VPA students ‘pay it forward’ with community greeting card project

VPA students ‘pay it forward’ with community greeting card projectDecember 13, 2006Jaime Winne Alvarezjlwinne@syr.edu

In the spirit of the holiday season, senior Allison Rosenwinkel and junior Chris DeLorenzo, communications design majors in Syracuse University’s College of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA), have decided to “pay it forward” with a community greeting card project as part of a class they are taking on problem-solving strategies in communications design.

For the course, taught by VPA faculty members Robert Cooney and Ken Hine, Rosenwinkel and DeLorenzo were assigned a final project on the “essence of the class.” Students were asked to use any medium to communicate their conclusions about the ideas explored in the course, such as what makes great design.

This week, Rosenwinkel and DeLorenzo will select 100 names at random from the Syracuse phone book. The 100 recipients will each receive a large greeting card with a message of community and unity. Each card contains 100 postage-paid mini cards printed with the same message. The students hope recipients will send the mini cards out to family, friends and perhaps another random recipient, to keep the good feeling going across the community. Rosenwinkel and DeLorenzo have used their own money for the project.

“We wanted to touch on aspects of communication within communications design and do something positive to brighten someone’s day — just because,” says Rosenwinkel.

The text on the outside of the cards reads: “Community” with the word “Unity” highlighted. Inside the card is a message to recipients — “It would just be nity without u. Thanks for holding us together.” The back of the card continues: “Extend a hand to someone, keep the community in touch.” A note of instructions reads, “This card, sent by two communications design majors at Syracuse University, is an opportunity to unite those who frame the Syracuse community and to thank you for all that you contribute to it. Please take the time to sign and send the smaller letter and extend the thanks to someone else.”

Rosenwinkel and DeLorenzo’s community cards will be sent out this week.