Junior Communication Design students in Professor Kristin Hughes’ Advanced Typography class recently designed a series of posters for Propel Schools, a Pittsburgh-based charter school.



The posters were on exhibition at the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts at an evening gala event on October 20, which was attended by several Design students and faculty members.


Mary Kay Johnsen, CMU Fine Arts Librarian, with Design Professor Mark Mentzer and his wife Alice

The assignment for students was to create a series of posters, short videos and other
artifacts, all themed around the mission and vision of Propel—transforming public
education. The project partnered 25 School of Design students with 25 Propel students, who
became friends and pen-pals over the semester, sharing personal stories and academic
experiences. Carnegie Mellon students had the opportunity to visit the Propel school in Homestead and likewise, Propel students had the opportunity to visit Carnegie Mellon (many seeing a college campus for the first time).


Hughes with two of her typography students

Propel Schools serve K – 8 students in Southwestern Pennsylvania, with the goal of operating high performance schools of choice in educationally underserved communities. Hughes serves on Propel’s Board of Trustees.


Professor Kristin Hughes, center, with Dr. Carol Wooten, left, Propel’s Chief Academic Officer, and Mr. John Blood, right, Board of Trustees member.

Posted on Oct 30, 2009