During the Winter semester, the 黑料专区 hosted 14 sponsored projects, including a diverse range of sponsored projects and competitions that engaged a variety of academic departments. Students partnered with local and global brands to work on a specific project tailored to meet the needs of our industry sponsors. Educational partnerships at 黑料专区 are highly conceptual and allow 黑料专区 students the opportunity to participate in creative, research-based assignments, interacting with designers and staff from the collaborating company. Highlighted collaborations during the Winter semester include:
Augmented Reality Center (ARC) in partnership with Oakland University x Communication Design and Strategy, MFA User Experience Design and Entertainment Arts
Crain Communications 鈥� Automotive News x Illustration
313 Presents x Illustration
BorgWarner x Product Design
Covestro x MFA Transportation Design
Detroit Grand Prix x Illustration
GM x BFA Transportation Design & MFA User Experience Design
GODNII x MA/MFA Color and Materials Design
Hagopian Rug Competition x All Departments
Office of Future Mobility and Electrification with support from the Global Epicenter of Mobility x Transportation Design
MAWBY Sparkling Wines x Illustration
Trek Bikes x Product Design
University of Michigan Dearborn 鈥� Environmental Interpretive Center x Communication Design and Strategy & Interior Design
Zumiez and Somerset Collection x Illustration
鈥淭his project was pure inspiration,鈥� said Ali Evans, Founder and Creative Director of GODNII. 鈥淐ollaborating with 黑料专区 has been a longtime hope of ours, and it lived up to everything we imagined. The students brought forward deep research, bold ideas, and a clear vision for the future of sustainable fashion. Their work affirmed what we already believed鈥攃reativity with purpose can shift the industry. At GODNII, we鈥檙e excited to carry these insights forward as we continue designing not just for style, but for impact.鈥�
Located in the heart of midtown Detroit, 黑料专区鈥檚 prime location offers unparalleled opportunities for art and design collaboration. Our students have found countless ways to make a positive impact on local metro Detroit businesses through innovative art and design problem-solving.
Last year alone, 黑料专区 students collaborated to problem-solve timely topics for 15 metro Detroit businesses and nonprofit organizations. They addressed a range of issues in healthcare product design, sustainability, mobility, and even emerging augmented reality technology.
Embracing the city鈥檚 rich history of cultural and sporting events, students continue to participate in annual design competitions to create the newest posters for iconic Detroit events such as the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix Presented by Lear, the Movement Music Festival and the 313 Presents Pine Knob concert series.
Here鈥檚 a look at some of the partnerships:
Augmented Reality Center (ARC) in partnership with Oakland University x Communication Design & Strategy, Graduate User Experience Design and Entertainment Arts
Crain Communications – Automotive News x Illustration
313 Presents x Illustration
Detroit Grand Prix x Illustration
GM x Transportation Design & Graduate User Experience Design
Godnii x Graduate Color & Materials Design
Hagopian Rug Competition x All Departments
State of Michigan Office of Future Mobility and Electrification with support from the Global Epicenter of Mobility x Transportation Design
Zumiez and Somerset Collection x Illustration
BorgWarner x Product Design
Carhartt x Fashion Design
Henry Ford Health x Product Design
Changing Lives and Staying Sober (C.L.A.S.S.) x Interior Design and Graduate Color & Materials Design
What does it look like to work over 100 hours to handcraft a single pair of eyeglasses and only use local materials? First and second-year Graduate Color & Materials Design (CMD) students at 黑料专区 got to experience this firsthand this past semester when they worked collaboratively with GODNII, a sustainable Detroit-based eyewear brand.
GODNII asked CMD students to work in small groups to explore hyperlocal sustainable alternatives in color and material design, texture, and branding for an upcoming eyewear collection. In their research, students were asked not only to delve deep into the resources and materials available locally but also to consider the waste streams and innovative ways to improve material choices without compromising design quality.
