Jenna Spevack’s Profile
As Professor of Communication Design Department at the New York City College of Technology, CUNY, I teach courses in creative media foundations, digital arts, and interactive media. I am also a Co-Director of City Tech’s OpenLab, an open-source digital platform created by and for students, faculty, and staff. As an artist and designer, my creative work and research focus on issues of sustainable ecology, immersive experiences, and well-being.
My Courses
COMD3504 COMD Theory SP25 (Thurs 2:30pm)
An in-depth introduction to communication design theory, this course examines theoretical perspectives of design practice within the larger discourse of design and visual culture. Communication models, the nature of representation, the dimensions of context, and semiotics are explored through critical readings in key documents from the early decades of the twentieth century to the present.
Students can learn concepts and applied theories of digital art in the two fundamental forms: raster and vector graphics. Coursework will define and describe similar and contrasting factors in each kind of image. The comparison will also recommend the best practice, specification or standard for using a specific form in a specific application. The course will include basic digital imaging terminology and techniques including measurements, size, resolution, file elements, file formats and color space.
COMD Communication Design Internship Coordination Site
This site is designed to help you find fieldwork/study situations of approximately eight hours per week at an internship site approved by the Department Internship instructor such as an advertising agency, graphic design firm, corporate design office, publications art department, photography or illustration studio, TV or multimedia production company. Students will be required to keep a learning journal of their internship in the form of a blog using Openlab. A portion of the class will be devoted to presenting and sharing experiences with classmates. Students will learn how to assess their talents, update their resume, and promote themselves and their work through social networks. Students will be required to setup and maintain at least two social media networks such as: Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest. The instructors for this class are there as mentors if you have not yet found an internship before registering for the course. However, the instructors do not find an internship placement for you. It is your responsibility to find a position that fits your personal career path and help you transition to full time employment upon leaving the halls of CityTech. Ideally, you will use this site to find an internship the semester before taking the COMD 4900 class.
This openly available model course contains course information, learning outcomes, suggested weekly topics and projects, video resources, quizzes, and more. It may be cloned and adapted by any faculty member teaching this course.
HSA 4970 Social Marketing for health care
Social marketing for healthcare offers students a dynamic learning experience. This course will cover current best practices in the field, allowing students to define and explain social marketing fundamentals. Additionally, students will explore the importance of behavior change theories within social marketing. They will have the opportunity to apply their skills and knowledge in a real-world setting by collaborating with a Community-Based Organization (CBO).”
My Projects
City Tech’s Source for Academic Affairs Information
Realizing the value of the research experience at the undergraduate level, this project is committed to fostering research opportunities for City Tech students. Faculty and students can use this project as a place to share announcements about research opportunities, as well as a place to offer information about the experiences students and faculty have had in their research endeavors. A handbook on effective mentoring, developed by the Undergraduate Research Committee, is currently available for download.
This is a collaborative space for student interns working on the OpenLab Team.
An online system of advisement tools for COMD students at City Tech
WAC encourages courses throughout the college to incorporate formal and informal writing into the course practices and requirements. Avatar retrieved from Bridgeline Digital, Creative Commons License
My Clubs
This Green Spaces club focuses on Design in the Service of Science, on green urban ecosystems and the embrace of nature for soon-to-open spaces at City Tech. The club welcomes a diverse array of perspectives from biology, design, health care, literature, history, social sciences, etc. So come, get your hands dirty, hang out with friends, find kindred spirits, and take a stake in your backyard at the college.
City Tech’s Ink Club is a place where illustrators and sequential artists can discuss and practice their craft in storytelling. On Openlab we’ll share links to helpful resources, general information, and post about events ad work we’re creating.
This club site will be used for the tutorial portion of the Club Council OpenLab Workshop (Fall 2017) and will house materials that may be useful to club representatives in building out their own sites on the OpenLab.
Student Government Association
The Student Government Association is the representative body for students. We are responsible for recommending student activity fee allocations, shaping policies affecting student life, coordinating extracurricular events and chartering new organizations. Feel free to contact SGA President, Lucas Almonte, with any questions, suggestions or concerns. He can be reached at SGAPresident@CityTech.Cuny.Edu If you wish to start a club on campus contact SGA Vice President, Sylwester Dombroski, at SGAVP@CityTech.Cuny.Edu
Marathoners and half-marathoners unite!
