Julie Spivey is an associate professor of graphic
design at UGA’s Lamar Dodd School of Art and a 2012 Service-Learning Fellow
through the Office of Service-Learning, a unit of the Office of the Vice
President for Public Service and Outreach and the Office of the Vice President
for Instruction.
Design is seen as
a systematic, collaborative way of addressing problems and transforming
possibilities: a process that encompasses more stages than merely the
implementation of an end product. As a professor, I am constantly seeking more
meaningful, applied design problems for my students as well as the opportunity
to connect and collaborate with community partners and experts in other
disciples.
In spring 2013, I incorporated a service-learning
project into a course for the first time. While I had not been officially involved
in service-learning before becoming a Fellow, I have long facilitated
applied-learning experiences for students by mentoring them in various, select
design projects outside the classroom. In an existing graphic design studio for
second-semester majors, my students worked on developing a graphic identity for
UGArden, the teaching and student-run community
gardens on campus that focus on sustainable food production.
Initially, the UGArden approached us about various design
needs to support their branding efforts – including creating graphics for an
electric delivery truck. Through our initial process, we realized the UGArden
not only needed an identity system, they also needed to clarify their name.
Though still unfinished, the project will ultimately help UGArden increase
awareness in Athens and at UGA about their services, as well as promote the UGA Local Food Systems Certificate. The students will
gain valuable experience dealing with an actual client problem in the local
community and have a comprehensive piece for their portfolio.
Throughout this experience, I have found that the
uncertainty of these types of projects is the most frustrating and rewarding
aspect. Just like in professional practice, things change constantly – project
scope evolves, schedules must be adjusted and information at times is incomplete.
Nonetheless, these inconsistencies can be a valuable lesson for emerging
designers. Although the project is still in progress, the students have already
worked beyond their skill levels and surpassed my expectations, especially as
students with only one semester of design studies.
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