Nick Stephenson

I like graphic design because it’s hard. Because it requires you to be the smartest, most creative person in the room. And in all honesty, I like being that person. I love that graphic design is a process; that it is draining and frustrating and that you have to work for worthwhile results. I fell in love with graphic design because it’s not about making things beautiful or trendy. It’s about solving problems.

I got into design because I love communication and ideas. I originally went to college for creative writing. When I graduated in 1999, the web was becoming so mainstream that I was able to get a job where a large part of what I did was website maintenance and design. That was great except all the photos and design elements I built looked terrible because I had no idea what I was doing. So, I took a class in desktop publishing because someone told me I would learn Photoshop in the course. Three months later I was re-enrolled in school for a Bachelor of Graphic Design degree which eventually tuned into an MFA. And, the truth is, from the first lecture I knew I was in the right place

What I like most about teaching graphic design is the students. It’s not because they are nice or on time or respectful, it’s because they have ideas. A class of designers is at times the most intellectual space imaginable; brainstorming concepts for a brand or a poster with crazy concepts flying about and people who aren’t afraid to come up with bad ideas, because getting those off your chest is critical to getting at the good ideas. Design studios force you to put yourself out there, to have confidence, to collaborate, to give and take honest critique. And when a student embraces this process, they are free to think dynamically and conceptually about both the problem and the solution. I like teaching because there is no place more exciting to be than in a room filled with young people having ideas and solving communication problems.

I would tell them to be open-minded to what design is and can be. One of the best things about Penn College is that it’s a place that encourages intellectual curiosity and doing things. But, remember that comes with hard work and a rigorous curriculum. This is a difficult major. It has to be. Four years is a relatively short time to take a student from high school grad to professional ready graphic designer. We do it really well, and the students who invest their time, energy, creativity, and craft into this study will walk out our doors with endless opportunities in front of them. Penn College is a transformative place that makes students into designers.

One of the reasons I came to teach at Penn College was because of the mix of practical experience and theory in the classroom. Graphic Design is a pre-professional major and as such you will know you have been successful when you get a job as a graphic designer. We develop curriculum to align with industry. We regularly meet with professional designers to discuss what and how we are teaching so that our students graduate ready to work. The assignments you complete in your design classes are real-world based and many of your faculty, including myself, have worked as professional graphic designers, art directors and creative directors. This is a program rooted in a pragmatic understanding and application of design. Students who come to Penn College do real design and get real jobs.

It’s funny to think about “falling in love with graphic design” but the sentiment is probably not that far from the truth. You have to love graphic design to do it, because it requires so much of you, and without loving it, you can’t do it well.