Mercer University Design Studio is a new organization on campus with a goal to build upon students’ existing knowledge of graphic design and use that for design projects on campus and within the Macon community.
The organization’s co-founder, Tyler King, is a freshman double majoring in marketing and graphic design. King has wanted to create an organization like this since high school and came to Mercer for the very reason of starting it.
“It’s more than a club,” King said. “It’s a studio for people to build their portfolios so that when they go out into the working world, they actually know how to work.”
It is ultimately up to the members of the organization to decide which directions they would like to take.
A possible direction is hosting learning workshops, which would sharpen members’ graphic design skills.
Faculty advisor and co-founder Luke Buffenmyer said “I want it to be very beneficial for the students.”
Another objective of the Mercer University Design Studio is to put student work into motion for a good cause.
Buffenmyer said that there has been talk with SGA about possible issues the organization could tackle, such as sexual assault and environmentalism.
The environment is close to King’s heart.
“We don’t have recycle bins almost anywhere on campus. That’s something that we would want to do,” King said. “We would want to, one, design them, and two, we would want to design some advertisement for environmentalism on campus.”
Members could take their graphic design skills off-campus as well. Buffenmyer and King have the goal of partnering with nonprofits in the area. Nonprofits could receive the benefit of free design work and members would gain significant design experience.
Members are encouraged to have some kind of existing interest or forte in graphic design, but anyone can join.
The organization meets on Tuesdays at 6pm in Hardman Hall 107.
If interested, contact Buffenmyer at Buffenmyer_LA@mercer.edu or King at Justin.tyler.king@live.mercer.edu
New to Campus: The Mercer University Design Studio
