"This class strengthened my work by helping me express my personal voice through content with meaningful impact."
Ashley Pinnick Illustration, Designmatters Concentration, Student

"This class strengthened my work by helping me express my personal voice through content with meaningful impact."
Ashley Pinnick Illustration, Designmatters Concentration, Student
"Being part of this program helped remind me of the importance of the design process, and ultimately why design matters."
Greg Philpott, Founder and President, mDialog
"The students confronted important issues from personal vantage points, ultimately ensuring that others would care about them, too."
Sherry Hoffman, Humanities & Sciences, Faculty
“I learned that working together as a team means finding the strengths in your partners, finding the strengths in yourself and bringing those together. But it’s also the ability to see weaknesses, especially your own and knowing the areas you need to work on to get better.”
Anna Violette, Student, Product Design
"This class taught students the importance of creating a different kind of 'right.'"
Sean Adams, Graphic Design, Faculty
Created by - Yuki Nori and Grant Higa
"I learned how to work with and for others and how to put the client’s needs above my own. I had to know everything about my target user and create with them in mind."
Jie Gu, Student, Interaction Design
Video created by Ricardo Imperial Jr. & Isaac Ruiz.
A short film documenting a studio challenge to imagine design in the 2025 product year for lifestyle brand Vans.
“Innovation emerges out of a deep partnership between design students and community members.”
Penny Herscovitch and Dan Gottlieb, Associate Professors, Environmental Design
"Because this was not just an academic exercise, I learned so much about messaging, keeping things consistent, and understanding the psychology of a real campaign."
Liz Levin, Advertising, Student
A behind the scenes of the Fall 2014, Vans sponsored trans-disciplinary studio and the design challenge of consumer-driven customizations.
"The practical foundation that underlies this program is that even the most amazing design solutions need to be supported by a strong business model in order to be implemented and sustainable."
Adlai Wertman, Professor, Marshall School of Business, USC
This book documents the third iteration—in Altos del Pino, Bogotá—of the award-winning Safe Agua project addressing water poverty.
“Each student brings individual life experiences, diverse cultural upbringings, varied interests and perspectives to the subject displaying the many ways see and converse about a problem.”
Krystina Castella, Faculty, Product Design
"This class taught students the importance of creating a different kind of 'right.'"
Sean Adams, Graphic Design, Faculty
A short film detailing the innovative Designmatters-led anti-gun violence curricular program, Where’s Daryl, and its pilot rollout in the Los Angeles Unified School District in spring 2013. A short film detailing the innovative anti-gun violence curricular program and its rollout in the Los Angeles Unified School District. Written and Directed by Benjamin Weiss, Shot and Edited by H.R. McDonald
A witty PSA produced in partnership with the United States Geological Society to raise awareness about tsunami dangers and safety measures.
"It’s not about me saying, 'Here’s what to do.' It’s about all of us deciding, 'What can we do together?'."
Guillaume Wolf, Graphic Design, Faculty
A documentary short about the creation of “Mark & the Jellybean Monster,” part of the Uncool Children’s Book Library Series.
A documentary short about the creation of “Amos' New Life,” part of the Uncool Children’s Book Library Series.
A brochure developed in a design-led studio, Project Coastal Crisis, focusing on public education and action strategies to address rising sea levels.
“Sustainability remains the most important idea of the 21st century: that is, that a regenerative and reciprocal relationship with the planet (and its inhabitants) is possible and will ensure our survival.”
Heidrun Mumper-Drumm, Product Design, H&S and Graphic Design Faculty & Director of Sustainability Initiatives
“We do not design in a vacuum; we design for the world, in the world.”
David Mocarski, Chair, Environmental Design
Safe Agua Peru Documentary directed by Erik Anderson
“I learned that working together as a team means finding the strengths in your partners, finding the strengths in yourself and bringing those together. But it’s also the ability to see weaknesses, especially your own and knowing the areas you need to work on to get better.”
Anna Violette, Student, Product Design
This multiple award-winning film (Cannes, Art Directors Club) celebrates the 50th anniversary of the aid organization Project Concern International.
A moving PSA highlighting the work of the Organization of American States as part of their 100th anniversary celebration.
Short film profiling the unique social impact design methodologies and project solutions behind the 2010 Safe Agua Chile studio.
“Each student brings individual life experiences, diverse cultural upbringings, varied interests and perspectives to the subject displaying the many ways see and converse about a problem.”
