The University of New Haven's graphic design program has been ranked the second best in Connecticut. The program provides students opportunities for hands-on experience through collaborations with local non-profits and internships with professional design firms. Graduates praise the program for preparing them for careers through networking events, visiting designers and lectures, and guidance from faculty mentors.

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UNIVERSITY NEWS
University’s Graphic Design Program
Ranked Among Best in Connecticut
Animation Career Review has rated the University of New Haven’s graphic design
program the second best in the state, praising the opportunities students have to
network, build a professional identity, and gain hands-on experience.
OCTOBER 6, 2020
By Renee Chmiel, O ce of Marketing and Communications
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2. The University’s graphic design program has been ranked the second best in Connecticut
When Carley Grife ’19 was a graphic design major (/arts-sciences/undergraduate-
programs/graphic-design/index.php) at the University of New Haven, she served as a campus tour
guide, welcoming prospective students and their families to the University. Early in her senior year
she was meeting with a group of first-year graphic design students when one of them recognized
her as their tour guide. She enjoyed opportunities and experiences like that that enabled her to
make a meaningful impact on other students.
An active member of the University
community, Grife took advantage of every
chance she had to connect with her
classmates and faculty members, and to learn
as much as she could from them. She found
serving as a teaching assistant for a junior-
level class when she was a senior to be an
especially wonderful learning experience.
“It was so helpful for me to learn about lesson
planning, as well as how to cater information
and advice to di erent students and learning
methods,” said Grife, who is now a graphic
designer for 1SEO.com Digital Agency

3. Carley Grife’s thesis, titled "Locorum," was a fully functional app
prototype.
(https://1seo.com) outside of Philadelphia.
“These are all skills I implement now in my
career, and I will be forever grateful for the
time I spent at the University.”
Thanks in large part to the experiences and
success of Grife and her classmates, the
University’s graphic design program has now
been recognized by Animation Career Review
(https://www.animationcareerreview.com),
which provides information on schools in
every state that o er animation, design, and
gaming programs. The University’s graphic
design program was ranked second in the
state of Connecticut
(https://www.animationcareerreview.com/articles/top-5-graphic-design-school-programs-
connecticut-2020-college-rankings). Considering criteria such as depth and breadth of the
program and academic reputation, the organization considered more than 700 schools across the
country for its latest ranking.
“This reinforces us of the steady and important work we've been doing,” said Guy-Serge Emmanuel
(/faculty-sta -profiles/guy-serge-emmanuel.php), MFA, an assistant professor and coordinator of
the graphic design program. “The past five years have seen a complete transformation in our
program, as we’ve made it more dynamic and market responsive. Techniques and tools change year
to year, and our students must have the critical ability to respond to such changes.”
‘Designers are problem solvers’
The organization lauded the networking opportunities students have with professionals, the many
arts-based clubs and organizations on campus, and rich learning experiences through visiting
designers, lecturers, and events in the community.
For the past two years, students’ typography
work has been featured as part of the
permanent collection at the Beinecke Rare
Book Library (https://beinecke.library.yale.edu),
a library and literary archive of the Yale

4. Georgette Michael-Duncan during a critique in a typography course.
University Library (https://web.library.yale.edu).
Students have worked with local nonprofit
organizations, such as New Haven Farms
(http://www.newhavenfarmsct.org) and
MakeHaven (https://www.makehaven.org),
gaining experience while assisting them with
their design needs.
“The versatility makes the program stand out,”
said Javier Viramontes (/faculty-sta -
profiles/javier-viramontes.php), a lecturer.
“Designers are problem solvers. Design is
complex and needs a multifaced approach.
Our di erent course o erings, amazing
repertoire of guests, and participation in the
nonprofit sector certainly open our students
to many meaningful career opportunities.”
Students also take part in interdisciplinary
work, working with faculty in other colleges
and schools at the University. Students in
motion graphics and information design
courses have collaborated with marine biology (/arts-sciences/undergraduate-programs/marine-
biology/index.php) faculty to create animation and posters highlighting their research on the
impact of climate change on fishing conditions in Puerto Rico. Motion graphics students have also
worked with forensic science (/lee-college/undergraduate-programs/forensic-science/index.php)
faculty to create animation to raise awareness of human tra cking.
Animation Career Review notes that graduates of the program will be prepared to pursue a variety
of careers, including multimedia artist, product designer, and marketing manager.
'As students, we had real-world design opportunities'

5. Jordan Campbell '18 presents his motion design reel at the University of New Haven’s Seton Gallery.
Animation Career Review notes that graduates of the program will be prepared to pursue a variety
of careers, including multimedia artist, product designer, and marketing manager.
Among the successful graduates is Jordan Campbell ’18, who says he was drawn to the University
by the knowledgeable faculty who demonstrated a commitment to students through events such
as open houses on campus and studio sessions for high school students.
Now a UI/UX designer at VisionX (https://www.visionx.io/), Campbell leads the design of products
and serves as a consultant for Fortune 500 clients. He also does freelance work. He’s grateful for
the experiences he had as a student at the University, particularly the guidance and support of his
faculty mentors.
"As students, we had real-world design opportunities such as producing posters for nonprofits,
rebranding companies, and completing life-changing internships,” said Campbell, who is also co-
president of AIGA Connecticut (https://connecticut.aiga.org/), a professional association for
designers that supports a network of creative changemakers, problem solvers, and professional
leaders. “Guy-Serge Emmanuel (/faculty-sta -profiles/guy-serge-emmanuel.php) specifically
encouraged me to apply for an internship where I got to work with big-name clients I otherwise
would’ve only dreamed of. This advanced my design career beyond my years.”
'I was set up for success on day one'