whenever

6. ` `
CREATING How Creating Context
Helped Me
CONTEXT The Creating Context to another continent, I would Left
Posters were hung weeks early to
exhibition was an experience I’ll love to see as many unique per- advertise the exhibition. Designed by
never forget, both working to spectives and environments as Design Works.
LOOKING BACK ON 10 YEARS put it together and seeing the
pieces showcased was extremely
possible.
After I graduate, I am
OF THE BACHELOR OF SCIENCE memorable for me. Even though
I had already filled out and sub-
going to spend my time learning
how best to tell someone’s story
PROGRAM AND LOOKING mitted my application to study
abroad next fall, it reaffirmed
and design it in a way that not
only involves the audience, but
FORWARD TO THE FUTURE. my decision. Seeing the work
that came out of the Bachelor of
also engages them. Whether its
online, offline, with a brand or
Science program from all types an idea I want to be involved on
of backgrounds and histories was the experience design and story
all I needed. I’ve always been a telling side. Creating Context
firm believer in learning from as was all of the above and more.
OPENING RECEPTION many places, people and tech-
niques as possible. Some might
consider it a stretch, since most
Now I want to take the funda-
mental principles I have learned
at MCAD even further, apply-
MARCH 26, 6PM of the participants were only
from states away rather than
countries, but I still saw the
ing them to my life long career
goals.
importance in having a diversity
of experiences.
SHOW RUNS MARCH 26–APRIL 5, 2009 A combination of this
whole experience and study-
ing abroad in Tokyo made me
MCAD GALLERY 148 decide to put my effort, money
and time into traveling and
seeing new things as much and
often as possible. I do not want a
fancy car or big house, but trav-
eling will be key when looking
back on my life and considering
it successful. Even if my travels
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE:
VISUALIZATION
are not always as grand as going