“Looking back I view the study abroad program as an integral part to my course of study in the visual arts, and believe that the experience has made me a better designer overall.”
“My trip to Basel, Switzerland opened me eyes to an entirely new world of thinking in design. Overall, I wouldn’t change or exchange the experience in anyway.”
Year of graduation
2017
School
Hochschule für Gestaltung und Kunst Basel, Switzerland, 2016
What you gained from the experience professionally and personally
My trip to Basel, Switzerland opened my eyes to an entirely new world of thinking in design. The level of technical skill and precision of the Swiss students was remarkable to witness and be a part of, and I believe it has helped me make more conscious and deliberate choices in regards to my own work, especially when it comes to layout, typography, and production.
I had the opportunity of working on books with students from several different countries including Korea, Germany, and ,of course, Switzerland, and this exposure to a variety of styles and design logics forced me to question my own identity and critical thinking, and completely reshaped the way I approach design projects today. During the program, one class focused on working with a local business in Basel to develop a corporate identity and I was meeting with an urban mushroom farming company operating out of a basement in the Gundeldinger Feld. Another project had us working in collaboration with students from Darmstadt, Germany who came to visit us in Basel for a weekend; the mixing and coalescing of so many languages and cultures provided for a unique and challenging way of working, but in the end left me feeling inspired, and slightly confused (in a good way.) Aside from school work, I got to make many great friends during my stay in Basel, and anticipate returning to Europe to meet again sometime in the near future.
The city and people of Basel provided a great contrast from what I was used to growing up in New York. The city is extremely well planned and design and art is very much a staple in the public periphery in most parts of Basel. At any given bus station, street corner or window display you could clearly see the attention to detail and visual communication was deliberate and intentional, and this made an impression on me in that it altered the way I perceived how design and planning could function within a public space. The people I met were unique, creative and politically engaged, and offered many progressive and thought provoking ideas about how a society can function in the 21st century; one example being the vote for the general basic income for all people was up for debate during my stay, and I was able to hear many different positions around those issues, and also offer my perspective as an American student. (The Swiss later voted ‘no’ to this bill.)
Overall, I wouldn’t change or exchange the experience in any way; Looking back I view the study abroad program as an integral part to my course of study in the visual arts, and believe that the experience has made me a better designer overall.
Future Plans
Over the course of the next year I will continue to focus on expanding my knowledge and experience within the field of design and art making at The Cooper Union, and prepare for graduation in May, 2017. In the future I hope to take on many meaningful projects which are both intellectually challenging and radical. I am currently working towards developing my skills as a designer and contemplating ways in which I can eventually instrumentalize my design practice in service of social good.
Some of my personal goals include teaching, getting involved with progressive organizations and causes, writing books and founding my own design studio after graduation. Moving forward I cannot say with certainty where life will take me, but I feel confident in my ability to navigate through any challenges which present themselves to me thanks to the fabulous education I have received at The Cooper Union, and all of the wonderful people and experiences that have encountered along the way.
- Study Abroad