Building on the success of SCADstory Savannah, the university set out to reimagine its founding story for Atlanta -- a city known worldwide for film and television production, music, and the arts. The challenge was to retell the same story in a way that felt entirely new, resonated with Atlanta's cultural landscape, and could inspire both prospective students and the wider public.
The strategy was guided by a powerful promise: This Is Your Place. SCADstory Atlanta would not be a presentation but a performance -- a living artwork that draws from cinema, theater, and themed entertainment to deliver a multisensory educational story.
SCADstory Atlanta unfolds in a four-act, tightly choreographed journey. Every element -- projection, animation, lighting, fragrance, writing, scenic design, and a 360-degree musical score -- was treated as an equal part of the educational palette.
Every discipline showcased in the experience is also a degree program at SCAD -- animation, graphic design, writing, audio, lighting, and fragrance. Visitors don't just hear about SCAD's curriculum; they experience it in practice. The project itself became a classroom, with over 30 students, alumni, and faculty contributing at professional standards.
SCADstory Atlanta delivers tangible results. Visitors consistently reported a clear shift from interest to commitment. Post-visit surveys showed measurable increases in students who described SCAD as their "first choice." Families noted that the experience moved them emotionally in a way that brochures or presentations could not. Many prospective students specifically cited SCADstory Atlanta as the decisive factor in their enrollment.
Every element of the production connects to a SCAD program, transforming the experience into a living curriculum. Animation, graphic design, writing, audio, lighting, and fragrance are not abstract subjects but visceral experiences woven into the story. More than 30 students, alumni, and faculty contributed directly, gaining professional-level credits and portfolio work recognized industry-wide. The process itself became a case study in SCAD's philosophy: learning by creating.
SCADstory Atlanta was designed not only as a recruitment tool but as a cultural destination. Free and open to the public with a suggested $5 scholarship donation, it has welcomed thousands of Atlanta residents, families, and tourists. These donations directly support student scholarships, linking the visitor experience to educational access. In doing so, SCADstory has become part of the city's cultural fabric, bridging education and community engagement.
The project has also been acknowledged by industry peers as a benchmark in experiential design. Other institutions are now studying it as a model for immersive storytelling in higher education, proving its influence extends well beyond Atlanta.
In an age of distraction, SCADstory Atlanta demonstrates how sophisticated technical execution paired with authentic emotional storytelling can connect deeply with audiences. It proves that recruitment can be more than marketing -- it can be entertainment, education, and cultural contribution all at once.
The project redefined what a campus tour could be, proving that universities can inspire not only through words and brochures but through multisensory storytelling. It also redefined learning for its creators -- students, alumni, and faculty who collaborated as professionals to deliver a landmark project.
For Atlanta, SCADstory has become both cultural attraction and educational platform, enriching the community while supporting student scholarships. For higher education more broadly, it has set a new benchmark for institutional storytelling: technically masterful, emotionally resonant, and strategically transformative.
At its core, the experience delivers a simple, powerful promise to every visitor: This Is Your Place.