In addition to the public relations and news side of our community partnerships, the community partner directly benefits by achieving a higher brand standard through professional marketing materials. Each partnership creates a positive case study highlighting the value of community-engaged learning not only for the students but the community partner and the greater Juniata College campus as a higher education institution.
Clients and students become equal stakeholders in the projects we work on. They all have an even say in the outcomes of the project. Unlike traditional creative work, the designer has the say; we work with the client (rather than designing for them) to hear their needs, create within their budgets, and design for their variable needs. This has created hope for local organizations such as the Huntingdon Community Center who has an impact on thousands of families a year but has a small staff and is run primarily by volunteers.
Students enjoy learning more about the local community while being able to offer their skills and talents to a local organization. It allows them to work with other team members in an agency setting where each person contributes and matters. Working with clients is a great opportunity to create meaningful materials rather than mock design projects or personal work for their creative portfolios.
The local partners we work with show empathy and understanding when working with students who may or may not understand their organization and goals. This is key to creating a positive working relationship. The clients we have worked with show gratitude for the students’ ideas and final contributions.
