Double Detention at CapU Lonsdale Campus Ignites Cross-Program Connections
On Tuesday, September 9, CapU’s Lonsdale campus buzzed with energy as students from the Bachelor of Design in Visual Communication and Interaction Design diploma programs came together for the first-ever Double Detention networking sprint. 2nd-year BDes student Kendra Vermette kicked things off with engaging icebreakers and, together with IDEA School of Design Instructor, Lab Supervisor and Blog Coordinator, James Neufeld, introduced the after-school club. Networking got underway immediately, sparking new collaborations, peer mentorships, and connections across all cohorts.
“Detention was created with the intention of encouraging involvement. Every Thursday after school, our team comes together to maintain the IDEA Blog—updating stories, entries, and (soon) organizing events designed by and for students.
During the recent Lonsdale Double Detention, students collaborated on ways to better serve the IDEA community, brainstorming strategies to make events and volunteer opportunities more meaningful and engaging. The chance to cross-pollinate between Main Campus and Shipyards students was both inspiring and energizing!
I got to meet some of the fourth years I’d known of but never formally met, which was awesome. I also had some great conversations with the IXD students, which was cool since we’ve never really had the chance to mingle. I think today was very successful for networking, and Leo even offered to help with the next event.”
Bridging the Campus Divide
The event successfully tackled a long-standing need: creating connections between students who rarely have the chance to interact.
“Honestly, meeting the IXD students felt like meeting our program cousins. We share a lot in common, and it was encouraging to see how much we could relate to and support each other. I’m definitely excited about the chance to have our programs together through future events.”
“Double Detention was a blast! It was a great way to meet people in the Bachelor of Design program since we are very isolated in the IXD diploma program.”
“It was nice to meet new people and build meaningful connections with students from the IDEA School of Design programs. I think events like this are especially valuable for us, IXD students, since we sometimes feel a bit secluded from the student community.”
“It was very cool to finally see the Lonsdale location and to talk to the first and second BDes and IxD years.”
“It was nice to see everyone’s faces— our classroom has cubicles which makes it hard for everyone to interact with each other.”
More Than Mingling: Building Professional Foundations
Double Detention is an extension of Detention, our after-school creative club where students collaborate on blog content, showcase work to peers and industry, and sharpen their skills in a supportive environment. Guided by James Neufeld, Detention is more than a workshop—it’s professional development and creative growth, giving students a space to build student culture, network across cohorts, share creative ideas, and gain hands-on experience in digital content management.
During the event, students also watched a live demonstration on how to get work featured on the school’s official blog. James reminded students that submitting A-grade projects is a prime way to showcase talent to a wider audience and gain industry visibility. The blog regularly features A-grade projects, award-winning work, honourable mentions, and Student Spotlight stories that highlight creativity across our programs.
“Detention is a fabulous initiative because it connects all the cohorts in both IDEA School of Design programs. Our peers who are further along in their journeys will soon be out in the creative working world, and building connections with our future colleagues now is so important. As a mature student, I’ve been fortunate to have some illustration work prior to this program, and I’ve learned first-hand how vital building relationships in our community is for finding jobs and doing cool things. The connections we’re building through Detention will help set us up for success, and that really excites me!”
“When I heard about Double Detention, I was excited to go, as there hasn’t really been an opportunity to interact with my peers in other years. It was lovely meeting everyone and getting more familiar with the different programs in the IDEA School of Design. I was also really impressed with everyone’s work - What a vast pool of talent! ”
“My initial impression of Double Detention was that it is a club that aims to foster stronger relationships between the BDes and IxD programs. Although after attending, I soon realized it is more of a group of students in various points of study who want to push their learning into the real world. It seemed that everyone was excited to hear from some guest speakers and to continue to network and grow the IDEA community.”
“Double Detention seems like a comfortable way to build a network, with the opportunity to grow into something more.”
The Verdict: A “Fun and Low-Stakes” Success
Students praised the event's format, which was short, concentrated, and effective, and expressed excitement for its future potential.
“I enjoyed getting to meet more of my peers in IDEA, since we don’t get many opportunities otherwise. I liked that the event was short and concentrated, making it easy to commit to. I think once more people see how simple and satisfying it is to get together, the turnout will grow, and hopefully we’ll see even more community between cohorts!”
“Double Detention is a fun and low stakes chance to get acquainted with people in BDES and IXD, and it’s really worth a shot even if you’re shy!”
“It was really fun! I would say separating the blog stuff from the networking is the only thing. I think a couple of us just wanted to meet people and chat. I liked the intro and starting with some icebreaker questions and updates, though. The way you tell your story online can make all the difference.”
“I think it’s something that has a lot of potential. The word ‘networking’ feels a bit artificial for me personally, but I loved seeing it as a way to get to know each other and learn more about how we can be involved in our little community.”
“Honestly, I just came to Double Detention for the snacks James promised. But in the end, it turned out I was really craving connection. It was great meeting some of the joyful, fresh-faced first years—though I quickly found out most of them are actually older than me!”
“Double Detention was nice. It was fun meeting the students from the other campus. It feels like the beginning of a great year and the start of possible future collaborations.”
A Powerful Catalyst for the Year Ahead
In just over one hour, Double Detention showed what makes our programs so unique: the cross-pollination of ideas between disciplines, the spark of peer-to-peer mentorship, and the practical focus on career-building skills.
“Double Detention was a great mingle opportunity, and it was nice to meet some new faces. It was extremely refreshing to get to know the up-and-coming creatives who are in both BDES and IXD!!”
“It was very well organized and put together, the event itself. I really appreciate the opportunity to be able to meet the other IDEA students, as they are very hard to come by. I think the DD events will prove to be a very important source of maintaining connections between the various different classes.”
“I think it’s a good idea, but it might be hard to get everyone together and to submit work like you mentioned, since everyone will probably be busy with schoolwork. That said, it was fun.”
The event proved that networking doesn’t have to be long or intimidating. Instead, it can be a powerful catalyst for collaboration, portfolio growth, and future opportunities.
Stay tuned for the next Double Detention.
