Introduction
ART 310 Design: Public Practice is an upper level studio art course at Connecticut College that offers an in-depth exploration of methods and processes of public-based social design for creating social change through the power of design thinking. This semester we were fortunate to work with the non-profit organization Higher Edge.
Higher Edge is based in New London and Willimantic and is dedicated to guiding low-income and first-generation students through enrollment, retention, and graduation from college by providing the support and resources needed for success. Our work this semester was collaborative, designed and implemented in conjunction with Higher Edge and students in the College Access Program and the Success Program.
The course introduced us to methods, practices and processes of design and issues affecting the design discipline including new technologies, cultural and environmental implications, user and outcome. All explorations were project based supported by research and included new media and traditional forms of making both object, image and time-based works.
The Holleran Center supports communitybased research in areas of social justice concerns such as economic opportunity, health and wellness, the environment, K-12 education, youth development, and art/culture/public space. Community-learning takes many forms, including internships, action research, courses with required service components, and more. The common denominator is the deliberate linking of community partnerships, academic study, and structured reflection.”
We were fortunate to receive funding this semester with a Margaret Sheridan ‘67 Community-Learning Course and Research Grant from the Holleran Center for Community Action and Public Policy. This grant assisted us with research and materials and the implementation of projects during the semester.
At the end of the semester we also received funding from the Connecticut College Career Informed Learning program for a project initiated by Jeff Deutsch ’96 titled “The Transportation Project” which introduced students to a public transportation visual campaign for Higher Edge. Career Informed Learning is a project-based learning approach to education that brings real-life work challenges into the classroom for students to research, analyze and develop solutions. The challenges are proposed by Connecticut College alumni and parents who have expertise in the areas the students are studying in class.
Design Team
Nadia Bednarczuk
Major: Product Design &
Studio Art
Class of 2019
Annie Breakstone
Major: Art History
Minor: Art & Dance
Class of 2019
Ammerman Center for Arts & Technology
Jacob Brill-Weil
Major: Architectural Studies
Minor: Government
Class of 2020
Jillian Edwards
Major: Architectural Studies
Minor: English & Art
Class of 2019
Emily Ehler
Major: Psychology
Minor: Studio Art & Classics
Class of 2019
Quinlan Low
Major: Architectural Studies & Studio Art
Class of 2019
Cal Nadeau
Major: Architectural Studies
Class of 2019
Olga Nikolaeva
Major: Architectural Studies & Art History
Minor: East Asian Studies
Class of 2019
Certificate: Museum Studies
Ezra Norris
Major: Studio Art Class of 2021
Ammerman Center for Arts & Technology
Lera Shynkarova
Major: Economics
Pathway: Entrepreneurship Class of 2020
Erin Smith
Major: Studio Art Class of 2019
Natasha Strugatz
Major: Art History
Minor: English Class of 2020
Ammerman Center for Art & Technology
Certificate: Museum Studies
Megan Webber
Major: Government
Minor: Economics & Architectural Studies Class of 2019
Andrea Wollensak
Professor of Studio Art Director of the Ammerman Center for Art and Technology
Winterhouse Social Design Matrix
The Social Design Matrix was designed by 20 social design educators in 2013 at the Winterhouse Symposium. The purpose of the matrix is to allow designers to think about the “bigger picure” when designing for various social problems, where the X axis represents Range of Experience and the Y axis represents Scale of Engagement.
http://www.winterhouseinstitute.org/
Higher Edge Social Design Matrix
Featuring Higher Edge in widely read print material
Expand Higher Edge through the US with the use of TED talks and workshops
Design teams for various universities hosting Higher Edge events accross the country
Infographics on benefits of higher education
New London and Willimantic annual College Fairs; peer tutoring in Spanish and French Creole
Online workshops on time management and organizatioal skills, application guidance, self care and counseling services
Informational pamphlets or print material for Higher Edge
Events based on toolkits produced by Public Practice teams
Higher Edge mobile application
RANGE OF EXPERIENCE
In this course, we used the concept of the matrix to visualize what our involvement with Higher Edge would look like if we were to “scale up” to a different level, whether that be through scale of engagement or range of experience. The above matrix is a representation of what our scaling up would look like.
