Ron Romain, a digital media design professor, is retiring after developing so many connections with students.
by Annisa Charles
Ron Romain, one of the digital media design professors for the Communications Department at Cal State Fullerton, is retiring after developing so many connections with students. Between working as a graphic designer and teaching at different colleges, Romain has taught many students what it takes to become an artist in some shape or form.
Romain has taught in the Art Departments of Long Beach State, Chapman University, El Camino College and Orange Coast College. CSUF is the only college where he has taught those majoring in communications.
In 1984, Romain taught at CSUF for about one year, teaching the Graphic Communications course. Romain was teaching students how to communicate visually, and explained how the most significant difference between then and now was that the class was completely hands-on.
“No computers at all (remember, the Mac was introduced in 1984). So, we did paste-ups, used press type, cut overlays, etc. The stone age,” Romain said.
Romain focused on his career as a graphic designer and owner of a stock image business called Art Parts from 1985 to 2000. In January 2001, Romain returned to CSUF as a part-time professor and has been here ever since.
“Guess what I taught in 2001: Graphic Communications! But by this time, the computer was integrated into the curriculum,” said Romain.
He has taught students different programs throughout the years, including Aldus PageMaker, QuarkXpress and now all the various Adobe programs. Romain began teaching full-time at CSUF in fall 2017.
Teaching web classes has been Romain’s passion. His early classes centered on visual communication for print production, like posters, newspapers, magazines or flyers. Now that the main focus of communication has become digital, Romain has enjoyed learning and teaching problem-solving and critical thinking aspects of design and creation for the internet.
Romain is the advisor for the Digital Media certificate, as well as the advisor for the Communications Department outreach internship. He expressed how important digital media and visual communications are, and how much it has grown. He has been able to learn and grow with them. He has turned the Digital Media certificate into a popular and vital addition to communications students' education.
Romain has taught many classes over the years at CSUF. These classes include Comm 317 Digital Foundation; Comm 444 Portfolio Visual Communication; Comm 358 Graphic Communications; Comm 363 Desktop Publishing; Comm 380 Interactive Media Design; and Comm 481 Advanced Interactive Media Design.
Romain's favorite part of teaching is being in the classroom, where he can thrive on the campus's energy and help students directly. “And there's nothing better than teaching that which I've done my entire career and am still passionate about, knowing that it will help a student begin their career,” said Romain.
Romain said he will miss CSUF and all those who work and teach in the Communications Department. His next chapter in life will be moving to Eugene, Oregon, with his wife, Robin, to work on their art.
“It'll be an adventure. But, as excited as I am, I can't help but see the irony of watching the seniors in my classes graduate this May to begin their careers as I walk out the door and end mine,” he said.
CSUF’s Communication Department would like to thank Professor Ron Romain for all of his hard work teaching graphic design, portfolio help, and mentorship in website building. We wish him a happy retirement and he will be dearly missed.
