A Year at Hallmark

Every week brings something new in Hallmark's intensive 10-month program. Retrace the journey of our most recent graduates, the Class of 2008, from orientation to graduation. As you step through this timeline, realize that a given week in 2009 or 2010 will likely be diffferent from the "same" week in 2007 or 2008 — unlike multi-year programs, Hallmark is unfettered in its ability to rapidly adapt to industry changes. We take advantage of that freedom to give every class the most current and relevant instruction possible. (You can follow the Class of 2009 on our Week by Week page.)

Week Thirty-Seven — On Thursday, May 22nd, the exciting final stage of Hallmark's 10-month program began when the Class of 2008 entered the Portfolio Review process. Each student presents their Year-end Portfolio to a panel of working professional photographers for review. In addition to determining whether the portfolio meets the school's stringent requirements for successful completion, panelists also provide detailed, constructive feedback to the student as to the portfolio's strengths and weaknesses. Shown here is a scene from Day 1 of the review in our Main Auditorium: Panelist David Turner gives current student Sam detailed comments on his portfolio. Images from the portfolio appear on the overhead screens as they are discussed, allowing the students, faculty, and supporters in attendance to follow the critique.