Expanding its efforts to support higher education, Canon Solutions America, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Canon U.S.A., Inc., has welcomed Arizona State University (ASU) into its University Inkjet Program.
This semester-long initiative adds another prestigious institution to the University Inkjet Program, which was established in 2019 to showcase Canon’s commitment to supporting the next generation of content creators. The program provides students with real-world experience and insight into today’s print industry trends. Through collaborative activities, students gain firsthand knowledge of the production printing business, inkjet technology, production print service providers, and the evolving industry landscape.
In early March, Canon representatives visited ASU students in the program and arranged a tour of District Photo, a Canon Solutions America customer based in Phoenix. District Photo utilizes high-end, professional-grade equipment, including the Canon ProStream 1800 webfed inkjet press, primarily for photo specialty applications.
Scott Raymond, General Manager of District Photo, expressed, “Working with Canon Solutions America and ASU teams was a tremendous opportunity to engage and showcase the latest technologies to the next generation while creating excitement and introducing the students to a stable, growing industry. We have had excellent success with ASU graduates and hope to continue growing this partnership.”
Patricia Perigo, Faculty Associate of Graphic Information Technology at Arizona State, added, “The Canon Solutions America University Inkjet Program has been a wonderful complement to our ASU GIT 250 Introduction to Commercial Print Technology course curriculum. The informative virtual lectures by the Canon team have brought the latest in their technology into the classroom. This has been an immersive and excellent complement to our curriculum. The partnership with the Canon team has brought another tangible real-world experience to our Graphic Information Technology program that extends our own ASU Print and Imaging Lab and digital printing rotation.”
The inclusion of Arizona State in the program builds on the success of the University Inkjet Program, originally established with Clemson University, which also includes a special print curriculum for Rochester Institute of Technology’s (RIT) Typography and Page Design program. Earlier this month, Clemson students in the program had the opportunity to visit another Canon Solutions America customer, Amsive, which employs both a Canon ColorStream 6000 series webfed inkjet press and a varioPRINT i300 sheetfed inkjet press.
The University Inkjet Program was launched in 2019 by Valentina Echavarria, a category product specialist, and Melody Ownby, a product planning specialist, who created and executed the pilot program at their alma mater, Clemson. In 2021, they were recognized with the Girls Who Print Rising Star Award for their efforts. The program now offers more students opportunities to explore potential careers in production print.
“Developing the industry’s next generation of leaders is important for ensuring a promising future,” said Francis McMahon, Executive Vice President, Production Print Solutions, Canon Solutions America. “We are excited that Arizona State is a member of the University Inkjet Program, joining well-regarded schools such as Clemson University and Rochester Institute of Technology, to receive hands-on learning experiences that expand classroom instruction as Canon looks to push the graphic communications industry forward.”
The expansion of the University Inkjet Program builds on the ongoing relationship between Canon and Arizona State, which includes a managed print program in place since 2007. The partnership initially aimed to help ASU become carbon neutral by 2025, a goal the university achieved six years early, in 2019.
As part of the initiative, Canon Solutions America replaced multiple desktop inkjet printers with fewer multifunction copiers across campus and assisted the university in transitioning to 100 percent recycled paper in all student print devices. The relationship continues with Canon Solutions America supporting multiple sustainability projects and other philanthropic engagements at the university. Arizona State University is also invested in Canon camera technology and recently hosted David Hume Kennerly, a current Canon Legend, to present his photography work to students.
“We are very pleased to be part of the Canon Solutions America University Inkjet Program,” said Penny Ann Dolin, Professor of Practice in the Graphic Information Technology program at ASU’s Polytechnic School. “It is a wonderful opportunity for our students to experience real-world design and print solutions. The Graphic Information Technology program is all about the commercial application of creative content design and has been for more than sixty years. This kind of partnership is exactly the kind of opportunity I had in mind when developing this class.”
