Niagara College Graphic Design students stepped into the role of professional designers through a real-world challenge, applying their creativity and classroom learning to a project with concrete outcomes for Be World Ready (BWR).
The extracurricular initiative brought six students together for a three-week BWR Design Charrette last fall. Students were invited to respond to a live design brief by researching and presenting sustainable product concepts, with the goal of inspiring BWR to create promotional items and gifts that are thoughtfully and culturally appropriately sourced.
Working closely with BWR as their client, students explored product concepts across nine themes, including travel accessories, gifts, electronics, safety items, personal hygiene, and food, among others. Each theme included eight or more product recommendations that met defined sustainability criteria and could be sourced ethically and as locally as possible.
Thanks to the students’ contributions, BWR replaced its non-recyclable swag boxes with aluminum, Canadian-sourced tins–one tangible outcome of the Design Charrette.
“Everything BWR does is for students and with the values of contributing more positively to our local and global communities,” said Maxine Semple, Director of Cultural and Global Engagement. “That means thinking about where the items we give away and purchase are coming from and whether they match the values we want to align ourselves with.”
The BWR program prepares students for global success through cultural and global engagement experiences–inside the classroom, as in the Design Charrette; on campus; in the community; and around the world.
“Over the years, I have had the pleasure of working with BWR, whether as a guide while taking our students to design studios and galleries in New York City, or bringing BWR into my courses,” said School of Media Professor Alicia Tyson, who led the project. “Our students were successful working both individually and as a group. This Design Charrette also reflected current trends, as it was conducted on Zoom–a platform that has become an industry standard and how I work with my local and international clients.”
Student experience
For the students, the Design Charrette was a unique opportunity to apply their skills in a real-world setting. Their reflections highlight the learning, teamwork, and professional growth they experienced:
“This experience strengthened my skills in client and team interaction, research, critical thinking, and presenting ideas clearly to an audience–skills that will be valuable in the future.” – Namit Singh
“The idea of using my skills to give back to the college was very enticing. This experience strengthened my teamwork and communication skills and helped build my confidence in decision-making.” – Ej Kovich
“We are often told in the classroom that graphic design is a highly collaborative field. By bringing together diverse perspectives, we experienced first-hand that we can achieve a desired outcome that meets a client’s goal within a short period of time.” – Gabriela Palomo
“I wanted to get involved in this project to gain experience working with other designers in a collaborative, real-world setting. It reinforced how essential clear communication is and how important it is to discuss ideas effectively as a team.” – Issac Porcaro
“I really enjoyed this experience. It helped me grow as a designer and feel more confident in my work. I also learned how to share my ideas clearly and work better as part of a team.” – Iasmin Al-Salkhi
The success of the Design Charrette demonstrates how applied learning and collaboration create opportunities for students to contribute creatively while gaining real-world experience.
