Westwood's AIGA Student Group Hosts StimuLatté

In an effort to increase student’s involvement in the local design scene, students at the Westwood College campus in LA have created Stimulatté: Coffee & Conversation, a networking event held at local coffee shops around the LA area.

Last year, Westwood's LA campus set up an AIGA student group called VISION. AIGA is a professional association for design, and hosts both educational and networking events. One such event, called SPARK, is hosted at local bars around the area, and allows people to network with industry professionals while enjoying drinks. Many students were going to these events and making contacts. However, this left out the students who were under the age of 21.

This brought about discussion at the monthly AIGA LA Education Committee meetings. It was determined that somebody should host a networking event for people of all ages. Westwood students KeAsha Roger, Kimberly Rose, Jeff Lim and Yesinia Cisneros not only suggested a solution, but went out and planned the whole event with the help of the event coordinator Kathleen Fon.

StimuLatté is now a monthly social gathering for Los Angeles area design students providing an opportunity to network and create new connections in the relaxed atmosphere of local coffee shops. The students have raised money for the event so they can offer free coffee to attendees. There were over 40 people that attended the first event, which was graced by the presence of design legend April Grieman and Ann Enkoji (Vice President of AIGA LA). There will be more Stimulatté events held in the future, the next one being held at The Ragazzi Room near USC.