The newly built Creativity and Innovation Building on Virginia Tech’s campus hosted the DesignUP event. Teams worked in three main areas, the photography studio, multipurpose library, and the lobby (seen here).
How does a design club think outside of the program?
(read below to find out)
DesignUP (Design + "Ut Prosim": That I May Serve) was initiated in 2022 and was our program's first major outreach event. The event is a philanthropic design-a-thon that, in its first year, included 13 professional designers that mentored 52 undergraduate students (75% of the graphic design program) to provide design services to 11 local nonprofits. By dividing the student participants into small groups—with representation from each undergraduate class and a design professional mentoring them—we built diverse teams that reflect the working environment of today's creative agencies. The students greatly benefitted from this event by witnessing firsthand how their mentors navigated the relationship with clients in terms of direction, feedback, and approval.
Local design professionals (Trevor Finney) mentored student groups throughout the creative process.
The event benefitted eleven local nonprofits, including Blacksburg Partnership (seen here), who advocates for regional initiatives and promote the area’s businesses through social community-building events.
The Big Blue mascot and supporting typographic marks can be seen throughout Bluefield State College’s online presence.
DesignUP
Date:
April 2nd, 2022
Location:
Creative & Innovation District Building,
Virginia Tech
Planning Committee:
Patrick Finley, Faculty Advisor
Kelly Wiegand, AIGA Club President
Sarah Schaffer, AIGA Club Vice-President
Kensley Bullins, AIGA Events Coordinator
Rachel Joaquin, Apparel Coordinator
Rachel Adams, Social Media Coordinator
Emily Dinh & Devina Bowa, Promotional Designers (Stickers)
Sydney Johnson & Maria Martinez, Photography
Leah Hammes, Food & Beverage Coordinator
Design Professionals (Mentors):
Renee Alarid, Creative Director, Moss Arts Center
Zach Brodie, Assistant Art Director, Spectrum Brands
Charlotte Canon, Designer, Willowtree
John Cornthwait, Vice President, Firefli
Meaghan Dee, Associate Prof. of Graphic Design, Virginia Tech
Patrick Finley, Assistant Professor of Graphic Design, Virginia Tech
Trevor Finney, Creative Director, Virginia Tech Libraries
Shanin Glenn, Senior Designer, University Relations
Jeff Joiner, Associate Prof. of Practice, Virginia Tech
Kevin Jones, CEO and Creative Director, Joba Studio
Rebecca Miller, Designer, Watermark
Stephanie Smith, Associate Prof. of Digital Marketing, Virginia Tech
Nonprofits:
Blacksburg Partnership
Huckleberry Trail
Literacy Volunteers of the New River Valley
Mary Draper Ingles Cultural Heritage Park
New River Composite Mountain Bike Team
New River Robotics
Sustainable Horsemanship
Virginia Tech String Project
Wytheville Farmer’s Market