An engaging, collaborative exhibition between Design Innovation and the College of Communication and Information has taken over the DI Gallery.
The featured projects were developed by students from a wide background of majors and range from websites to photography with all projects representing collaboration and interdisciplinary work in some form. The projects served as a challenge to the students, especially those who worked with mediums they might not have considered picking up before.
“Sometimes journalism students are like ‘how am I going to contribute to this website design? What am I doing here?’” said Kristin Dowling, the director of IdeaBase, a student design agency. “And it’s like, man, you guys are storytellers. What we have, it’s telling a story on the website.”
For Dowling, watching a diverse background of students successfully work together with a common goal in mind, while drawing from each other’s strengths, is what stands out the most about the exhibit.
“It is really cool to be a part of it,” she said. “I don’t have the words to talk about how interesting it is to see students working together from different majors.”
One project, a video and website for USA Rolls, a heat transfer roll company based out of Canfield, Ohio, was the culmination of work from three separate groups of students. Initially, IdeaBase developed a promotional video for the company. After seeing the successful work of the students, USA Rolls agreed to have students from the summer session of the interdisciplinary projects course prototype them a website. Now, the fall session will implement the site and create a social media presence.
Other projects in the gallery include a photography series focused on intercultural communication created by CCI and MDJ students. This project consists of 360 degree videos, websites and a display in collaboration with VCD and sociology that tells the personal stories of older adults in northeast Ohio. The exhibit continues outside the gallery into the Blank Lab, located on the lower level of the DI Hub, where an immersive video project created by EMAT students is on display. Created during the spring 2020 semester, the project is a collaboration between two groups of students and focuses on the conservation of Cuyahoga Valley and The Music Settlement, which provides music therapy and lessons.
The gallery is located on the second floor of the DI Hub and the showcase runs from September 15th through early October. The exhibit is open to the public and all are encouraged to visit.
Learn more about the DI Gallery and the College of Communication & Information.