Sean Nixon is an Associate Professor of Art & Design and Coordinator of the Graphic Design program at SUNY Ulster. He developed the design program as a model for practical learning known as The Real World Classroom™.

Sean’s efforts in managing the program and teaching has expanded to include, on location instructor lead research, study abroad, blended and online course development, two Title lll grants, CIOL grant recipient, presented at (Cit) SUNY Conference on Instruction & Technology and (STC) Successful Teaching Conferences, featured speaker at New Paltz Rotary Club and Ellenville Chamber of Commerce, Innovative Instruction presentation on campus, a private presentation to Chancellor Zimpher on the Real World Classroom™, at the Chancellor’s request served on The Innovative Instructional Opportunities Working Group, for the SUNY strategic plan, community outreach, student awards, local and national media, brokered numerous actual clients for the classroom, and secured off campus gallery exhibitions for design majors. In addition, he has been granted a sabbatical, to work on a book highlighting the Graphic Design Program and the Real World Classroom™. 

 

The media coverage garnered by Professor Nixon has exposed the program and College to the local and national community. He has been the featured guest on WAMC radio and NPR “best our knowledge”, local TV, and publications including the Daily Freeman, Business Journal, New Platz, Woodstock and Kingston Times, and Country Wisdom News.

 

Sean’s artistic pursuits have included the Ulster faculty exhibition in Albany and Muroff Kotler Gallery, “Cut and Paste” Muroff Kotler Gallery, Habitat for Artist Collaborative project ART PAC-KIT, New York, New York. at Brookfield Plaza for the New Museum and Arts Brookfield. Project, Battery Park City, NYC, Ornaments Exhibition, Roos Gallery, Rosendale, NY

Graduates of the program have gone on to employment and or transferred to baccalaureate programs in SUNY, Public, Private and Selective Colleges and Universities. i.e. SVA School of Visual Arts, Syracuse University, FIT Fashion Institute of Technology, SUNY Purchase, College of Saint Rose, Sage Colleges and SUNY New Paltz to name only a few.