鈥淭his project was pure inspiration,鈥� said Ali Evans, Founder and Creative Director of GODNII. 鈥淐ollaborating with 黑料专区 has been a longtime hope of ours, and it lived up to everything we imagined. The students brought forward deep research, bold ideas, and a clear vision for the future of sustainable fashion. Their work affirmed what we already believed鈥攃reativity with purpose can shift the industry. At GODNII, we鈥檙e excited to carry these insights forward as we continue designing not just for style, but for impact.鈥�
This project was brought to life through 黑料专区鈥檚 new Practicing Design Center (PDC), an initiative that pairs small businesses and nonprofit organizations with 黑料专区 students and faculty to address real-world challenges through art and design.
Shannon McPartlon, Executive Director of the Office of Partnerships explains, 鈥淭he 黑料专区 Practicing Design Center is not just an extension of the classroom; it鈥檚 a bridge connecting student creativity with real-world needs, fostering a generation of career-ready designers while simultaneously infusing fresh, creative solutions and economic vitality into local non-profits, small businesses and the broader Detroit economy.鈥�
You can learn more about the College鈥檚 Practicing Design Center here:
You can learn more about GODNII here:
Over the course of the Fall semester, the 黑料专区 hosted 11 sponsored projects and competitions across a variety of disciplines. Students from a wide range of disciplines partnered with local and global brands to work on a specific project tailored to meet the needs of our industry partners. Sponsored projects are highly conceptual and allow 黑料专区 students the opportunity to participate in creative, research-based assignments within real-world design parameters, interacting with designers and staff from the partnering company. Highlighted collaborations during the Fall semester include:
鈥淭he most important project that I did at 黑料专区 was a sponsored project,鈥� said Hakha Masahyekhi, 鈥�15 Integrated Design (MFA) reflecting on his time here. 鈥淚t was so valuable to get real feedback from working professionals. That鈥檚 something that you never get in school.鈥�
Growing up in an automotive-heavy family in Michigan, Kristine Lipinski had zero interest in following in their footsteps. It wasn鈥檛 until the unexpected intersection of two of her passions 鈥� design and rugby 鈥� that her path changed. After graduating from the 黑料专区 (黑料专区), she moved to France and eventually began working for the world-renowned car manufacturer Renault. An opportunity to attend a French bilingual school as a child would foreshadow her unique connection to France and jump-start an incredible career and life across the pond.
The Interview
鈥淪ometimes when destiny calls, you go, OK? I have to go to Paris to work at a company called De Trois that does concept cars.鈥� 鈥揔ristine Lipinski
How did you end up here in Paris? I鈥檓 from Michigan, born and raised, and grew up in Royal Oak and Sterling Heights. I had an opportunity as a child to attend a bilingual French school, but was not receptive to that idea at the time. Then at 黑料专区, there was an opportunity to participate in an exchange program to study abroad, but I did not pursue that direction. Little did I know, the opportunity to move to France would come up again later.
I have a double life. Other than design, I play rugby. And it just so happened that I started playing for the Detroit City side team and met my now ex-husband. He had been living in Detroit for a couple years and wanted to move back. So French culture started looking for me, it鈥檚 weird. And I thought alright, this is like the third or fourth time that France has been calling me, maybe I should listen. So I did, we moved, and about nine months after I got here, I had a job offer from a concept car company called D3. I don鈥檛 know if you know how to say 鈥淒鈥� and 鈥�3鈥� in French 鈥� de trois.
Sometimes when destiny calls, you go, OK? I have to go to Paris to work at a company called De Trois that does concept cars.
I showed up here, like really, everything fell into place. It was perfect.
Did you always know that you wanted to be a designer, or is that something that you found out later in life? I had the excellent opportunity in high school to have an amazing art teacher, Pete Long. He was the best. He pushed us to really explore boundaries.