Middle School Toolkit
Megan Webber, Annie Breakstone, & Nadia Bednarczuk
The middle school toolkit attempts to engage with prospective Higher Edge students. In order to engage with this community, we created a couple main projects. These project include an interactive booklet, coloring book, stickers, and swag items. The material is aimed at inspiring middle schoolers to pursue their hobbies, passions, and dreams.
Development
When we first began our project, we met with Theresa to discuss the goals and options for the toolkit. We wanted to create engaging and promotional materials that would help middle school students get involved with the college process and future goals. However, in order to appropriately engage with this age group, the projects focused on students’ hobbies, passions, and favorite classes in order to apply these interests to their futures. We collectively decided to create an engagement brochure, stickers, and coloring book.
Process
The designs for each sub-project went through several iterations. We envisioned several different objects and symbols for the overall concept and theme for the brochure, coloring book, and stickers. We focused on different layouts and iterations that would effectively engage the middle schoolers and convey the stories of the success students.
Final Product
Our final product or toolkit included a coloring book, an engagement poster, and stickers. We chose to use a lightbulb as the overarching theme for each project. The final colors and designs are graphic in order to engage this particular audience and create products that were deemed age appropriate and not too juvenile.
Social Design Matrix
In order to scale up this project we would include more success student stories. We would also create workshops with middle school students in order to engage with them and to inform them about the Higher Edge program.
Sustainability
The sustainability of our project relies on the templates we have created for Higher Edge for each project. We used the font Rockwell consistently throughout the entire coloring book and utilized the Century Gothic font for the poster. For the images of students we used the filter ‘stamp’ on Photoshop as well as cut away their backgrounds.
Development
The purpose of this project was to reimagine the Higher Edge logo and stickers using imagery that would engage the middle school audience. Our goal was for the stickers to be more of a swag item that students could trade and look for rather than just a marketing tool.
Process
The process of creating the stickers focused mostly on making sure that the Higher Edge logo was integrated with the new graphics and was legible. In addition to this, lots of research was conducted to create engaging graphics that utilize the Higher Edge colors. Over the semester numerous designs were created for each sticker, from which we narrowed down and refined to create the final designs.
Final Product
The final product utilizes imagery from the rest of the toolkit. The use of balloons, geometric backgrounds and comic style graphics, allow the sticker to appeal to a younger audience.
High School Toolkit
Emily Ehler & Natasha Strugatz & Jacob Brill-Weil
Our group had the pleasure of creating a toolkit for high schoolers that can be used at both informational fairs as well as Higher Edge events. The components of our toolkit are intended to be very tactile and interactive as well as informative for each student. Our goal was to create a dynamic group of tools to help prospectice students understand what Higher Edge can help them with in regards to the college application process.
Development
Our goal was to create a fun and interactive toolkit that could be utilized by Higher Edge and their students. We wanted to include a type of “college question” game that would benefit both the Higher Edge information table and the prospective/current students of Higher Edge. We also wanted to create types of interactive booklets that would not only give students information about the program, but also information about alumni. All of these materials will be placed in a drawstring bag.
Process
We worked with Theresa and Mauro from Higher Edge to discuss ideas about what would engage a high school student. We decided that a spin wheel with sectors matching the topics of our question cards would be fun and appropriate. We also decided that smaller foldable information and alumni booklets would be easier for students to carry around and put in their pockets.
Final Product
Our final product resulted in a “spin it to win it” wheel that had sectors labeled with broad topics like “SAT/ACT” and “Colleges”, coinciding card sets that can be taken home by students, an information booklet that when opened up reveals a CAP timeline, an Alumni booklet that features students who have gone through the Higher Edge programs that when opened up reveals more contact information and a blue cloth drawstring bag with a large white printed “Higher Edge” logo.
DANCING FOR DEGREES
Cal Nadeau, Erin Smith, Jillian Edwards
November 03, 2018
Connecticut College Crozier-Williams 1962 Room
Development
The event planning for the Dancing for Degrees fundraiser commenced with several meetings with Theresa, the Executive Director of Higher Edge, to further understand her vision for an event that would both fit the theme set forth by promotional materials and the organization’s image as a whole.
