FAQ
What is NP Design Lab?
New Paltz Design Lab is an elective course in the Graphic Design program at SUNY New Paltz. The official course description:
Students work in partnership with campus and community clients to design brand identities, design promotional materials, digital and printed publications, and informational graphics. Projects deliverables include logos, posters, social media content, exhibition graphics, publications, and websites. The course will be run as a professional design studio; class meetings will focus on project management, client communication, deadlines and printing budgets, in-progress peer critique, file preparation and production, case study development, and project assessment.
Who can take the NP Design Lab course?
The course is open to students in the BFA Graphic Design program, with priority given to students in their Junior year. Students must be in good academic standing in the program (3.0 GPA). Permission of instructor is required for this course.
Who teaches NP Design Lab?
Currently, Amy Papaelias, Associate Professor of Graphic Design, teaches the course.
Who can be a client for NP Design Lab?
We work with on-campus offices and departments, as well as select community organizations and a very select group of small businesses.
What do students produce in NP Design Lab?
Students have created event posters, social media graphics, logos, infographics, website designs, user interfaces, signage, vinyl graphics, and more. Check out recent projects here.
How many hours a week do students work on their project?
Students work approximately 10 hours a week on this project, which includes class time (2 hours and 50 minutes) where they will have time to work. Some weeks might be busier than others so students must budget their time with other courses and responsibilities.
How are students and clients matched up?
Prior to the beginning of each semester, the Design Lab instructor creates a roster of campus and community clients based on the enrollment in the course. At the beginning of the semester, the instructor carefully pairs student designers and clients based on interests, skills, and needs. This usually goes pretty smoothly :).
What are the responsibilities of the student?
The student is expected to communicate with their client on a regular basis and are encouraged to attend in-person meetings to present work when possible. The student is expected to take notes at client meetings, keep track of their time each week spent on the project, and respond promptly to emails (within 24 hours). This is the first time many students have worked directly with clients; they are learning how to work professionally, collaboratively, and constructively with clients.
What are the responsibilities of the instructor?
The faculty instructor of the NP Design Lab course is expected to review the project deliverables and outcomes, written by the student in consultation with their client. The faculty instructor meets weekly with students to discuss their progress, troubleshoot issues, and provide feedback. The faculty instructor is also available to meet with the student and client on an as-needed basis. If the client has concerns about the student or project, they are always encouraged to reach out to the instructor.
What are the responsibilities of the client?
At the beginning of the semester, the client is expected to work with the student designer to create clear and reasonable project deliverables and outcomes. Students present this written document to me in the first few weeks of the semester to confirm that expectations are attainable. Clients are expected to communicate (via email / phone / etc) and meet regularly with the student designer throughout the semester to provide feedback and meet project goals. The client provides feedback about the student’s work at the midpoint and end of the semester. This is a full semester commitment.
Does NP Design Lab replace the work of OCM (Office of Communication & Marketing) on campus?
No. On-campus projects that require official New Paltz-branded content (such as departmental logos, business cards, brochures, websites, etc.) should go through the Office of Communication & Marketing (OCM). Students do collaborate with staff in OCM on certain projects and OCM colleagues generously provide feedback and guidance when applicable.
What do clients need to provide?
Generally, the client provides content (text, images, video, etc.) that the designer works with to create final outcomes. Clients are also responsible for purchasing any assets such as fonts, stock photo licenses, printing costs, or any other materials required to complete the project. Delays in gathering content or providing timely feedback will impact final project delivery.
Do clients pay for NP Design Lab services?
Currently, no. Students receive credit for the course. This is different from a freelance project where a student is hired to complete a project in a specified time frame. This is also different from a design internship for credit where students are supervised by an on-site Senior Designer or Creative Director. Clients for NP Design Lab make a commitment to work closely with a graphic design student for the semester, and meet regularly to provide content and feedback. As a learning experience / class, this may be the first time a student is working on a “real world” project; patience and open communication are an integral part of the collaboration.
How is NP Design Lab different from a design internship?
For-credit design internships are supervised on-site by a design professional such as an Art / Creative Director or Senior Designer. It should be paid if possible. Students gain invaluable experiences at internships where students are mentored on-site at design studios, ad agencies, in-house marketing / design departments, etc. The Graphic Design Program Director oversees internships as a liaison with the on-site supervisor. If you are a design professional and have internship opportunities available for our students, contact: graphicdesign@newpaltz.edu.
How does a local business or organization hire a student for a paid freelance project?
If a company or campus department wants to hire a student to do design-related work for them, then they cannot receive course credit for the work. Hours and work are determined by the on-site supervisor within the department or campus office. If you’d like us to help you find a suitable student for freelance work, please contact: graphicdesign@newpaltz.edu
Who designed the NP Design Lab logo and website?
Sara Veith (BFA ’24) designed the NP Design Lab logo and website as a student in the course. Thank you, Sara!