The College of New Jersey’s School of the Arts and Communication is launching Creative State, a student-run public relations and design agency that gives students real-world experience while delivering creative services to campus and community clients.
Made possible by a generous gift from TCNJ alumnus Andy Polansky ’83 and his wife, Maria ’83, Creative State will offer professional-level opportunities in public relations, branding, web design, video production, digital fabrication, and more. All work will be done under faculty mentorship, with a focus on social impact.
“We are a school of thinkers, doers, and makers,” said Pamela Barnett Halladay, dean of the School of the Arts and Communication. “Creative State puts that spirit into action by engaging students in heads-on, hands-on experiential learning, assigning them to projects where they will apply classroom learning to professional contexts and solve real-world PR and design problems.”
“Our faculty have long created partnerships with community organizations and companies and have mentored students to build websites, make animations, and design social media campaigns,” said Barnett Halladay. “Creative State brings this work together under one unified umbrella that offers students the structure, space, and support they need to build professional experience and industry connections.”
The agency’s model includes a 200-level foundational course, where students explore client work, agency structures, and career paths. Those who complete the course can apply for the two-unit, 300/400-level agency course, where they’ll take on client projects in roles like researcher, copywriter, designer, strategist, or developer. Students may return in future semesters to take on senior roles such as art director, technical lead, or project manager.
Projects will be tailored to client needs and may include PR and social media campaigns, graphic design and branding, websites, animation, media outreach, and physical signage. While the agency’s initial work will be pro bono, the long-term vision includes expanding to paid client partnerships.
“We’ve seen how much students value projects that live beyond the classroom,” said Chris Ault, chair of the Department of Design and Creative Technology. “With Creative State, we’ve built a curriculum that mirrors agency life, and guides students through the professional tools, standards, and collaborative practices they’ll need to succeed in design and PR careers.”
“Creative State transforms how we prepare students for public relations careers,” said Yachao Li, chair of the Department of Communication, Journalism, and Film. “By working with real clients, students from our communication studies, journalism and professional writing, and digital filmmaking programs gain practical experience in campaign strategy, client relations, and emerging technologies that will set them apart.”
Polansky, former CEO of global communications firm Weber Shandwick, has played an active role in shaping the initiative by providing input on curriculum and branding and helping connect TCNJ with peer programs at other institutions.
“Creative State gives students something that every young professional needs: real-world experience,” said Polansky. “With Creative State, they’ll develop practical skills, build confidence, and graduate with a portfolio that stands out. Maria and I are proud to support a program that helps prepare students not only for their first job, but for long-term success.”
While the program formally launches for the spring 2026 semester, early client projects are being identified, building on previous course partnerships with the Trenton Free Public Library, the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office, Colgate-Palmolive, and Campustown stores Blazin J’s, HairWorx Salon, and the sneaker store LVCED. A current campus engagement is the TCNJ Foundation, for which students have designed campus signage fabricated in the college’s MakerSpace.
Visit www.tcnjcreativestate.com to learn more.
— Emily W. Dodd ’03