Kathryn Thomas
design portfolio
table of contents Resume
page 3
Layout
page 4
Illustrations
page 6
Logos
page 7
Resume Skills Team building Design Sketching Rendering
Microsoft Office Adobe CC, CS6 Leadership Communication
Education University of Arkansas B.A. in Drama - 2015 Honors Student GPA: 3.9
Experience Experiential Learning Lab Student Employee Summer 2013
Design Classes
Contact ket008@uark.edu
Nurturing children & educating future educators by Anthony Fine
H
ands clapping, feet shuffling, songs being sung and masterpieces covering the walls—just a few of the many things one might hear and see when at the Jean Tyson Child Development Study Center (JTCDSC) in Fayetteville, Ark. In August 2013, the JTCDSC celebrated its one-year anniversary in its new facility located on the University of Arkansas campus. This center is a beautifullydesigned 23,398 square feet facility dedicated to the education of children and educating students at the university. The architectural firm of Miller Boskus Lack P.A. created a design that is charming and that creates a homelike feel for all of those who visit the center and also the children who attend.
The center was built to be community-focused, and staff desire for those who see the center either walking past or through using it to not to look at it as a typical child care facility. “It is wonderful to have a building that reflects the quality of the program inside,” said Doug Walsh, executive director for business and operations. Walsh expressed excitement looking at the impact and work that has been achieved in one year since being in the new facility. “The first year has been quite the adventure to say the least,” said Walsh. “It has been a huge team growth experience that we all went through.” The JTCDSC welcomes visitors with the sounds of laughter from children and the smiling
faces of the teachers and staff that bring the center to life everyday. The center currently has approximately 100 children enrolled and can serve up to 140 children ranging from 8 weeks to 5 years of age. The JTCDSC is among only 10 percent of private childcare facilities that have received the National Association For the Education of Young Children accreditation, which stands as a signature of a high quality program in the field of early childhood education and development. In October, JTCDSC received the Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design Gold status from the U.S. Green Building Council. The LEED award was awarded to the center on the basis of design, construction and the center’s efforts to lower operating
“We would like to be able to serve more children from UA student families and be able to include more UA students from other majors across campus whose interests in observing young children match their career choices,” said Baldwin.
“The teachers are the backbone for sure.”
University students and faculty, along with parents, can come to the center and view the children behind one-way mirrors and use headphones to hear the interactions of the children and teachers. This feature is an important tool that students majoring in the field of childhood development are able to use to have a virtual lab and to be able to transfer what they hear and see to what they are learning in the traditional classroom setting. “Real-life experiences in the classroom with children are extremely beneficial to UA student learning, and we are most thankful for the ability to provide these opportunities through the JTCDSC,” said Baldwin. “The teachers are the backbone for sure,” said Baldwin. “They deliver program planning, age-appropriate curriculum and facilitate quality-learning opportunities.”
Walsh echoed the same feelings and said, “Our teachers are the reason we have achieved what we have and have gained the NAEYC highest standards.” The JTCDSC is committed to be a place of care and learning for children from 8 weeks to 5 years of age and to educate university students in the field of childhood development. JTCDSC looks forward to every new day that brings new insights to the care of children and education of UA students as they become professionals in the area of childhood development. The JTCDSC also strives to be a leading educational facility for not only the students but also the faculty who utilize it daily. The JTCDSC welcomes visitors and encourages the next time you are in the area to stop and listen to the laughs, clapping hands and voices from the children and staff inside. JTCDSC staff and children enjoying time outside on the playground before lunchtime.
cost, conserve energy, water and other resources. The center was cited for its utilization of energysaving systems and the use of natural sunlight and low-volatility organic compounds. A major aspect of the center that sets it apart is the educational qualifications of the teachers who are employed at the center. “We currently have 22 full-time teachers who all have bachelors degrees or higher in child development or early childhood education, along with four curriculum coordinators all of whom have masters degrees or higher,” said Walsh. “Our teachers and curriculum coordinators work closely with each other and university staff and students to make the center the quality that it is.” Vernoice Baldwin, executive director of educational programs at JTCDSC, has seen many changes during her time with the child development program, and she is excited to be part of the new center and see the growth continue. “Because there are more students majoring in child development and birth-to-five years, there is a greater need to provide UA students with places for observation of young children as well as opportunities for interaction with children,” said Baldwin, It is estimated that over 300 students and faculty will use the center for research and learning space in the coming year.
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Illustrations I created these illustrations for my own personal use. I feel they have a very “story-book� sort of aesthetic about them that I find interesting.
Logos I created these logo variations for a class project. The assignment was to create a logo for personal use, and I designed one as if I were starting my own design company.
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UNIVERSITY of ARKANSAS
- YOU of A -
Here, I am
MORE than a number.