UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Since 2017, ClearWater Conservancy and the Sustainable Communities Collaborative (SCC) have collaborated on projects that address the non-profit organization’s needs while providing Penn State students with real-world experiences. This semester, students in Assistant Teaching Professor of Graphic Design Taylor Shipton’s graduate level graphic design class have been redeveloping the organization’s visual identity, or logo, and providing recommendations for additional aspects of design in print and digital media.
ClearWater Conservancy is the foremost non-profit conservation organization in central Pennsylvania whose efforts focus on the protection, restoration and stewardship of the natural spaces in the region. The current collaboration with graphic design students follows in the footsteps of an earlier SCC-facilitated graphic design project that provided the inspiration for ClearWater’s Centred Outdoors logo. Centred Outdoors is now an integral part of ClearWater’s outreach activities that educate about the natural environment during guided walks. And its evolution from idea to successful implementation is closely linked to Penn State student work.
"Collaboration between ClearWater Conservancy and Penn State's Sustainable Communities Collaborative has been essential in shaping the brand identity of our outreach program, Centred Outdoors,” said Katie Molinengo, communications director at ClearWater Conservancy. “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to work on our organization’s brand conceptualization project with the graphic design graduate class, which reflects our shared dedication to sustainability and community engagement and makes more of our work accessible to all. We are so excited to be a part of their learning process and see their creativity shine through a visual representation of ClearWater’s mission and work.”
SCC pairs Penn State classes with community partners, such as local governments and non-profit organizations, to enhance partner capacity and student work-readiness. Previous SCC partnership projects with ClearWater Conservancy have included labor relations students addressing HR and non-profit management-related projects, biology students focusing on ecosystems services, and health and human development students determining the physical challenges and health benefits for various locations.
When ClearWater Conservancy received the green light to stand up Centred Outdoors, SCC connected Penn State classes with the initiative’s steering committee.
“The Centred Outdoors experience is probably one of the best examples of how SCC work empowers its partners,” said Ilona Ballreich, Penn State Sustainability’s associate director for experiential learning, and program director of the SCC. “Students provide the framework as a starting point to test and build upon. For example, students created multiple logos with the understanding that the organization’s professional design team would fine-tune a chosen idea. Students still have the experience of working with a real client, but ultimately the work does not replace the work done by professionals.”
As ClearWater Conservancy embarks on its next ambitious phase, Penn State graphic design students have been called upon to update the organization’s overall visual identity to align better with the Centred Outdoors logo and to provide a more modern look.
"Working with Clear Water Conservancy feels quite different from typical class assignments,” said Elaheh Babaei, a graduate student in graphic design. “The project requires applying what we’ve learned in a practical, real-world scenario, which makes it feel more meaningful. There’s a sense of responsibility because our work directly impacts the organization, rather than just being for a grade. It’s made me think more critically about how design decisions can support environmental and community goals, which I find to be an invaluable learning experience."
"Working with this project helps me to broaden my knowledge about water conservation,” added Parisa Farjamfar, another student in Shipton’s graduate class. “Having an in-depth discussion to convey the message the organization needs through graphical contents helps me to better understand the issues related to sustainability and water quality and its impacts on our environment."
Molinengo summarized the value of the ongoing collaboration between ClearWater Conservancy and the SCC. “Since 2017, our partnership through the Centred Outdoors program has not only enriched our local community but has also raised awareness around environmental stewardship through connection to our beautiful landscapes,” she said. “Together, we’re creating a lasting impact, and we look forward to continuing this journey."
Student work on this project as well as all SCC-facilitated engaged scholarship projects will be on display at the Campus and Community Sustainability Expo from 5 to 7 p.m. on Dec. 12 in the State College Municipal Building.
For more information, please contact SCC Program Director Ilona Ballreich at ixb20@psu.edu.