The primary objective of the event was to raise the funds necessary for both the College Access and Success Programs as they each respectively welcomed their own new classes of Higher Edge students. Funds would also be used to expand the array of promotional materials offered by Higher Edge in order to further spread the word about their mission and work within
Sustaining Our Work
When meeting with Theresa and reviewing renderings, we explained the intentions behind each arrangement and how they would affect the attendee’s experience during the event. Further, we have put together an overview of different event planning techniques that led to our team’s success in putting together Dancing for Degrees. The techniques described in this guide are applicable to any space so that as the organization grows and hosts events in different settings, the techniques will be able to be translated to suit each setting. Furthermore, we created several backdrops for the photobooth so that it can be used not only at future events, but also in the Higher Edge offices as a backdrop for students and Higher Edge staff to take professional-style headshots for college applications and other uses.
Process
With a budget set and necessities in mind, we created many renderings to represent ways in which the space could be arranged to create the most dynamic and efficient environment possible in Crozier-Williams’ 1962 Room. We thoroughly considered who would be attending the event in addition
transform the space for the event.
Financial Aid & Scholarships
In-House Material
Quinlan Low, Nadia Bednarczuk, Jacob Brill-Weil, Ezra Norris
Creating material for high school students and family members to have a better understanding of the financial aid process and learning about scholarship opportunities.
Sustainability
have a general understanding of what to expect during the high school process, and scholarship and financial opportunities they can apply for. All of the material can be used for all high school students going through this
These scholarship information cards can be updated by Higher Edge any time because there is a Google Sheet for them to update the necessary fields.
Scholarships
Development
Our group updated the existing Local Scholarships handout that is given to high school students. We decided that we wanted to make this document more attractive by introducing colors and having this item be more interactive.
Process
The current Local Scholarships document and updated the information about each scholarship to see if it still existed. Looking at the layout, I knew that there could be a way for high school students to engage and easily understand what each scholarship is. Including the name, a brief overview of the scholarship, requirements, deadline, and website is key and gives the high school students a sense of what scholarships they are eligible for.
Final Product
Created a poster that includes cards that have information about various scholarships. This poster will be displayed in the Higher Edge offices (New London and Waterford). The poster is 11” x 17” that displays the month of when certain scholarships are due. With this board, it will be easy for anyone to see the various scholarships offered.
The individual scholarship cards display general information about the scholarships that high schoolers can apply for. Students will be able to take off the cards from the board and place it back in its original place.
Navigating Financial Aid
Development
Our group looked at the existing Navigating Financial Aid handout for high school students. We noticed that this document could be updated and organized a little differently so that it would be easier to read.
Process
At first, we thought about making this document into a brochure where each fold would have different sections of the process to bring more structure to the document.
We organized the text and tried to figure out if it’s easier to read the information in a vertical or horizontal format. We worked with the grid structure and kept the same icons. There are many ways to organize this kind of document, but really we had to understand the goal of what the families wanted to get out of it.
Final Product
We ended up designing this document into a vertical format that can be printed out on an 8.5 x 11” paper. We kept the same aesthetics and text as the previous document.
College Application Material
Development
This project began by looking at the already existing College Application Timeline handout given to high school students. We wanted to use the same information but direct this towards a different audience, such as the parents and other family members.
Process
We came up with 9 different iterations of how we can visually understand the college application process in its simplest form. We also narrowed down the language on the postcard so it wouldn’t be too overwhelming for family members.
Final Product
During this project, the final product ended up becoming a magnet. The colors help emphasize the simple organization of the information for each month of the college process. We simplified the amount of text from the original document so that it would not be that overwhelming.
Promotional Posters and Banners
Annie Breakstone, Ezra Norris, Jacob Brill-Weil, and Olga Nikolaeva
The posters and promotional banners work to engage the widest audience by appealing to students from middle school to adulthood. The promotional material emphasizes the students and their own work, that Higher Edge has helped them achieve. Each designed for its own purpose, the posters and banners serve to highlight Higher Edge’s effects on the community and inspire others to get involved.
Development
We wanted to create posters and banners that would raise awareness and interest in Higher Edge as well as what the work they’re doing is.
Process
We worked as a team and with Higher Edge to decide what types of posters and banners would be most useful and effective at spreading the information about Higher Edge. We came up with many different types of material and narrowed the projects down to the three we decided would be most effective at delivering the information we wanted to share.
