This summer, the UNLV College of Fine Arts welcomed aspiring young creatives to campus through two immersive programs that introduced high school students to the intersection of art, technology, storytelling, and innovation. Hosted by the Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art and the Entertainment Engineering and Design (EED) program, the summer experiences gave participants a firsthand look at some of the creative disciplines available at UNLV.
The Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art’s NextGen Curators Summer Camp immersed students in digital museum curation and exhibition design through hands-on workshops and collaborative projects. Hosted in partnership with faculty from the College of Fine Arts, the College of Engineering, and the Department of Communication Studies, the program challenged students to explore themes of personal identity, community, and creativity while learning digital exhibition design, 3D and virtual reality technologies, public speaking, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
The week culminated in a public showcase where participants presented their completed virtual museums to family members, community guests, and the UNLV community. Their interactive exhibitions, created using the Spatial platform, demonstrated how emerging technologies can transform the museum experience through immersive storytelling.
Across campus, students participating in the EED Summer Intensive explored another side of the creative industries through the lens of storytelling and experiential design. The program introduced students to the many exciting career paths and college majors available within entertainment engineering, encouraging them to think creatively about how technology and design come together to create memorable experiences.
For many participants, the week proved transformative. Students left campus with a deeper understanding of creative careers, new technical skills, and greater confidence in their own abilities. Several shared that the experience inspired them to consider attending UNLV to pursue degrees in art, entertainment engineering, and related creative fields.
Together, the two summer programs showcased the College of Fine Arts’ commitment to providing innovative, hands-on educational experiences that inspire the next generation of artists, designers, storytellers, and creative leaders.