What If Creativity Didn’t Have to Choose Just One Lane?

At Central College, a new major launching in Fall 2026 is built on that very idea.

Multimedia design isn’t about fitting into a single discipline — it’s about ex­ploring the space where art, musical theatre, communi­cation and storytelling meet. It’s a response to something faculty have long seen in their classrooms: Students who don’t fit neatly into one box — and don’t want to.

“Students were already doing this,” says Mat Kelly, professor of art and chair of the visual and performing arts department. “They were combining interests across programs and this major gives that a name, and a path.”

The idea began with a simple question: What could Central build using the strengths it already has? Faculty across departments mapped courses, identified overlaps and discovered something compelling — a natural intersection of creative disciplines that reflect how modern media is actually made.

The result is a major that feels both intuitive and forward-looking.

Students in multimedia design will learn to think like creators and collaborators. They might design immer­sive museum exhibits, create visual storytelling experi­ences or produce work that blends video, sound, light and physical space. A project could be as simple as a short film — or as layered as an installation that uses pro­jection, lighting and sound to tell a story from multiple angles.

“It’s not just one medi­um,” Kelly explains. “It’s about how all of them work together.”

That flexibility is part of the appeal. Some students may lean into visual art and design. Others may focus on storytelling, communica­tion or the technical side of production. The major gives them room to explore while also helping them connect the dots — and, importantly, explain those skills to others.

That last piece matters.

For years, students and families have asked how creative passions translate into careers. Multimedia design offers a clearer answer: These are adaptable, in-demand skills grounded in collaboration, problem-

solving and communication. Graduates will be prepared not just to create, but to share their work with audi­ences in meaningful ways.

And they won’t be doing it in isolation.

Like so much at Cen­tral, this major is rooted in relationships — faculty who mentor across disciplines, classmates who bring dif­ferent strengths to the table and experiences that extend beyond the classroom. It’s learning by doing, experi­menting and refining in a community that encourages both curiosity and confi­dence.

Perhaps most exciting is what hasn’t been created yet.

“This is the kind of pro­gram where I can’t wait to see what students come up with,” Kelly says. “It’s wide open.”

That openness is also an invitation.

As Central launches multimedia design, there are opportunities for alumni, families and friends to help shape what comes next — by supporting the program, mentoring students or open­ing doors to internships and careers where creativity and technology intersect.

Because this major isn’t just about what students will study. It’s about what they’ll create — and who they’ll become in the process.

What if you helped bring it to life?