Art Institute awards first three diplomas

Three students have earned degrees from the Art Institute of Charleston.

The students, who received their diplomas Saturday, are the first graduates of the school, which opened in April 2007. All three earned associate in arts degrees in graphic design.

“They will always be our pioneers,” Art Institute President Richard Jerue said in a news release. “They took a chance on us when we were little more than a dream, and they helped make our dream their reality.”

The school opened in Charleston with 57 students. The Art Institute expects the student body to grow to nearly 500 when the fall quarter begins in October.

The Art Institute of Charleston offers associate and bachelor’s degrees. Programs include culinary arts, graphic design, interior design, Web design and interactive media, photographic imaging, fashion and retail management, and digital filmmaking and video production.

It is one of 40 Art Institutes located throughout North America.