Brooks Graphic Design Students Donate Talents to Nonprofits
February 18, 2013
•General, Graphic Design
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This semester, a group of Brooks Institute students are working pro bono designing brand identities, marketing collateral and event materials for two local nonprofit charitable organizations. The students, part of the Graphic Design program at Brooks, are members of Barbara Obermeier's DES450 Design Lab class.
For one project, the students are working on a invitation package and collateral event materials for the Dream Foundation's third annual Flower Empower Luncheon fundraiser. The Dream Foundation is the first and largest national wish-granting organization for adults, enhancing the quality of life for individuals and their families facing a life-threatening illness by fulfilling a heart’s final wish. The fundraiser raises money for Flower Empower, a program where fresh bouquets and homemade cookies are delivered weekly to patients in local hospitals, homes and hospice who are facing serious illness.
Girls, Inc. of Carpinteria responds to the changing needs of girls and their communities through research-based programs and advocacy that empower girls to reach their full potential and to understand, value, and assert their rights. The Graphic Design students are designing an identity (logo, tagline, color and type palette) for Eureka!, a nationwide science, math, technology and sports program where girls participate in classes designed to help prepare them for the transition into high school while exploring future career options specifically in the nontraditional fields of science, math, engineering and technology. In their final year of Eureka, the girls are placed in paid internships with career women in nontraditional fields.
The Design Lab students are also split into teams to develop a fact sheet/brochure for Girls Inc., two brochures for Eureka! (one for families and one for potential donors), a summer camp direct mail appeal and a monthly e-Newsletter template.
As a side project, several students are also working on a bike jersey design for Amgen's Tour of California Bike Race, to be held in May.
The arrangement is a win-win: The clients benefit from great design talent at no cost, while the students gain valuable real-world experience in working with clients and giving back to their communities.