Ms. Joyce Symoniak
Fine Arts Faculty
Biography
Joyce Symoniak is a visual arts teacher at Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, she also serves as an adjunct Professor at Columbia College in the areas of art appreciation and art history. She has earned her MFA from Governors State University specializing in digital Imaging and independent film. This was preceded by an MA in studio arts and a BFA in medical illustration. She is member of the College Arts Association and actively works for varied art supplies companies in product testing. Miss Symoniak has shown her drawings and paintings throughout the United States and overseas. Her teaching career spans over 30 years at the college level. Miss Symoniak currently teaches Digital Photography, Graphic Design and Technology, Scientific Illustration, Observational Drawing, 3D Design Foundations, and Art and Design. She also runs student-independent research studies in studio arts, computer arts, art portfolio development, and art history.
Before starting her career as a college professor, she worked as an Art Director, for an in-house Chicago advertising agency setting up and bringing in the very first digital art department to the company. This was an enormous change for the graphic design/advertising industry, it involved her training work associates in this new industry trend. During her teaching career, Miss Symoniak has worked on many different teams including College HLC accreditation, college campus-wide file sharing development, development of college curriculum guides, and course development. She wrote departmental plans and chaired committees which included: college internship safety guides, adapting progress reports for college students who carried over IEPs, curriculum development, and planning, Miss Symoniak spends time outside the classroom, as a volunteer at a community senior center teaching painting as art therapy, along with helping set up and work an annual art show at a local historical society. She has several articles published on artistic techniques and has written/designed a book for children with special needs helping them to learn basic writing skills.
