Above Broadway, 75-year-old Seattle Central Creative Academy is all about ‘design’
(Image: Seattle Central Creative Academy)
By Brenna Gauchat
Seattle Central’s Creative Academy is shedding its “Graphic Design” label for a broader vision: simply, “Design.”
Celebrating its 75th anniversary, the program has evolved from 1949 Advertising Arts into a modern powerhouse above Broadway.
“Faculty agree that design is now everywhere,” said Coordinator Marc Salverda. Salverda stressed the need for students to be adaptable, saying, “We emphasize real-world agility.”
The anniversary and growth come as Seattle Central is struggling with budget issues. Necessary changes could include shedding the school’s Wood Technology Center in the Central District and other belt-tightening. Some of its most-loved neighborhood elements like the SCC Fine Arts building home to the Egyptian Theatre are also lined up for change. A new interim superintendent is in place to try to guide the Capitol Hill campus through the start of recovering its financial footing.
The Creative Academy is hoped to be an important part of the changing campus.
Coordinator Salverda and professors like Ben Masters emphasize real-world agility. In courses like New Media, students explore shifting job markets and cultural tastes. “Graduates don’t follow a traditional pipeline; we provide the foundational skills and ‘options’ they need to succeed in diverse creative careers,” Masters said.
The Academy thrives on a “top-down” mentorship culture. Adjunct professor Courtney Comfort-Pennant, a 2011 alum, exemplifies the cycle of giving back. This focus on mutual respect creates a supportive environment. This respect can be seen in the way the students handle the school’s equipment or how they work together, allowing classrooms to be a place of collaboration and support that will follow students into their careers, Salverda said.
Beyond technical mastery, students learn essential soft skills and financial literacy. Whether freelancing or joining corporations, they are trained as entrepreneurs who understand that human relationships drive the industry.
“At the end of the day, at the top of all of these giant corporations, it’s still just people making deals. It’s buddies shaking hands and playing golf,” said Masters. “Even though that might not be our version of that, it’s still the human relationships that drive all of that at the top.”
SCCA Alumni Highlights: 10 Local Creative Leaders
Pani Fooladvand – Senior Experience Design Manager at T-Mobile, known for leadership in the Seattle UX community.
Cam Karsten – Renowned commercial photographer working with major Pacific Northwest brands like Grundéns.
Margaret Darcher – UX Designer at Amazon, contributor to Kindle hardware and consumer product design.
Julia McNamara – Illustrator and designer for The Seattle Repertory Theatre and founder of Pixel & Post.
Brit Zerbo – Graphic Designer for Nordstrom’s Creative Special Projects and Pop-in shops.
Brad Curran – Professional photographer and videographer for the Amazon photo studio and SCCA guest instructor.
Courtney Comfort – Seattle-based product designer who led the ground-up design of the REI iPad app.
Jake Magraw – Co-founder of F-Stop, specializing in high-end time-lapse videography for Microsoft.
Stacey Bradbury – Prominent muralist responsible for large-scale public art installations across Beacon Hill.
Joyce Hwang – Graphic Designer at Sasquatch Books, focusing on regional editorial and book design.
(Image: Seattle Central Creative Academy)
Housed on the fifth floor, the program offers exclusive access to high-end resources, including large-format printers, photo sets with seamless backdrops, and extensive camera equipment rentals. These tools help students build the portfolios necessary to navigate Seattle’s changing consumer landscape.
“I think that’s what we see all along Broadway,” said Masters. “That’s what it feels like in our neighborhood and our home as creative professionals, where we feel like we’re more empowered than ever.”
Applications for the two-year associate degree path open May 18 and close May 22 for Fall 2026 enrollment, with a final cycle opening in July.
The incoming 2028 cohort will attend classes five days a week, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., with extended sessions on Fridays, gaining full access to the Academy’s specialized facilities.
Learn more at seattlecentralcreativeacademy.com.
(Image: Seattle Central Creative Academy)
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