Skip to main content

Students Take Part in ‘Super Bowl’ of Visual Display with Macy’s Window Creation


In late August, when the days were still warm, nine students in Matt Monson’s visual merchandising class began thinking about Christmas, with the goal of producing one very large ornament that now hangs in one of the Macy’s holiday window displays in downtown Salt Lake City.

The group met on and off in a small room at SLCC’s Fashion Institute for three weeks, brainstorming and drafting ideas on paper and white boards for the ornament’s theme. They came up with “One Sky,” an idea that represents many cultures and individuals, coexisting under one sky. “We wanted to find a theme that was unifying and celebrated the holidays in its myriad looks and forms across the continent,” Monson said.


Students hung a huge Styrofoam ball – about 48 inches in diameter – with an internal wood frame in that small room, and for the next 10 weeks used 120 pounds of candy, 12 pounds of glue sticks, six pounds of silicone caulk and more than 50 metal skewers to assemble their collaborative creation. Throughout the process, students Katie Crose, Charrisse Fuhriman, Michelle Guanuna, Alivia Matchett, Yukako Ogura, Andee Ramirez, Tracy Robbins, Samantha Salas and Sarah Santistevan were able to meet and work with Macy’s National Window Director, Roya Sullivan, and the local Macy’s visual merchandising team at City Creek Center.


On a chilly Nov. 15 evening, Monson and his students gathered at Macy’s for the big reveal on a sidewalk packed with people, many of whom mark the viewing of these windows each year as the official start of their holiday season. For the students’ hard work and creativity, the ornament becomes an arrow in their professional quiver as they prepare to enter the workforce.


“This project means a lot to the students and SLCC as an institution because this is a very highly visible visual merchandising project, one that will attract thousands of visitors in a 45-day timespan,” Monson said. Students get the opportunity to speak with the public, as well as local media, about their artwork. “For my students, this is likely one of the largest creative projects they’ve ever worked on. In many ways, this annual event is Salt Lake City’s Super Bowl of visual display. To the students, this is a foot in the door with a strong professional piece for their portfolio.”








Matt Monson (rear) and students reveal SLCC's ornament in a Macy's holiday window.




Popular posts from this blog

Rev Up Your Future at SLCC Annuals Hop into College

SLCC West Valley Center will be opening its doors on Friday, August 2, from 6-9 pm for their annual lowrider event that celebrates the automotive culture and welcomes current, past, and future Bruins into the SLCC community. This unique event allows lowriders to showcase their vehicles and for spectators to witness the creativity, craftsmanship, and passion that goes into a lowrider car. From the sleek custom paint jobs to the impressive hydraulics showcased at the hop-off, attendees get immersed in the vibrant culture created by SLCC West Valley’s community. Beyond the car show, Hop into College provides prospective students and their families the opportunity to explore SLCC, engage with their future peers, staff and faculty and obtain valuable insight into the degrees and programs offered. Furthermore, the community is provided with countless beneficial resources not only as an SLCC student but as a community member. Whether interested in learning more about the lowrider community o...

SLCC Alumnus and U.S. Diplomat to Speak at 2025 Commencement

Salt Lake Community College’s 2025 Commencement speaker Branigan Knowlton will share his perspectives drawn from a 12-year career as a Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. Department of State. In serving his country, Knowlton has honed his foreign relations and diplomacy skills in Hong Kong, Mexico, Colombia and Italy. Knowlton is also a proud Salt Lake Community College (SLCC) alumnus (2002).     Knowlton currently serves at the U.S. Embassy in Rome. Before reporting to the embassy, he was detailed to the Italian Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport as part of the Transatlantic Diplomatic Fellowship program. In Bogotá, Knowlton worked for the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement, and in Hermosillo, Mexico, he worked for the Bureau of Consular Affairs. His first assignment abroad was in Hong Kong, where he worked for the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs.     "I've actively sought opportunities that push me into the unfamiliar, even when ...

Recognizing SLCC's 2025 Distinguished Faculty Lecturer Andrew Vogt, PhD Associate Professor, Engineering

The Distinguished Faculty Lecturer is a recognition of quality work by one of Salt Lake Community College’s full-time faculty and a charge to develop that work over an academic year into a public presentation. A committee chosen by the Associate Provost for Learning Advancement selects the faculty lecturer each year. The lecture takes place in the spring. Distinguished Faculty Lecturer Andrew Vogt, PhD Associate Professor, Engineering Dr. Andrew Vogt’s teaching philosophy is guided by two principles, curiosity and efficiency.  “Curiosity leads us to study a topic and allows us to really understand the ins and outs of research, while efficiency is all about sustainability,” he says. Andrew describes curiosity as a pure, open-minded impulse to explore, such as the ease with which children learn new concepts with virtually no instruction. Efficiency adds maturity to that childlike impulse, creating structures and pathways for accomplishment.  Andrew’s work has alwa...