Final Product
Our final products included a series of “I’m Becoming” posters, each focused on a different success student. In addition to this we also created a pull up banner with a similar theme, focusing on a success student and what they are becoming. Our final project was another pull up banner focused on sparking interest in Higher Edge and the work they are doing and encouraging people to do further research to find out more. This final banner was important as it would interest all types of people whether they be potential students or possible volunteers.
Sustainability
Each project we created, has a specific grid and template. This will allow the Higher Edge team to update and reproduce each project as they see fit. The I’m Becoming posters can even be printed on any color printer, as we made it a point to use an 11x17 format.
Social Design Matrix
To scale up this project our first step would be including as many student stories as we could. Another opportunity to scale up this project is to find more locations to put the posters like bus stops or newspaper advertisements. The plan now is to place them in the high school, but spreading them throughout New London and Willimantic would reach a wider audience.
I’m Becoming Posters
Development
The intention of this project is to inspire high school students by seeing their peers reaching their goals.
Process
The process of creating the posters relied heavily on the student images themselves. The formatting and background of each image determined the grid and location of each block of information, as well as how the space was used. Our goal as a team was to create posters that were engaging, clean, clear and concise. Our audience for these specific posters are typically on the go, running between classes, leaving them little time to read in depth into a poster. This pushed us to create eye catching designs.
Final Product
The final product is a collection of posters that focus on success student images and stories. This highlights the work of Higher Edge and will hopefully inspire younger students to learn more about Higher Edge.
Pull Up Banners
Development
The intention behind the banners was to create strong graphic imagery to create eye catching designs. The goal of these pull up banners, is to attract the audience to the table at the various fairs and events that the Higher Edge team goes attends.
Process
We worked with the Higher Edge team to come up with informative and captivating banners. Through the process we experimented with different types of banners for different purposes and through critiques and notes from Higher Edge we refined our designs and narrowed the final product down to two separate banners, one being type based and the other being photo based.
Final Product
The two banners we decided to create had two different purposes. The first was the type based one with the purpose of sparking an interest in Higher Edge which was simple and straightforward with a focus on the logo and ways to learn more such as email and website information. Similar to the I’m Becoming posters, the other banner we designed focused on a specific success student that was currently in the Higher Edge Program and used an image of the student with information about them and the goal Higher Edge was helping them to achieve.
Volunteer Engagement
Nadia Bednarczuk & Quinlan Low
The Volunteer Engagement quote cards are meant to remind individuals to engage with Higher Edge in more ways than just donating. By creating aesthetically pleasing cards with motivational quotes, we hope to remind volunteers that Higher Edge is thankful and always looking for support.
Design Development
When we first began our project, Higher Edge encouraged us to design something that was small but memorable. With that being said we wanted to create something that would thank a previous volunteer for their support while at the same time something that a passerby
Process
The designs for each card side went through several iterations. We envisioned several different orientations and layouts. We found that text can be most powerful when presented simply as a way to engage volunteers and convey their impact on Higher Edge students.
Final Product
We designed 2.5” square cards with an inspirational quotes on the front and Higher Edge’s contact information on the back. The color combinations were chosen to stand alone and as a group or like a collectible item. We used the flag form from the websites donate page as the inspiration for the layout.
Social Design Matrix
In order to scale up this project, these quote cards could be expanded as a series for the volunteers and Higher Edge students as another way to deepen that relationship and continue to presence of Higher Edge.
Sustainability
Each quote card can be edited from a template that will be given to Higher Edge.
Digital Storytelling
Lera Shynkarova and Olga Nikolaeva
This project is set to introduce Higher Edge’s work to a wider community through multiple short videos. Additionally, videos may serve as promotional materials through which the organization will attract new volunteers and partners. Overall, this project is aimed at increasing Higher Edge’s visibility and spreading its mission.
Development
After the initial research and the Empathy stage of social design process, we identified key objectives for Higher Edge’s promotional agenda. We intended to present the mission, vision, and values of Higher Edge in a clear and concise manner through videos. Overall, this project is aimed at increasing Higher Edge’s visibility and spreading its mission.
Process
We began our research process by consulting with Higher Edge’s executive director, Theresa Armendarez, to get a better understanding of the organization’s current needs and their future vision for engagement tactics. Additionally, we did extensive research on successful promotional videos in the nonprofit sector. Throughout the process, we communicated with Higher Edge staff in order to film a short interview-based video. The videos underwent prototyping and refining stages based on executive director’s comments and art critiques.
