San Luis Obispo, Calif. – Hosted Jan. 23-26 by the university’s Graphic Communication Department, International Graphic Communication Week celebrated the life and work of Benjamin Franklin and his important contributions to science, technology, communication, and particularly to furthering the importance of the printed word and how it has shaped the great institutions of our society.

Cal Poly has celebrated this event annually since 1984 with a lecture series and related events. The theme of this year’s International Graphic Communication Week was “Adventure Together.”

The program included four days with focused topics such as the business of print, packaging and packaging design, printed electronics and functional imaging, design reproduction technology, UX/UI design, web and mobile app design, human-computer interaction design, and integrated marketing communication.

Speakers throughout the week came from leading organizations in the graphic communication field including SGS, Patagonia, AIGA, Tillys, Xerox XMPie, MCC, Pandora, Mathys+Potestio, ePac Digital Packaging, Verso, SGIA, Verso, GE Digital, Hemlock Printers, and Calitho.

Special presentations included updates on the paper industry, new product innovation and development in the printing industry, new technology emerging in the sign and graphics imaging industry, trends in UX/UI web and mobile app design, insight into innovative packaging design and printing processes, insight into new integrated marketing communication platforms and opportunities, and a panel of professionals that discussed issues that new people entering the UX/IU field should know about.

The International Graphic Communication Week Banquet took place on the evening of Wednesday, Jan. 24, at the Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo. More than 200 were in attendance for the banquet keynote given by Dr. Terry Taber, chief technology officer of Eastman Kodak. Taber joined Kodak in 1980 and has held many leadership roles within the company throughout his impressive career. His presentation thoughtfully wove a history of a company that has experienced great technological change only to emerge an innovative graphic communication enterprise with a strong and diversified outlook of the future.  

To end the week, a career day for recruiting graduating seniors for full-time positions and student interns was held on Friday, Jan. 26. There were 19 participating companies and over 300 students in attendance. 

Additionally, as a friend of the Cal Poly Graphic Communication Department, Raymond J. Prince and his wife, Bonnie, were in attendance to provide support for the progress made in the efforts to display the vast volumes of materials made available through the former Wadewitz Library — now called the Raymond J. Prince Graphic Arts Collection — into Cal Poly’s Graphic Communication Department. 

The event is sponsored by SAGE Publications, Konica-Minolta, Pacific Southwest Container, Ricoh, Esko, Heidelberg, Kodak, PIASC and GE.

For the complete program, visit the Graphic Communication Department website.