Community Engagement & Cultural Change with Jenn Stucker

In this episode of the AIGA Design Podcast, host Lee-Sean Huang interviews Jenn Stucker, Associate Professor and Chair of Graphic Design at Bowling Green State University. They discuss the importance of community engagement in design, the expanding definition of design as a profession, the role of design communities like AIGA in career development and standard setting, and more. Key Topics and Themes: Community Engagement in Design: Stucker shares her experiences incorporating community engagement into her design practice, including co-founding the AIGA Toledo chapter and leading community-based projects like “You Are Here” and “Sit & Tell.” Expanding Definition of Design: The conversation explores how design is more than just creating visually appealing products. It’s about improving everyday lives through experiences and behaviors. Design Education: Stucker discusses her approach to teaching design, emphasizing the importance of developing mindful individuals who can engage with the social, cultural, and technological world. Design Leadership: As one of the first designers to complete the AIGA Professional Design Certification Program, Stucker shares insights on design leadership and the value of professional development. The Value of Design Communities: The episode highlights the importance of design communities like AIGA in fostering collaboration, providing resources, and advocating for the value of design. Design and Cultural Change: Stucker emphasizes the role of design in creating cultural shifts and making a positive impact on society, even through incremental changes. Design and Higher Education: The discussion touches on the lack of high-level administrators with design backgrounds in higher education and the potential for designers to contribute to solving challenges in this sector. Ethics in Design: The episode briefly addresses the ethical considerations in design, particularly in the context of emerging technologies like AI. Learning and Growth: Stucker shares her ongoing learning journey through her Ph.D. studies and her participation in the AIGA Professional Design Certification Program. Additional Notes: Reflecting her family's cultural heritage, Stucker named her design practice Sisu Design, a Finnish word meaning “guts,” “tenacity,” or “resilience.” The episode references the “In the Round” speaker series at Bowling Green State University, which focuses on Native American and Indigenous speakers across various creative disciplines. Stucker shares a quote from Gloria Steinem, “Power can be taken but not given. It is the process of taking that’s empowerment in itself.” The episode concludes with Stucker reflecting on her advice to designers: “Start small but think big.”