Digital Storytelling
Final Product
Video 1:
Duration: 1:45 - 2:00 minutes.
The fist part of the video features facts about higher education and organization’s impact along icons that serve as visual aid and match Higher Edge’s identity. The second part is a call for volunteers and donors. Higher Edge’s logo appears throughout the video, and social media handles are mentioned in the last scene.
Video 2:
Duration: 1:15-1:30 minutes.
The initial part of the video shows facts about higher education and lists ways in which Higher Edge helps students achieve success. The background is compiled of video-footage representing young people in academic settings. The last part of the video encourages the audience to follow Higher Edge on social media and explore its website.
Video 3:
Duration: 1:00-1:10 minutes.
The video consists of interviews with Higher Edge’s staff, who share their positions and work at Higher Edge. Each staff member shares their professional and personal connection with the organization.
Social Design Matrix
Through the Social Design Matrix by Winterhouse Institute, we were able to map out the resources and ranges of expertise required to address complex challenges in higher education. Our team proposed cross sector collaboration with Connecticut College film and education majors to produce bienneal promotional videos, thereby allowing for sustainable visibility of Higher Edge.
Visual Information
Jillian Edwards and Olga Nikolaeva
This group worked on Higher Edge’s informational posters and banners, as well as the map that illustrates that the organization has a far reach. First, we updated and redesigned two large posters in the Higher Edge classroom, one of which shows important events for the Success Program, while the other shows milestones for the College Access Program. The target audience are prospective and current Higher Edge students. Addittionally, we have created two banners with the same information, but for a different audience. We are targeting donors and parents, who need to familiarize themselves with Higher Edge’s work, as well as keep up with the schedule of events. Lastly, we created a map that illustrates Higher Edge’s spread across the United States.
Development
Before compiling ideas for projects, we visited Higher Edge and familiarized ourselves with their existing visual information material and audience. This helped set the stage for our goals within the designs and the designs, themselves.
After examining the information on the original College Access Program and Success Program posters, we concluded that the information could best be described as a timeline. So we studied different timeline designs, keeping in mind that a simple and comprehensible design would likely be most appropriate for the young audience of these posters.
Process
We began by individually coming up with several different designs that could be applied to both posters. After presenting our strongest designs and receiving feedback from Higher Edge, we continued to develop two designs. We kept in consistent contact with Higher Edge, confirming the information that would go on the posters and making sure to incorporate their most recent photographs. At one point in the design process, Higher Edge decided that they preferred that one of the designs be applied for portable banners.
Redesign of CAP and Success Program Posters
Final Product
We created two pairs of large posters to be hung in both of Higher Edge’s offices and two portable banners to be presented at different education events. Every pair consisted of the College Access Program timeline and the Success Program timeline. We also produced a few posters, including redesigns of the organization’s College Access Program and Success Program posters for the classroom and for two new portable banners, and a new map of the colleges’ locations that their students attend.
Social Design Matrix
We used Winterhouse Institute Social Design Pathways Model to brainstorm opportunities for scaling up. The project could benefit from interdisciplinary expertise, namely from collaboration with software engineers, thereby allowing to create the Higher Edge App. The application would include time management tools, appointment scheduling, timelines, and planning tips. Such an upgrade is useful for tracking students’ progress and is more interactive form of application process guidance.
Success Across the United States
Development
Before considering any design ideas, I first mapped out the locations of all the colleges that Higher Edge students have or are currently attending. I was then able to view them all together and get an idea of their distribution throughout the country. This set the foundation for the type of inspiration I should be looking for.
Process
In the beginning stage of thinking of and assembling initial designs, I looked at the work of visual information artists, particularly those who have done work with maps. During that time, I was inspired by a couple particular designs that were simple and easily comprehensible, which I thought fitting for the audience. When it came time to editing and further developing the initial design, I kept closely in contact with Higher Edge, working with them to transform it into the final design.
Final Product
One large map that illustrates the names and geographic locations of all the colleges that Higher Edge students have or are currently attending. It also indicates their relativity to the Higher Edge offices, portraying the organization has a home base with a far reach.
