The Griggs Center and the Department of Art and Design took separate trips to better immerse students in their potential work fields over fall break.

A group of art students and a professor took a trip to Santa Fe, New Mexico to visit various artists and studios, and fourteen students explored business culture in the Silicon Valley through the Griggs Center during fall break.

The art students were able to visit with Frank Morbillo and Bill Weaver, both masters at metal casting and fabrication presented at Craighead-Green Gallery in Dallas and several in other locations, as well as tour Shidony Foundry. Included in the trip was an excursion on Canyon Road, where over 60 galleries are located.

Geoff Broderick, associate professor of the art department, offered his advanced sculpture class the opportunity to tour some studios and a chance to interact with professional sculptors.

Broderick used to live in Santa Fe and work at Shidony Foundry, where artists from all over the country came and got their bronze sculptures cast. Students were allowed into the studio to talk with the artists and were given great advice.

“In one gallery, the director introduced the students to a couple of art buyers,” Broderick said. “They described what impacted them when observing various types of art work.”

Kaitlyn Brown, senior art major from Garland, said she was surprised to see so many people willing to go, especially because it was during fall break.

Though this is not a requirement for the class, Broderick said he is willing to do it again with advanced students.

As for the Griggs Center’s trip, 14 students of various major and classifications headed over to California to learn about the culture of entrepreneurship.

Dr. Jim Litton, assistant professor and director of the Griggs Center, and Chad Hutchins (’08) were sponsors of the trip. Gregg Calvin, junior information systems and finance major from Dallas, said the group visited businesses such as Google, LinkedIn and Zappier on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. On Saturday, the students had a free day to tour San Francisco and go to a Stanford game.

Through a speaker series with Stanford University, the students met with CEOs including the CEO of Tilt, a website for groups to collect money.

“It’s an awesome learning experience,” Calvin said. “You see what sides of business connect with you and where you fit in the business world.”

Calvin said the students got to tour the education department of Google, where employees do unique projects. They also talked with entrepreneurs who had failed and succeeded with different ideas.

Brooke Crisp, a senior international studies major from Dallas and an assistant to Litton, helped plan the trip. She said the trip confirmed her desire to work in a small business after she graduates, and it would help any major learn about the business world.

“We’re all going to get a job someday,” Crisp said.