News Story
June 17, 2015
La Roche Design Division and Office of Mayor William Peduto Present “Shared Border, Shared Dreams” at Pittsburgh City-County Building
PITTSBURGH, June 17, 2015 – From now until July 24, La Roche University and the Office of Mayor William Peduto invite the public to experience the journey of undocumented immigration through a student-designed exhibition at Pittsburgh’s City-County Building.
The exhibit, “Shared Border, Shared Dreams,” is open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, and Saturday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the entry hall of the City-County Building at 414 Grant St. in downtown Pittsburgh. There is no cost of admission.
“Shared Border, Shared Dreams,” informs, raises awareness and promotes an understanding of the obstacles that undocumented immigrants face in the U.S. when establishing and attaining personal goals.
“Just as La Roche does in its mission, we aimed to provoke empathy and awareness in order to spark meaningful dialogue,” Graphic Design Department Chair Neha Agarwal said. “We are grateful for the opportunity to showcase the impact design can make, while facilitating a larger conversation within the community.”
The exhibit invites participants to choose personas, along with dream cards that represent goals they wish to accomplish. Dreams include living without fear, traveling, pursuing an education and securing a job. After visiting stations that correspond with their dreams, patrons discover whether their goals are attainable for their personas.
Mayor Peduto said, "'Shared Border, Shared Dreams' offers a truly unique opportunity for personal reflection. It challenges us to consider how even the most common dreams – securing a job, taking care of one's family, traveling, living a healthy life – can be rendered unattainable so swiftly for some members of our society. It begs the question: How am I supporting the dreams of my friends, my family, my neighbors?”
La Roche students researched, conceptualized and designed “Shared Border, Shared Dreams” in their Design for Social Impact course led by Ms. Agarwal and Professor Beth Shirrell in 2013.
“We wanted to focus on the fact that we’re all the same and have the same wants, but that sometimes circumstances don’t allow us to achieve them,” said Nikki Johnson, a 2014 graduate of La Roche who worked on the exhibit.
In 2013, “Shared Border, Shared Dreams” received a Merit Award in the HOW Magazine International Design Awards, a competition which honors the creative best in the design industry and recognizes innovation and excellence on a global level.
“We are honored and thrilled this project grew into something larger,” Professor Shirrell said. “The creation of this project taught students the many roles they can play as designers and communicators.”
About La Roche University: A private liberal arts college in the North Hills of Pittsburgh, La Roche University offers more than 50 undergraduate and five 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 1,400 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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