SCAD studio 'amplifies' the art of effective communication

ATLANTA - Imagine you’re sitting on an airplane. You turn your head and there — in the seat right next to you — is your dream boss. What do you do? How do you start a conversation without sounding awkward or too anxious?

Thanks to some unique training, Maya Nayak knows the answer.

Nayak is a second-year student at Atlanta’s Savannah College of Art and Design, and is taking full advantage of a one-of-a-kind experience called SCADamp.

"I’ve taken about 14 out of the 18 workshops provided, and worked with all of the coaches," says Nayak. "I’m trying to get there!"

SCADamp is a professional presentation studio developed by SCAD president Paula Wallace and launched in 2020. It’s essentially a communications school-within-a-school, with a series of high-energy workshops, a virtual reality stage, and real-world simulations — all designed to develop and polish communications skills.

"We want our students to be prepared for any of those serendipitous moments," says SCADamp director Ally Steinweg. "They might be sitting next to their dream employer, and we want them to be prepared for what they’re going to say when they get that dreaded question, ‘Tell me about yourself.’"

The simulations include a mock airplane interior, elevator, and coffee shop, all environments in which students can work with SCADamp’s team of experts.

"They are actors and performers, they are graphic designer experts, they’re photographers," says Steinweg of the program’s instructors. "They bring all of that creative expertise to our students and provide executive-level coaching across the board."

SCADamp is available to all students and alumni at no additional charge, and is available on both the Atlanta and Savannah campuses.