UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Fourth-year Penn State graphic design students in the College of Arts and Architecture’s Stuckeman School will host “Point of View,” an exhibition that will “break down the stereotypes of graphic design, highlighting the depth and skill it takes to be a graphic designer and the way it impacts daily life through various student projects,” according to the organizers of the event. The show, which will be held from 2 to 6 p.m. on Nov. 19-21 in 24 Borland Building, University Park, is free and open to the public. 

The graphic design students have been working toward this showcase for the entirety of the fall semester.

“We want to show that design is all around us,” said graphic design student Madison Laufer. “It’s everywhere, and it has an impact on everyone’s daily life. We want to change the perspective of how people view graphic design.”

The showcase is led by Taylor Shipton, assistant teaching professor in the Department of Graphic Design, who has helped the students organize the exhibition. “The goal of the showcase is to show the extensive ways in which graphic design impacts our daily lives,” Shipton said.

There will be examples of how students have rebranded publications and everyday products, as well as social issues, such as sustainability, to illustrate how design influences a consumer and how graphic designers express their individuality through their work. 

“We want people to walk away from our showcase with a greater appreciation and understanding of graphic design,” said graphic design student Emma Cohen. “We use the phrase ‘We're more than you think’ throughout our branding to challenge common design stereotypes.”

The graduating class broke into four teams: branding, promotional, social media and installation for the showcase. Laufer was assigned to the digital marketing team, which works to promote the event on the Penn State graphic design Instagram account and other social media accounts, as well as the College of Arts and Architecture’s digital publications. 

“We’ve worked simultaneously in our individual groups, but we all work together and make sure we’re aligned with our branding to make sure it’s cohesive,” Cohen said. 

Cohen worked on designing flyers, posters, merchandise and invitations. “It's been an exciting and collaborative process working with my classmates to design something that really means a lot to us,” she said. 

Graphic design student Megan Marflak worked on the photography portion of the showcase. “We spent a huge amount of time planning, designing sets, setting up and sometimes going back for reshoots to get every photo just right,” she said. 

The showcase will display various mediums of the students’ work from the past four years, including both individual work and group projects. There will be displays of brand identity, print design, magazine design, packaging design, type design and more.  

“People can expect to see all different kinds of work at our showcase,” Laufer said. “We get to share who we are as designers, as people.” 

Laufer said that the exhibition will be interactive for the audience, allowing people to speak with and ask questions of the students. She hopes that people will be inspired by the graphic design work and appreciate both the art and artist behind the design. 

“As graphic designers, we're visual communicators and problem solvers who conduct in-depth research and focus on understanding human motivations and interactions with the world,” Marflak said. “Ultimately, our goal is to make life a little better for everyone who engages with what we create.”