SCADpro and SCADserve Winter Unveiling Brings Exciting New Projects
The SCADpro and SCADserve unveiling for the Winter 2027 quarter filled the FORTY event space, debuting eight projects in a variety of creative sectors. The SCADpro chair in Atlanta, John Denham, reminded students of the purpose and influence of SCADpro and SCADserve projects. Although the projects represent different sectors, the overarching consistency is that students’ work makes a difference in the world. Whether you’re involved in a SCADpro or a SCADserve, professional connections and portfolio development can make a major difference in students’ academic and professional careers.
Under the umbrella of SCADpro and SCADserve, there’s a variety of classes are available for students of different grades and skill levels. PRO 540 classes are open to all students of all majors with no GPA requirements, and require no applications. PRO 560 classes are research-based, reserved for juniors, seniors and graduate students with a 3.25 GPA requirement, and require an application to be involved. PRO 580 and SERVE 560 classes have the same grade and GPA requirements, but also include prototyping and creating solutions with brand partners.
One of the freshest opportunities announced on Friday was a PRO 560 titled “The Creative Entrepreneur: Building SCAD’s First Entrepreneurship Ecosystem”, which will be a SCADpro-style class structured as a program where faculty help students turn their entrepreneurship ideas into actionable businesses. This “accelerator” program is meant to help students take their creative ideas to the next level, without having to figure out the logistics entirely on their own.
Faculty leads from a variety of departments introduced the projects and their influence. A standout project was the “Designing Legacy” SCADserve, led by Professor Michelle Ducayet, which aims to design branding for the 50th anniversary campaign for the Center of Puppetry Arts in Midtown. There’s a variety of SERVE options available for students interested in Atlanta-specific organizations and impact. Projects with Most Valuable Kids and Impact 100 aim to inspire and empower the next generation of children and entrepreneurs. A continuation of the Villa Albertine SCADpro is being offered, which has been in progress with previous classes over summer and fall 2026.
For those interested in historical preservation and physical creation, there is one PRO class being offered in partnership with the Apollo Theater. Students can be involved in either the December design sprint for initial concepts, winter quarter PRO or spring quarter PRO for construction, all of which center on the revitalization of the theater’s original crystal chandelier. This project is a rare opportunity for sculpture majors to get involved and help lead a multiquarter project.
While SCADpro and SCADserve projects are advertised as having opportunities for all majors, some majors have more project positions open than others. Most projects advertised openings for UX, motion media design and graphic design, while opportunities for photography, writing and industrial design were less prominent. The goals and deliverables for the projects, as well as the skills of the faculty lead, help determine what majors are more desired.
For students interested in being involved in any of the SCADpro or SCADserve opportunities for Winter 2027, applications and more project information can be found on the MySCAD portal. The coming quarter of professional projects is already proving to be chock-full of impactful projects and valuable connections.
