How it works
Graphic Design Practicum at Columbia College Chicago is comprised of senior graphic design student teams, working together in designing and executing robust projects for real clients. Since 2016, Practicum has worked with a wide variety of client partnerships such as The City of Chicago, non-for profits such as The Chicago Children’s Museum, BandWith Chicago, and South Side Community Art Center, Columbia alumni and friends, including Bruce Mau’s Massive Change Network, Lamar Johnson Collaborative, Erica Faye Watson, and Rider for Life, and start-ups such as Wall & Wrenn and La Luer, among others. Teams have received high accolades, including a How International Design Award in 2017.
Through Graphic Design Practicum, we carry out a tenet of the college’s mission to prioritize active engagement in the life and culture of the city. In my role, I am committed to further this by seeking out partnerships with non-for-profits who engage with under-served communities, building into our curriculum that students participate in projects where they use problem-solving, design thinking, and technical skills towards social good.
In addition, Graphic Design Practicum serves to generate funding for our students’ enrichment by way of donations from our client-partners, both for-profit and not-for-profit. Furthermore, Graphic Design Practicum creates an opportunity to build relationships with larger entities, ie. corporations, who may partner with us and contribute on a larger scale, towards these student enrichment initiatives. Please contact us if you your organization has an interest in working with us at sfaust@colum.edu
What our client collaborators say
“As someone who's naturally more business and operations minded, I had no idea where to start when it came to building an aesthetically pleasing and cohesive brand identity. Under Sarah's guidance, the student practicum team was critical in helping me develop a whole host of brand assets from logo to website, packaging and guidelines. The team thoroughly impressed me and surpassed my expectations with their professionalism, talent and ability to meet deliverables. I feel very fortunate to have been chosen to be a part of Sarah's design practicum.”
- Ian Pu, Wall & Wrenn, 2020
If you’re interested in working with us, please mail me at sarahfaustwaddell@mac.com
What our client collaborators say
”Partnering with the Senior Design Practicum students, and instructor Sarah Faust, at Columbia College Chicago was a dream for my small business. The collaborative efforts of all involved provided my business with promotional materials that not only saved me time and money, but also totally knocked my socks off! Each student approached the task with the professionalism of a designer with years of experience, alongside the fresh and unadulterated styling of the consummate dreamer. They served up subtle, creative marketing strategies disguised in a cloak of beautiful imagery and persuasive language. A total win. I would do it again and again.”
-Lauren McGrady (Columbia Alum ‘11), Rider for Life, 2017
If you’re interested in working with us, please mail me at sarahfaustwaddell@mac.com