In 1996, the Graphic Communications Program (the called the Graphic Tech Design program) was implemented on all three campuses of Gateway Technical College. One year prior, the program was officially launched on the Elkhorn Campus by former Program Dean: Pat O’Hara.
In 1997 , the Racine Campus students had been having a day-long get-together to share their design work on the Racine Campus. At that time, instructor Susan LaCanne had been running a Racine Campus show, and had invited the Kenosha Campus students to participate in the 1998 show; held in one of the side conference rooms on the Racine Campus. It was agreed to by all the instructors that the show should be DISTRICT-WIDE (Racine, Kenosha, and Walworth Counties at the time) and rotate its venue throughout the district. In a curriculum committee meeting in 1998, the proposal by P. Pham to create a District-Wide show (incorporating all of the campuses) was approved by the Curriculum and Advisory Committees, and by the Program and Campus Deans, and the first ever DISTRICT-WIDE show was held on the Kenosha Campus. It was decided that each campus would host the show in rotation.
The early shows featured the the work of every design- discipline that was housed on each campus the show was held at. Kenosha featured the work of: Graphics, Interior Design, Landscaping, Floral Design, and Marketing. Racine featured: Graphics, Culinary, and Barber-Cosmetology. Elkhorn featured primarily Graphics, and later added Marketing and Interior pieces from other campuses.
In 2005, the last show was held on the Kenosha Campus. The program had been consolidated into two “campus regions,” with the Racine and Kenosha campuses comprising the eastern region, and the Elkhorn Campus being the Western. The show then alternated between the Elkhorn and Racine Campuses.
Prior to 2010, the majority of judges needed to travel to the show exhibit location to judge the design show during the week leading up to the show. 2010 marked the first year that the show utilized completely online judging and an expanded website featuring every single piece of submitted work; all work was laboriously documented and photographed for distance judges who would utilize a PDF judging form emailed to them.
In 2014, the show was held for the first time at the S.C. Johnson iMET center, at the urging of (then Dean) Dr. Manoj Babu and Dean Ray Koukari. The iMET center proved to be an extremely convenient centralized location for Racine and Kenosha, as well as Walworth county (being located closer to the Interstate. It was so successful that it became the default location for the shows in the east region. The show featured taped music and live entertainment by the Kiwanis Youth Symphony, with extraordinary catering provided by GTC’s catering and events team.
In 2018 (13 years after the last show on the Kenosha Campus) the show returned to the Kenosha campus’ new atrium (due to construction at the SCJ iMET center). A wonderful “homecoming” was had by all, and the atrium proved to be a superb venue for the Graphic and Interior Design Students. It was the last show to feature multiple programs.
In 2020, after holding a lavish opening and live reception for years, the show had to pivot into a completely online presence with the outbreak of the COVID-19 Pandemic, and the resulting safety measures. A successful event was held, including musical entertainment and a virtual awards ceremony.
2021 SDS ONLINE 
2020 SDS [shifted to Online] 
2019 SDS Elkhorn North 
2018 SDS Kenosha Atrium 
2017 SDS Elkhorn North 
2016 SDS SC Johnson iMET 
2015 SDS Elkhorn South 
2014 SDS SC Johnson iMET 
2012 SDS Racine Library 
2010 SDS Racine Library
anyone with posters or invites to previous shows, please contact Peter Pham:
phampete@gtc.edu