IdeaBase, a student-powered design agency located in downtown Kent and works with Kent State, held its annual open house Thursday welcoming both current and prospective students into the agencies headquarters for a tour of its various duties and roles.

The open house featured multiple exhibits, including a button making station by partnered agency Glyphix.

Attendees could draw on a slip of paper and have custom designs turned into a pinnable button and a virtual reality demonstration featuring multiple demos not designed by IdeaBase or Glyphix.

The event also featured exhibits highlighting various aspects of the work IdeaBase and Glyphix focus on. Guests were welcomed with pizza and bottled water as refreshments while they roamed.

Visitors were presented with displays of past website designs, campaigns created for the university and projects for outside organizations. These projects included the Kent State May 4 signage, brochure material for the Burton D. Morgan Foundation and marketing and custom shirt designs for the 10th annual Alumni Day of Service.

Nick Pappas, a web developer and junior computer science major working for Ideabase, said the event was designed to keep an eye out for people who might want to work at IdeaBase in the future.

IdeaBase currently offers a wide variety of roles and positions for Kent State students including roles involving video production, graphic design, web development, marketing and usability testing.

Larrie King, the creative director of Glyphix, described that the agency handles a wide variety of design-oriented work and partners with IdeaBase to help work with students.

Glyphix is currently the oldest student-staffed design studio in the country.

Jared Mullen, an incoming freshman digital media major, was excited about the event and the prospect of working for IdeaBase.

“I mean, it seems pretty cool. Everything’s colorful and open. I think it’s a good environment,” Mullen said.

Mullen, when asked about why he came to the event, said that he was essentially looking for more information.

“I went to my school tour and (they) just kind of briefly went over it — just kind of said IdeaBase is also a place to hire students.”

Kristin Dowling, the director of IdeaBase, said the agency was looking for creative students of various interests.

“We’re always looking for writers,” Dowling said.

IdeaBase is looking to hire students for the fall semester.

Tristan Isham is a tech consumer and university reporter. Contact him a [email protected].