Teaching Philosophy
Teaching Interests
Credentials
My passion for teaching originated from the love I developed for graphic design, typography, and the creative process. These things plus a desire for learning helped shape me to teach in the classroom and to the agency teams I have managed.
As a teacher, creative director, and designer, I feel it’s important to integrate my knowledge and teaching experience to help empower students with industry-relevant skills as well as life-long learning skills. My goal is to help students find their own voice in becoming strong creative thinkers, brand communicators, and storytellers.
Expanded Teaching Philosophy
Branding, concept design, creative strategy, typography, layout design, package design, corporate identity, capstone, and influencers in typography.
• Proven experience teaching on-ground, HyFlex, and synchronous online classes.
• Proficient in working on Brightspace, a cloud-based learning platform.
• Software: Adobe Creative Suite, QuickTime, iMovie, Sketch, WordPress theme
design, Microsoft Office, MS Teams, Keynote, Slack, Asana, and Workamajig.
• Postgraduate work: Communication Design, Texas A&M University, Commerce.
• BFA: Graphic Design/Studio Art - Michigan State University.
• 20 years as an agency Creative Director.
• 11 years total as an adjunct design instructor.
• 4 years teaching at Miami International University of Art & Design/The Art Institutes.
• 7 years teaching at Texas A&M University, Commerce.
• Guest instructor and speaker at Texas Christian University, Texas Women’s
University, The Art Institute of Dallas, and The University of Texas, Arlington.
• Past AIGA DFW Board member and judge for Design in the Fast Lane conference.
Courses Taught
Miami International University of Art and Design I The Art Institutes
Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, Arizona, and California
Department of Graphic and Web Design
Adjunct Design Instructor (in the classroom and online), January 2019–Present
Graphic and Web Capstone
Portfolio 1 & 2
Collateral Design - Multichannel Brand Campaigns
Advanced Layout Design
Corporate Identity
Package Design
Prepress & Print Production
Interface Design
Concept Design
Typography Hierarchy
Introduction to Layout Design
Traditional Typography
Fundamentals of Advertising
Application and Industry
This course emphasizes the conceptualization process of design and its function in solving visual problems. The student will use creative problem solving and research techniques, specifically: problem identification, analysis, brainstorming and idea refinement.
This class prepares students for the transition to the professional world. This course will prepare students for the industry by helping them compile a portfolio. Students will demonstrate conceptual, design, craftsmanship, and other skills as they assemble and refine their portfolio projects.
Designed this course curriculum to be relevant for today's client demands of multichannel brand marketing. Students develop a client's B-to-C marketing strategy through research, a creative brief, and a mood board. Then execute the campaign objectives through messaging and a consistent brand design throughout print, digital, email, social media, referral, influencer, outdoor, and guerrilla marketing mediums.
This course explores designing visual elements in page design while developing strong and creative layout solutions by means of a cumulative, conceptual design process. Students will create polished digital print, social, web, and email marketing pieces.
Students investigate the use of corporate design and identity for branding. Further exploration of corporate id as a branding tool in advertising, marketing and social media will be employed. Comprehensive corporate identity systems, as well as, additional business collateral and a Graphic Standards Manual.
Updated this course curriculum to be relevant to today's client demands by incorporating 3D digital rendering prototypes. Students first learn the package design process and the challenges of adapting 2D designs to 3D physical prototypes. This includes design hierarchy, dielines, production, marketing objectives, target audiences, and a creative brief. Then students advance to 3D digital rendering packaging designs.
This course prepares students for image reproduction, color specification, digital file preparation, paper selection, and binding and finishing techniques. Students complete multiple-page electronic pre-press documents that include scanned and edited images, object-defined graphics, die-cuts, and the integration of typography.
This course introduces and examines the conceptual and functionality of interface design heuristics and user interface patterns. The software students work in for their assignments includes the Marvel mobile app or Adobe XD, developing, sketches, templates, wireframes, high-velocity comps, and prototypes.
Updated this course to emphasize the conceptualization process of design and its function in solving visual problems. The student will use creative problem-solving and research techniques, specifically: defining problems, research, brainstorming, and idea refinement.
This course is a continuation of the study of traditional typography. Exercises and projects will have added focus on type-font personas, visual hierarchies, headline writing, creative problem-solving, and special techniques.
This course concentrates on utilizing design principles and theories of layout composition. Emphasis will be on the process of design development from thumbnails to finished digital layouts, and the use of grid systems for multi-component layouts.
This course is an introduction to typography and the history of letterforms. Also studied is the placement of display and text type in page layout design, and the relationship between design aesthetics and the readability of letterforms. Students will hand-render type as well as work with digital typography and page layout.
This course examines the advertising agency model, the industry landscape, and the roles different departments and positions inside an agency do. It also discusses and features current and emerging advertising trends that influence a variety of advertising campaigns.
This introductory course focuses on Adobe graphic design applications, tools, and practices. Students work in Adobe Illustration, Photoshop, InDesign, and Bridge where they will learn the different applications through weekly project assignments.
Texas A&M University-Commerce I Commerce & Dallas, TX
Department of Art
Adjunct Design Instructor, 7 Years, 1995–2002
Practicum Portfolio
Graphic Design 1 and 2
Intro. Basic Design and Typography
Similar to a portfolio class, this class engaged students to review their entire working portfolio as a whole and to then prepare a final portfolio of work to interview with. Specific design improvements of past work was done as well as identifying new work needed to complete a strong portfolio.
• A focus on composition problem solving, conceptual thinking and visual communication.
• Advanced graphics for design solutions in publication and promotions; emphasis on visual concepts.
This course is an introduction to concept design, typography, and its role in graphic design as a visual language. The course addresses ideas, layouts, fonts, terminology, tools, and materials. Also includes thumbnail ideation, creative critiques, and computer-generated comps.