What happens when two self-described 'art school guys,' both charged with creativity and well-versed in programming languages, decide to collaborate?

Ryan McCoy and Ian Lawson decided to find out, and the result was Atomic Interactive, a web design company that is quickly staking its ground in Dayton and beyond.

Since January 2007, the team at Atomic has designed web solutions for clients ranging from the Dayton Opera and Dayton History to high-tech research and development companies serving very specific markets.

Their creations are stunning both visually and technically, with interactive touches that demonstrate the thought and expertise that go into each project and take the sites above and beyond the norm. No detail goes unnoticed, giving users a smooth and aesthetically appealing experience no matter what they are using the website for.

And with plans for expansion, both in workforce and in services, the Atomic bomb is about to go off.

Bridget Oaks comes to DCS as a strong advocate for developing creative community partnerships. She has been an account representative for Hands On Mailing and Fulfillment and is currently owner of Juicebar Creatives, a company she launched to help creatives connect with businesses.

As a community volunteer she is a tireless cheerleader for the Dayton region. As a graduate of Miami University with a BS in Education, she uses those skills to foster relationships between businesses and artists.

Organizations she has been involved with include the Greater Dayton Ad Association, This is Dayton (a DaytonCreate Initiative), the YWCA and many others.

She believes the Dayton Creative Syndicate can be a vital resource to help grow Dayton as a center of innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship.

The 2009-2010 AIGA Cincinnati Mentoring program is about to start up again. It was a huge success last year, and they're looking for participants.

For those of you that don't know about the program, it's purpose is to introduce senior design majors at local design programs to professionals. There are networking events, agency tours, printer tours, creative projects, and the final event is the portfolio review. The organizers try to pair students and professionals that are close to each other (UD and Sinclair both have students in the program).

For those of you interested in becoming a mentor, this is what they've got to say to you:

Now, the title of MENTOR, can be intimidating, but this year the Mentoring Program has been redesigned for self-starters. Outside of the monthly events, planned by the Mentoring Committee, scheduling additional meetings is up to you or your mentee. You'll make your own mentoring match, set your own schedule, forget your own experience and build a relationship that can last for years to come. What we will do is provide a solid starting point. We will update you with plenty of great tips on growing together and host events that lend themselves to building the relationships you seek.

As a mentor you will be provided with some guidance on how to build a relationship with a mentee. You will be invited to attend the monthly events where you will network to find the most compatible mentor/mentee match. On your own, you will be charged with the task of maintaining the relationship by utilizing our facebook group, mentoring web site and planning your own in-person meetings.

This program isn't possible without the participation of design professionals. WE NEED YOU!

If you want to be a mentor or mentee, sign up here and don't delay. Events start late October and that's not very far down the road.

EDIT: My 2 cents on this: Anyone who's been in a mentor role can tell you that one of the best ways to learn is to teach. By taking on a mentee, you'll build a relationship you didn't have before, you'll be doing your bit to improve the local scene (especially if you encourage your mentee to focus on finding a job in the area), and if you're lucky, you might even find yourself challenged and inspired.