In January 2020, two schools within Liberty University merged to create one large, creative school, now known as the School of Communication and the Arts (SCA). There are five departments within SCA: Cinematic Arts, Theatre Arts, Digital Media & Journalism, Strategic & Personal Communication, and Studio & Digital Arts.
The Problem:
The newly formed School of Communication and the Arts dis not possess a cohesive visual aesthetic to be applied to collateral material and environmental spaces commonly utilized by the school. A cohesive visual aesthetic is a necessary component of recruitment and retention within SCA. It will not only unify the school visually, but it will lay the groundwork for an environment that encourages creativity and cultivates collaboration within the SCA students, faculty, and staff.
The newly formed School of Communication and the Arts dis not possess a cohesive visual aesthetic to be applied to collateral material and environmental spaces commonly utilized by the school. A cohesive visual aesthetic is a necessary component of recruitment and retention within SCA. It will not only unify the school visually, but it will lay the groundwork for an environment that encourages creativity and cultivates collaboration within the SCA students, faculty, and staff.
The Solution:
To remedy the stated problem, Studio and Digital Arts students worked with faculty to gain real-world experience in research and environmental graphic design in pursuit of a cohesive visual aesthetic which can be applied to materials/spaces within the School of Communication and the Arts.
To remedy the stated problem, Studio and Digital Arts students worked with faculty to gain real-world experience in research and environmental graphic design in pursuit of a cohesive visual aesthetic which can be applied to materials/spaces within the School of Communication and the Arts.
Through a hybrid course composed of graduate and undergraduate students, the following was accomplished: a case study to showcase over a years-worth of research and project development, a project proposal presented to Departmental Chairs, the Dean, University Marketing and the Provost, a cohesive brand schema for the school and its five departments, concepts for wayfinding to improve navigation of facilities, graphics to enliven environmental spaces, and proposals for installations and custom art pieces to showcase unique departmental distinctives.
Although this project is ongoing with installation underway, it has and continues to produce many positive outcomes for our school, our department, and our students.
