PJ Chen Design Jewelry Program

“I've known PJ Chen for almost 20 years, first meeting her when she was a graduate student at Savannah College of Art and Design. Her work ethic was phenomenal, and she quickly became one of the most respected students in the program. This respect, from both students and faculty, is one of the reasons that PJ is so incredibly effective as a teacher. Always learning herself, she has never been content to do anything other than push the boundaries of media, technique, expression and technology. On this last point, I'd be remiss if I didn't speak to PJ's abilities with Rhino - simply put, she's amazing. Her facility with the tool goes well beyond mere technical skill such that I believe that she can do anything she wants with the tool. Last, PJ's ability to work with industry is also one of the reasons for her success and her belief in the power of structured project-based learning and the transferable skills it provides her students, many of whom have gone on to successful careers with the companies she's worked with. I'm grateful to know PJ and she's remained an important part of my professional network - she has my highest recommendation. ”

Kevin Conlon, Provost, Southwest School of Art

“PJ taught me Rhino and Keyshot during my undergraduate studies, and her teachings carried me through my senior thesis into my current position as a working professional. Her instruction is thorough, precise and clear, from the basics of the program to tailored instruction. Under PJ's guidance I was able to push my models to their most complex form.”

Jasmin Peña, Assistant Watch Designer Movado Group Inc.

“PJ was not only an amazing professor but a mentor to me through my college career and entry into the jewelry industry. CAD can be a complex and difficult thing to wrap your brain around, but PJ's patience and genuine care for her students shows in the way she takes time in making sure each student comprehends and understands the material. While each course I took with her was challenging, it was equally rewarding as I became increasingly more excited at the ease of understanding what can be a tough program to crack. Not only will she guide you in the technical aspects of building a piece in Rhino, but a focus on the art and design aspect of our industry is always at the forefront of her assignments. I attribute much of my success so early in my career to her teaching and willingness to work with me both in and out of class on improving my skill. Any student in the design field would benefit greatly from her courses and think back on the knowledge she has to share for years to come.”

Terran Lyn Sapp, Senior CAD Designer, Christopher Duquet Fine Jewelry Design

“I met Professor Chen when I took her Idea Visualization class at SCAD and she immediately became on of my biggest inspirations. Her passion, patience and futuristic thinking are simply admirable. After taking her first class, I wanted to continue to learn more from her so I took her Rhinoceros 3D modeling class. At the beginning I was worried because I did not had any experience with 3D modeling and was afraid of taking on the risk. Truthfully I had never had such an incredible professor, after two weeks of starting to work with the program I already felt that I had learned a tremendous amount of content and was able to start building in 3D. When the class finalized, I felt so passionate about 3D modeling that I signed up to her Gemvision Matrix class for more specific jewelry 3D modeling. After taking two 3D modeling classes with her I can say with confidence that I know all the tools and feel very confident in modeling because of her, if you take her class you will never regret it and you will notice, just as I did, how much knowledge professor Chen has and how much you will gain and grow when taking her class. The most important characteristic that Professor Chen has is that she makes her students truly passionate on what they are learning, and always makes her students push themselves to their highest capability, which makes them learn and appreciate the class so much more. Professor Chen will not only show you the techniques and tricks, she will also teach you examples when it comes to career experiences, she will show you how to build a 3D model and then apply it to your career, which makes the class so interesting because you learn new features that eventually you will use in your professional life. Professor Chen definitely has a futuristic and design thinking like no one else, she thinks always outside of the box and is always willing to show all of those capabilities to her students even outside of the classroom. Professor Chen is probably one of the reasons that I have my current position, because having the knowledge of 3D modeling always sets you apart because you understand 3D building in a whole other level. I highly recommend, if you have the possibility, of taking Professor Chen’s 3D modeling class, you will realize how much you grow and how much you push yourself to making projects that you will never thought to be capable of. The class will not be easy, but it will definitely be worth it, especially when it comes to finding a job or applying the new skills to your current position. Overall highly recommend her class, she is amazing.”

Monica Rodriguez, Assistant Designer Kate Spade New York

“PJ was the most talented, challenging and encouraging professors I experienced throughout my undergraduate studies. I always felt challenged, every class, assignment, and project was a completely different challenge that not only benefited me in terms of developing skills but also benefited me in the way that I thought about design and considered what I was building and creating. PJ is not only a professor who teaches students but she takes the time to understand the students she’s working with, she begins to learn about you and therefore develops the absolute best way to help you learn and develop and become the very best version of yourself as a designer. She will not only push you to understand and own the technical side of design but she will also push you to understand and learn your own way of designing. I learned an incredible amount from her that carried me through my undergraduate studies and into my career. Anyone would be incredibly lucky to study under her, learn from her and benefit from the immense amount of knowledge she carries. ”

Jacqueline Garrity, Design Assistant, COACH Jewelry