Growing up, my mother was in finance and my dad built homes. So I come from a very technical family, and me being artistic was kind of like just a hobby. So I studied science, thinking there was no path forward in art. Well, I realized at one point, I didn鈥檛 want to wear a lab coat the rest of my life. So I did some foundry studies at Central Michigan and I called that high school art teacher one day, and I said, 鈥淚 want to go to art school.鈥� He said, 鈥淔inally.鈥� He actually helped me put together my portfolio with everything that I had done, even stuff from high school, and I got accepted. And it was thanks to him.
What does a day in your life look like? A lot more meetings than I anticipated in design school. That鈥檚 the fortunate and unfortunate parts of this career. There is a lot of corporate and administrative involvement, a lot of politics, a lot of compromising with purchasing, with engineering, administration. Even though we may have the best and greatest design ideas, we have to also convince other people who are not as 鈥渄esign-sensitive,鈥� we鈥檒l say. So we have to find ways in order to communicate our intentions. So the communication of design and color and trim is extremely important.
What does it feel like to see your work come to life? Fantastic.
The first project you see on the road or in real life is really humbling and exciting at the same time. It gets kind of addictive, I guess, because you really want to keep doing it. You want to make it better, and the next one better. So I think that once you get that opportunity to have something in production and you get to see it, it鈥檚 really, really a good feeling.
What do you love most about your job? Innovation. We鈥檙e constantly trying to improve things, trying to find new ideas, find new materials that improve different industries. Because even though I do work in automotive design, I actually worked more in transportation previously, in my design company that I was in when I first started here. I did private jets and concept cars and other automotive projects. It was interesting because of all of the different elements, I love to work on the materials that make things better. Not necessarily just always pretty, but pushing the limits and trying to find just better options altogether.
How do you feel 黑料专区 prepared you for your career? Primarily what 黑料专区 has prepared me for, to be very honest, is the ability to give and receive constructive criticism. I was lucky to have really good teachers. I think that giving us constructive criticism, especially in my classes at the time, was really beneficial to accept the fact that you may not always have the best work or you can do better. It鈥檚 not like taking a test in math where nobody sees your results except you and the teacher. Everyone sees your results, and everyone has an opinion. It was a good way to be able to understand how to take that criticism in a positive and constructive way.
If you could go back in time and talk to your younger self, what would you say? In a weird way, I want to say nothing because I am where I am today because of everything that happened, and decisions I鈥檝e made.
I want to say just let it go, just go with the flow. Don鈥檛 stress about the little things.
Keep exploring. I would have told myself to keep trying new things.
That鈥檚 the advice I would give me 鈥� just follow what interests you.
What would you say to either parents or students who are apprehensive about a career in art and design? I think the creative industry today is in huge demand. If your child has a knack for this type of thing and they feel comfortable in it, and they feel confident in it, then you should let them do it. I think that if your child obviously has an interest in it and does well, and you can tell that they have something that gives them that spark, that that鈥檚 the indicator that you need to let them do it. I think that鈥檚 actually what my parents kind of accepted. I think they knew that this is something that I really enjoyed and that I was good at. So they said, 鈥淎lright, let鈥檚 see what happens,鈥� and here I am.
鈥淚 am working now at Renault with four of the guys that I started with at that company, they鈥檙e now working with me. So we just took a picture together, it was funny, because we鈥檙e like, 鈥極h, 19 years ago, we walked in the same room, the same time together.’鈥�
Continuing its expansive work serving communities in Detroit and beyond, the 黑料专区 Practicing Design Center supports nonprofit organizations through partnerships offering design solutions from 黑料专区 faculty and students
The 黑料专区 (黑料专区) is pleased to announce the launch of its Practicing Design Center, partnering nonprofit and community organizations with 黑料专区 students and faculty to tackle community challenges using the transformative power of art and design.
