Jewelry program needs precious space to teach

The Jewelry Department, located at the Riverside Campus, has been operating with 98-100 percent enrollment in all classes for the past five years.

The department, which formed two years ago when it separated from the welding department, is in the same building with other metal working courses offered at Austin Community College.

"Working here is like operating in a hailstorm," said Jewelry Professor James Lynn. "We do the best we can to keep this place from falling apart."

Multiple classes are taught in the one jewelry classroom simultaneously, sometimes placing four subjects at a time in the same cramped room. All six jewelry professors share one small office.

Despite the lack of space at Riverside, Professor Lynn operates a display case at the Highland Business Center to show students' work. There are typically three shows each semester.

"In class, we have high standards, but nothing is like putting work on display in public," said Lynn.

The display features work from different disciplines of jewelry making. "We teach a full spectrum of jewelry metals," said Lynn.

In addition to teaching traditional jewelry methods, the department is also utilizing modern technology to supplement the curriculum. Jewelry students can learn to use computer-aided drafting software and a three-axis milling machine to create wax models for casting metal jewelry.

Professors have recently begun giving demonstrations in class using a high definition video camera positioned over the instructor's workbench so students can watch the demonstration on three large monitors without crowding each other.