Maura O'Connor has over 30 years of experience in graphic design, visual communication, and teaching. She earned her MFA in Visual Art from Vermont College. As a Professor of Graphic Design/Multimedia at Manchester Community College for over 20 years, she teaches classes in graphic design, multimedia, and digital arts at various levels both online and in-person. Her teaching approach focuses on human-centered, social innovation design through research and understanding cross-cultural communication practices in the digital era. She believes her experience teaching a diverse population of students from varied backgrounds provides her with a unique ability to teach across disciplines and advance intercultural knowledge.

1. Pedagogy:
My educationalbackground beginningwith undergraduatework at the
Hartford Art School, University of Hartford, has alwaysbeen across
disciplines, specifically graphic design and ceramics at that time. Upon
graduation, and workingfor several yearsas an Art Director in
periodicalpublishing for education, I went back to school for my MFA in
visualart and intermedia– aprecursor of multimedia. Today, as a
Professor of Graphic Design at Manchester Community College, Iteach
classes in graphic design at multiplelevels, both on-ground and online,
encompassinghistory, theory and practice as well as multimedia/digital
arts. I’ve also taught interdisciplinary coursesin Humanitiesand First
Year Experience.
My continued scholarship and interest in human-centered, social
innovation design– lookingat the causes of complexproblemsand
engaging the design process with an emphasis on research and an
understandingof ever growingcross-culturalcommunication practices
in the digital era of web and social media, is at the core of my teaching
practice. I believe this, coupled withmy years of experiencein teaching
a diverse population of studentsfrom varied socio-economic, physical
and educationaltalents and abilities, and international students,
providemewith a uniqueunderstandingand ability to teach across
disciplinesand advanceinterculturalknowledgein students.

2. Bio:
Maura O’Connor earned her Master of Fine Art in Visual Art from
Vermont College in Montpelier, VT and is a Professor of Graphic
Design/Multimedia at Manchester Community College. Maura is an
award winning designer and videographer, and has worked in the
design and visual communication field for thirty years. She has taught at
MCC for over 20 years, involving her design students in social activism
projects with Habitat for Humanity in the aftermath of Katrina and
participating in social innovation design projects on campus. In 2008,
she presented “Teaching Social Responsibility in the Art and Design
Classroom” at the New York School of Visual Arts conference, “Design,
the Arts and the Political: Messages that Propagate Dissent.” In addition
to design, video and film courses, in 2014, Maura taught
interdisciplinary First Year Experience courses and Humanities, Peace
and Conflict Studies courses. Over the past two years, she has been
involved with the General Education reformation on campus and is
currently serving on the General Education Certification Committee. She
is the college liaison for the TDC and Economic Inequality Initiative at
Manchester Community College.