December 01, 2015
La Roche College Graphic Designers Partner With the Office of Mayor William Peduto
PITTSBURGH, Dec. 1, 2015 – La Roche University students recently had 60 hours to develop design solutions for a major real-world client: the Office of Mayor William Peduto.
This semester the La Roche Design Division hosted Immersions, an annual graphic design challenge where student designers have two and a half days to create concepts, develop solutions and pitch their projects to an outside client. Past clients have included Center for Organ Recovery and Education (CORE), Haiti H20, Attack Theatre and Global Links.
“This project not only gives students an opportunity to interact with real-world clients, but it also gives students the opportunity to help local nonprofits,” Graphic Design Department Chair Neha Agarwal said. “Students also learn the power of design. They see the significant role design can play across a variety of causes, industries, audiences and mediums.”
This year students were tasked with bringing awareness to Welcoming Pittsburgh, an initiative launched by Mayor Peduto in May 2014 to attract, support and grow a diverse workforce in Pittsburgh.
On the final day of Immersions, groups of juniors and seniors presented their processes and design solutions to Special Initiatives Manager Betty Cruz and Immigrant Integration Associates Elizabeth Gombert and Anne McLaughlin.
“Each student group addressed our needs in creative and diverse ways, and in some cases opened our eyes to new possibilities that we may not have thought of or asked for,” Ms. McLaughlin said. “In the end, while each team displayed individual strengths and creativity, we went with the team that created a simple, actionable design that we could begin using right away within our current printing abilities. The La Roche students offered us an opportunity to present our message in new and exciting ways that we may not have been able to do without their ideas and designs.”
The first-place team included:
- Hannah Brinkman of Pittsburgh, Pa.
- Amber Patsilevas of Cranberry Township, Pa.
- Adam Yuras of Uniontown, Pa.
- Alexis Hetrick of Templeton, Pa.
- Kim Elser of Gibsonia, Pa.
- Julia Shelton of Pittsburgh, Pa. (North Hills)
The second-place team included:
- Brianna Kelsey of Philadelphia, Pa.
- Ana Pantalone of Blairsville, Pa.
- Carly Amann of Finleyville, Pa.
- Rachel Baacke of Sewickley, Pa.
- Brandi Reymolds of West Elizabeth, Pa.
“We wanted to put ourselves in the shoes of an immigrant,” junior Alexis Hetrick said. “We don’t deal with the daily issues that they do, so we needed to understand their needs and wants. Once we had an idea of immigrants’ needs and why they would choose Pittsburgh, we wanted to find a way to grab the attention of residents to learn more about Welcoming Pittsburgh.”
Immersions is the second time La Roche Design has collaborated with the Mayor’s Office. In the summer of 2015, Welcoming Pittsburgh had worked with La Roche to install “Shared Border, Shared Dreams,” a student-designed exhibition, in the City-County Building.
Since 1992 La Roche has held accreditation by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD) and is one of only two schools in the Pittsburgh area, and one of only 322 nationally, that is accredited by NASAD. Please visit designatlaroche.com for more information.
About La Roche University: A private liberal arts college in the North Hills of Pittsburgh, La Roche University offers more than 50 undergraduate and six graduate degree programs, with particular strengths in education, business, criminal justice, psychology, and health and medical sciences, as well as interior design and graphic design. This residential college provides a vibrant campus community for more than 1,500 men and women enjoying 30-plus student organizations and an exciting NCAA Div. III athletics program. Founded by the Sisters of Divine Providence in 1963, La Roche University embraces its Catholic heritage while welcoming people of all faiths and backgrounds. With a legacy of social justice and a commitment to international exchange, La Roche University educates students to be lifelong learners and achievers in an increasingly diverse and global society.
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