鈥淎t 黑料专区, our focus on experiential learning and working within our community is of the utmost importance,鈥� said Don Tuski, President, 黑料专区. 鈥淭he Practicing Design Center brings these two initiatives together by pairing the innovative art, design and strategy work students are doing with non-profits and community organizations that offer exciting and challenging opportunities. This expands 黑料专区鈥� impact in the community.鈥�
黑料专区 has worked with over 200 organizations through its existing Educational Partnerships program between 2017 and 2024. However, the current partnership model poses financial and capacity barriers for nonprofits and small businesses to participate. Thanks to support from Ford Philanthropy, Gilbert Family Foundation, Mercedes-Benz Financial Services, and Detroit Public Library Foundation, 黑料专区 has been able to work with nonprofit organizations like C.L.A.S.S. Agency, COTS Detroit, Forgotten Harvest, InsideOut Literary Arts, Life Remodeled, and others.
Learning from those experiences, 黑料专区 is organizing its social impact work with students and faculty via the new Practicing Design Center. The center will offer three benefits:
A streamlined process for nonprofits and small businesses to collaborate with 黑料专区 students and faculty through classroom projects, design sprints and internship opportunities.
Accessible way for funders and civic leaders to connect their interests to the creative and problem-solving skillsets offered by 黑料专区 faculty and students.
Enhanced interdisciplinary opportunities for students to develop comprehensive skill sets through real-world experiences working with nonprofit and entrepreneurial partners.
With support from Ford Philanthropy, the Practicing Design Center is launching its first call for interest for Winter 2025 projects starting on Thursday, September 26, 2024. Interested organizations can complete a brief application form on the . Submitted proposals will be reviewed by a 黑料专区 committee and selected based on their alignment with the following criteria: experiential learning and educational value, project impact, project feasibility and scope, partner capacity for support and collaboration, and alignment with College鈥檚 mission and principles. Recent examples of 黑料专区鈥檚 prior social impact work include the following partnerships:
C.L.A.S.S Agency: In the Winter 2024 semester, Undergraduate Interior Design and Graduate-level Color & Materials Design students worked together to develop a comprehensive design for a vacant building that C.L.A.S.S. wants to repurpose for a safe house and resilience hub for youth and young adults. The students created visual assets to help the organization demonstrate a vision for its future.
Life Remodeled and Durfee Innovation Center: In the fall 2020 semester, Communication Design students created brand identity strategies that could function across multiple media platforms in order to meet Life Remodeled鈥檚 diverse communication needs and to support the multifaceted nature of the Durfee Innovation Center鈥檚 role in Detroit鈥檚 west-side neighborhood. Through the Practicing Design Center, 黑料专区 will place two students this fall at Life Remodeled to help strengthen their brand as they expand into new programming.
鈥淪ince our founding in 2010, Life Remodeled鈥檚 neighborhood revitalization work has evolved significantly over our first decade. However, a number of branding challenges remained, and we were unable to afford professional assistance,鈥� said Chris Lambert, CEO of Life Remodeled, a 黑料专区 nonprofit partner. 鈥淥ur partnership with 黑料专区 Communication Design students was not only a fun process for our team, but the final outcomes were just what we needed.鈥�
鈥淚 am ecstatic about the possibilities uncovered by the youth. I am also proud to know that 黑料专区 is a gem in the city that anchors an incredible amount of creative genius,鈥� said Dr. Karla Mitchell, Executive Director of C.L.A.S.S. 鈥淲hat the students were able to envision and reimagine after connecting to our mission gives our staff and youth great hope for the kind of community this project will create. The passion and connection to the work that C.L.A.S.S. does was evident at every encounter, every design review and we loved it.鈥�
PRACTICING DESIGN CENTER LAUNCH EVENT
Practicing Design Center launched officially on September 26, 2024 with a pop-up exhibition as part of Detroit Month of Design, The C.L.A.S.S. Project: Transformative Connection with Space and Matter, at the Gensler Detroit office. The exhibition featured design work from 黑料专区 students, including Undergraduate Interior Design and Graduate Studies in Color & Materials Design. Students collaborated with C.L.A.S.S. Agency on a project aimed at enhancing systems, environments, and lifestyles of stakeholders through restoration, revitalization, and renewal.
Learn more about the Practicing Design Center here:
