IDEA School of Design’s Kendra Vermette is Connecting Canada’s Student Designers on Discord
Building community in person and online: Kendra Vermette (right) with IDEA School of Design peers at the Double Detention Halloween Party.
Your network can shape your future—but what if you could help build it for others? That's exactly what Kendra Vermette, a second-year Bachelor of Design in Visual Communications student at CapU’s IDEA School of Design, is doing.
This semester, Kendra stepped into a coordinator role with the Association of Registered Graphic Designers (RGD) to help lead the RGD Emerging Designer Network. This national Discord server connects students, associates, and certified RGDs, giving them a space to learn, collaborate, and share ideas.
The network hosts live events in Discord meeting rooms, featuring RGD-certified professionals who showcase their work, conduct portfolio reviews, and answer questions in real time. It’s a dynamic, accessible bridge between the classroom and the design industry.
The RGD created the Emerging Designer Network on Discord specifically to connect the next generation of designers. As the organization describes it:
“The RGD Emerging Designer Network on Discord facilitates communication and networking amongst the next generation of designers.”
This platform provides a safe, moderated space for students and emerging professionals to chat, access virtual events and find resources.
For Kendra, this coordinator role isn’t just a title—it’s the culmination of a personal journey to find, and ultimately create, this exact kind of authentic community in the design world. In her own words, Kendra shares the story behind her role:
Kendra's Journey: In Her Own Words
“I work with students across Canada to create authentic events for students just like us.”
When I first joined RGD, I was a student trying to find my place in the design industry. Eager to connect, contribute, and to learn, I remember looking for opportunities that went beyond coursework - something that would let me grow creatively while being part of a community that truly understood the student experience.
That’s what led to Detention, a project I helped create alongside James. The idea was simple: give students a space to come together, share ideas, and make something meaningful. It started as a small initiative, but it quickly became a place where collaboration and creativity thrived. That experience sparked my passion for building spaces that bring people together through design—and eventually led me to my current role.
“My role involves everything from strategic event planning... but at its core, it’s about people and purpose.”
Today, as the Student Events Subcommittee Lead with RGD, I work with an incredible team of student designers who share that same drive to create and connect. Together, we brainstorm, plan, and execute events that are not only engaging, but authentic to who we are as designers and students. My role involves everything from strategic event planning and coordination to developing marketing materials and hosting events—but at its core, it’s about people and purpose.
Each month, I collaborate with fellow co-chairs to host meetings that bridge students with RGD’s initiatives and the broader design industry. This year, our committee is focused on producing high-impact, professional programming that builds unity, inspires creativity, and strengthens connections within the RGD community.
“Design isn’t one-dimensional. It’s about storytelling, experience, innovation, and purpose.”
One thing I’ve learned through this role is that design isn’t one-dimensional. It’s not just about graphic design—it’s about storytelling, experience, innovation, and purpose. That’s why I encourage our team to explore niche areas of design, where students can discover new perspectives and develop a deeper sense of intention in their work.
Leading the Student Events Subcommittee has taught me that communication and collaboration are the foundation of every successful idea. When we create with intention—and when we listen to each other—the result is always something special.
I’m proud of what our committee has accomplished so far, and even more excited for what’s ahead. We’re building more than just events; we’re building a community where students feel seen, supported, and inspired to grow—as designers and as people.
Kendra’s journey from a student seeking connection to a leader building it is a powerful example of how CapU students are actively shaping their professional world. By championing community on platforms like Discord, they are creating the inclusive, peer-driven networks that define the future of design.
Want to get involved and be part of the community Kendra is helping to build? Keep an eye on the RGD newsletter for announcements—or connect with Kendra on Discord to learn more.
