Creative Media Capstone Showcase: Connecting Students, Skills, and Community

After a year of working with real clients and community partners, Creative Media students at Assiniboine College came together today to present their final projects at the Peters School of Business Creative Media Capstone Showcase.

The event highlights the work of students who partnered with local non-profit organizations and small businesses to deliver professional-level creative solutions, while gaining invaluable real-world experience. Projects span branding, graphic design, website development, and marketing materials, all developed in collaboration with clients from Brandon and surrounding community.

Creative Media instructor Malena Gonzalez from the Peters School of Business shared that the capstone experience is designed to mirror professional creative work as closely as possible. “It’s a learning opportunity for the students to practice all the knowledge they have earned in the Creative Media Arts program, but also to work with a real client. It helps them to communicate, present their ideas, and get approvals,” she explained. “Today, we celebrate the final product.”

This year’s showcase marked the first time the program used an expanded presentation format, allowing for stronger interaction between students and their clients and creating space for direct feedback. The response from community partners has been overwhelmingly positive shared Gonzalez. Many organizations do not have the resources to hire professional creative services but are eager to support student learning and development. As students progress through the year-long project, clients witness that growth firsthand. “Seeing students communicate their development and realizing how much they’ve accomplished, it’s a win-win situation,” she added.

One of this year’s partners was Brandon Salutes, an organization that supports military families by connecting them with local businesses and services. Chair Barry Cooper praised the students for a complete website transformation. “They took our website from 1999 into probably 2030 and beyond,” Cooper said. “They made it much more user friendly, which is critical for how we connect Brandon businesses with military families.”

Cooper also emphasized the value of building community connections early in a student’s career. “Everything in this world is about relationships and connectivity,” he said, noting that students who worked on the project are welcome to stay in touch as they move forward professionally. “We wanted this to be a positive experience and help them understand the value they bring.”

For students, the capstone experience proved to be a worthwhile experience as they cap off their time in the program. Graphic designer Alexa Akachuk, who along with her teammates Oludare Adeneye and Jashan Preet Verma worked on the Brandon Salutes project, described the redesign process as initially overwhelming but ultimately fulfilling, especially working with clients who were collaborative and appreciative. Together, they highlighted the value of gaining hands-on experience with website development tools, plugins, and real-world functionality.

As Gonzalez shared, more than anything, the Capstone Showcase shows how much students have grown. From building confidence to tackling real challenges, the experience prepares them for what comes next. As Alexa Accucheck put it, “Pleasing your client is the best feeling ever.”