Social Media
Cal Nadeau, Natasha Strugatz, Erin Smith
Tasked with the challenge of spreading Higher Edge and their message using the modern tools of social media, our team developed templates and graphics for the organization to use in the present day as well as at any point in the future. We used tools such as Adobe Illustrator and InDesign to create graphics that were simple but eye catching in order to get the desired message across. Using the Higher Edge logo and theme colors, we were able to do so while also spreading the image of the organization to familiarize their name with the community.
Development
We wanted to refine the Instagram account that Higher Edge has by focusing on the audience, which is primarily students of Higher Edge. We decided to split this up into three sections: graphics for specific dates that are important to highlight in the college process, corresponding gifs and a Meet the Staff Series. The goal of the graphics and gifs should be simple, easy-to-read while relying heavily on images to convey messages to the audience.
Process
We wanted the graphics and gifs to be simple, but attractive to the viewer so that they catch the eye and get the message across. The graphics and gifs were made using Adobe illustrator and InDesign. We also went to Higher Edge to film the Meet the Staff Series and asked the staff two questions: “Why do you work for Higher Edge?” and “Why is Higher Edge important to the community?”. The videos that we filmed were designed to be less than a minute and posted on the IGTV through Higher Edge’s Instagram to capture the personalities of the staff and promote the intention and good will of the organization.
Final Product
Over the course of the semester, we created four Meet the Staff Series to be posted on the IGTV. Each highlights the loving community of Higher Edge while embodying their company mottos. We also created three graphics and three gifs to post on the Instagram account that use the Higher Edge colors to convey a message relating to the college process and Meet the Staff Series.
In this final project, students worked with Jeff Deutsch to develop visual print messages supporting our community partner– Higher Edge to promote education in New London. These print messages were modeled after the work that Jeff has completed at Oxfam. The visual material was designed and proposed for public transportation (inside buses and in bus stop structures) in and around New London area.
Jeff Deutsch (’96 CC alum). Jeff is head of design at Oxfam America, a global NGO fighting to end the injustice of poverty.
Jeff introduced the Transportation project first by presenting his work “See Me ad campaign” for Oxfam and then presented the specs across media types and placements (print, vertical and horizontal). The specs articulated all the details including crop area, live area, and safe areas. This will give students real-life factors that go into producing actual files.
Jeff joined us on campus and presented his own work and introduced the Transportation project to students on October 23. He returned via Skype on November 26 and reviewed student proposals for the project.
This project was supported by Connecticut College’s Carreer Informed Learning program. Career Informed Learning is a project-based learning approach to education that brings real-life work challenges into the classroom for students to reasearch, analyze, and develop solutions. The challenges are proposed by Connecticut College alumni and parents who have expertise in the areas the students are studying in class.
Acknowledgements
Special thanks to everyone at Higher Edge including Theresa Armendarez, Executive Director, Gilbert Bonafé Jr., Director of Programs, Luisanna Cabrera, Success Program Director, Mauro Diaz-Hernandez, Success Program Manager, Katie Hallisey, College Access Program Advisor, and Jennifer Portella, College Access Program Advisor. Thanks to the high school and college students who worked with us.
We are grateful for the support of the Holleran Center’s Margaret Sheridan Grant to develop this community learning experience. Thank you to the Career Informed Learning program, and to Jeff Deutsch ’96 who was so generous with his time in working with students on the Transportation Project.
Thank you to Professor Wollensak for overseeing this coursework.
Thank you to Quinlan Low, Nadia Bednarczuk, Jillian Edwards, Ezra Norris, and Emily Ehler for putting the 2018 Public Practice Booklet.
Thank you to Olga Nikolaeva for revising the booklet, Spring 2019.
Our final thanks goes to the Connecticut College Printshop, CopyCats, and the many other people and organizations who were instrumental in this work.
Colophon
© 2019, All rights reserved by respective owners.
The Higher Edge logo and other marks and phrases are trademarks of Higher Edge.
Produced and printed in Spring 2019 for the ART 310 Design: Public Practice
Connecticut College
270 Mohegan Avenue
New London CT 06320
In proud partnership with Higher Edge
35 Redden Avenue
New London CT 06320
www.higheredge.org
Typeset in Rockwell and Helvetica Laser printed on 60# uncoated cardstock and tape bound.
