Orientation Week 2025: First Sparks ✨

A new crew just landed at PoD—and they wasted no time. Between ideation sprints and woodshop safety, the week was all hands-on: quick prototyping, unpacking the cultural life of the lemonade stand, Socratic debates about the “outdated portfolio,” and a rooftop reception with faculty and MFAs across SVA. The good kind of whirlwind: make, test, laugh, repeat. Welcome to the work.

To kick off the week, recent graduates Emma Brigaud, Zai Thakoor, Erica Fink, and Tao Tao Holmes welcomed the cohort and led a one-day design discovery sprint on lemonade stands (no lemons were harmed in the process).

Woodshop demos: measure twice, cut once. Melike Başköylü signed off her last day in the VFL with a full safety walkthrough and first cuts.

Diving right in, Allan Chochinov led a lively conversation on portfolio practice—what to show, how to show it, and the many forms it can take, from daily challenges to discussing year-two thesis documentation.

Lesson 1: Always end your presentation with a contact grid for critique and reflection

To round out the week, PoD joined other graduate departments at the SVA Theatre for remarks from Bill Martino and faculty, then headed to the Chelsea rooftop gallery for a friendly reception — cross-program mingling, sunset, and celebrating the coming semester.

Class of 2027 at the rooftop SVA reception