UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State University Libraries and the Department of Graphic Design, which is housed in the College of Arts and Architecture’s Stuckeman School, will celebrate their partnership’s first public exhibit of student design work from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 16. The event will be held in the Collaboration Commons near the ground floor west entrance to Pattee Library and Paterno Library on Penn State’s University Park campus.

“Through this partnership with the University Libraries, so many, many different groups of students have been able to get the benefit of not just making their work for class assignments, but really putting it out in front of the world to see what response it gets,” said Joel Priddy, associate professor of graphic design. “The Evanisko Project gives our students valuable, real-world insights from their peers and other library visitors in a high-traffic, public setting while also giving those viewers the opportunity to view students’ creative works — in other words, a mutually beneficial collaboration."

The inaugural exhibit is the culmination of three semesters of student design work focused on immersive design concepts supported by the Evanisko Project, a gift-based initiative funded for three years by Michael (class of 1971, College of the Liberal Arts) and Cynni Evanisko. The Evanisko Project is an instruction-driven collaboration between the University Libraries and the Department of Graphic Design that aims to increase the visibility of the Libraries’ Collaboration Commons as an exhibit center for thought-provoking and vibrant contemporary student works. 

In the associated design courses, students have studied and assessed spaces and audiences, and have created immersive works around the theme of resilience, components of which will be displayed during the Sept. 16 exhibit at eight locations in and around the Collaboration Commons. Design students who have participated in the Evanisko Project will be present to showcase their work and will give brief talks on their creative process. Faculty instructors also will be on hand at the event.

Questions about the graphic design projects and student exhibits may be directed to Joel Priddy, associate professor of graphic design. Those who have questions about the event in the Collaboration Commons or who may need additional assistance may reach out to Binky Lush, University Libraries manager of discovery access and web services.