Mississippi State’s College of Architecture, Art and Design recently hosted its annual design camp for students from the Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Mississippi.
Held July 22–26, the five-day summer experience in Jackson has a goal of exposing students to the wide variety and scope of educational and career opportunities in design and related fields such as engineering and construction. The camp was created to help students form educational and professional goals that they can continue to develop during their high school education, regardless of their eventual career choice.
This year’s camp was led by staff from the Gulf Coast Community Design Studio, a research center housed within the college. Mississippi State students and recent alumni served as counselors.
Partnering with the city of Jackson’s Planning Department, camp organizers designed this year’s project around Smith Park in downtown Jackson. Campers were challenged to design spaces/ installations within the park to address food access and insecurity.
Dr. Cynthia Ayers, a farmer from Footprint Farms, and Robert Poore, a landscape architect with Native Habitats, visited with students during the camp to give their insights.
Students presented their design ideas to city officials on the final day of the camp.
In addition to being funded in part by a $7,500 grant from the Community Foundation for Mississippi, this year’s camp is supported by MSU’s College of Architecture, Art and Design, its School of Architecture and Department of Art, the Holmes Cultural Diversity Center and Office of the Registrar.