Students in Violet Luczak’s Graphic Design II class at McHenry County College (MCC) recently competed to create the logo for McHenry County Planning and Development’s upcoming Neighbors in Need event, a gathering designed to raise awareness about homelessness and destigmatize and support those experiencing homelessness in the county.
As part of the assignment, students were required to do extensive research on the client and create many iterations of their logos before presenting their final designs to the client for selection.
“McHenry County Planning and Development reached out to us about this incredible opportunity, which I then turned into a class project,” said Luczak. “We started this activity on the very first day of the semester. The students had only two weeks to create their final works and presentations.”
Out of the larger class, a total of eight students were selected to present to the client. Eric Ohlrich, a second-year graphic design student at MCC, created the winning logo.
“I strived to create a logo that was both heartfelt and conveyed the seriousness of the issue,” said Ohlrich. “This project challenged me to stretch my abilities, and I gained an invaluable amount of experience. I was beyond proud of my classmates and will never forget this class or exercise.”
The MCC Art and Graphic Arts Department plans to continue collaborating with the community on future projects, Luczak added.
“This was an amazing opportunity for our students and our department.”
The Neighbors in Need event will be held October 21 from Noon – 6 p.m. at Willow Church, 100 S. Main Street in Crystal Lake.