Krystina Castella, Faculty, Product Design
"Because this was not just an academic exercise, I learned so much about messaging, keeping things consistent, and understanding the psychology of a real campaign."
Liz Levin, Advertising, Student
An animated short calling for the empowerment of girls and women, in support of the United Nations Population Fund.
“Innovation is deliberate. It’s about solving problems without creating new ones. To innovate is to enable one to share our natural empathy and be able to allow others a new means for expression. Innovation is something humans and other creatures have been doing forever, be it by instinct or experimentation. We innovate to survive and to create positive solutions to simplify and better our lives.”
Mari Nakano, Grad Media Design '09, Visual Design Lead, UNICEF Innovation Unit
A touching short in support of young people the world over and the United Nations Population Fund.
A humorous but cutting look at the way Americans use water, highlighting the need to conserve.
A heart-wrenching look at the need to conserve, and how we might set our water-use priorities.
The students were engaged in very sophisticated research, debate and discussion in this studio, but what really impressed me, in the final production push, was that they were intelligently talking through the options, weighing each decision carefully. The final push was a very mature and professional working team. They worked like a real studio.
Todd Masilko, Associate Professor, Interaction Design
These solutions are indeed subjective – this isn’t solving a clear-cut math problem – and that proved to be the most difficult aspect of the project. The solutions, however, do address all the key elements, massaged by the student’s vision.”
Dennis Lee, Faculty, Advertising
A multiple award-winning PSA (ADDY, Telly, Cannes) asking us all to take our share of responsibility for climate change.
A chronicle of the Mpala Integrated Health Mobile Clinic for Remote Communities in Kenya project.
"Socially conscious designers can inject new ways of thinking into the world to help deal with pervasive social and environmental problems (such as inequity and the hyper-production of wasteful and harmful things)."
Mari Nakano, Grad Media Design '09, Visual Design Lead, UNICEF Innovation Unit
One of a series of PSAs for the UNFPA calling attention to the somber global statistics and consequences of maternal fatalities in childbirth.
One of a series of PSAs for the UNFPA calling attention to the somber global statistics and consequences of maternal fatalities in childbirth.
This PSA is one of a series taking a pointed approach to earthquake preparedness in Southern California.
These solutions are indeed subjective – this isn’t solving a clear-cut math problem – and that proved to be the most difficult aspect of the project. The solutions, however, do address all the key elements, massaged by the student’s vision.”
Dennis Lee, Faculty, Advertising
"The students created outcomes that are innovative and exciting, and help move us closer to our ultimate goal."
John Bwarie, United States Geological Survey (USGS)
A humorous, multiple award-winning PSA (ADDY, Cannes) on the subject of family obesity.
An animated short for the AIDS Institute promoting safe sex in the Caribbean through a combination of sensible lifestyle choices and condom use.
"It is very empowering for designers to see how their projects can actually make an impact in people’s lives."
Liliana Becerra, Product Design, Faculty
An animated short for the AIDS Institute promoting safe sex in the Caribbean through a combination of sensible lifestyle choices and condom use.
An animated short for the AIDS Institute promoting safe sex in the Caribbean through a combination of sensible lifestyle choices and condom use.
A PSA raising awareness of progress toward realization of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals.
“Sustainability remains the most important idea of the 21st century: that is, that a regenerative and reciprocal relationship with the planet (and its inhabitants) is possible and will ensure our survival.”
Heidrun Mumper-Drumm, Product Design, H&S and Graphic Design Faculty & Director of Sustainability Initiatives
“Sustainability remains the most important idea of the 21st century: that is, that a regenerative and reciprocal relationship with the planet (and its inhabitants) is possible and will ensure our survival.”
Heidrun Mumper-Drumm, Product Design, H&S and Graphic Design Faculty & Director of Sustainability Initiatives
This book documents a project to explore digital story-sharing in the developing world, with field projects in the Philippines and the Caribbean.
This book documents concepts in enhanced mobility design as developed in the Johnson Controls-sponsored “Driven Environment in 2015” studio.
"Because this was not just an academic exercise, I learned so much about messaging, keeping things consistent, and understanding the psychology of a real campaign."
Liz Levin, Advertising, Student
One of an eye-opening series of PSAs about alcohol marketing, on behalf of the Pan American Health Organization.
A PSA commissioned by the United Nations Development Fund for Women addressing domestic violence.
A PSA warning of the impact of domestic violence on children, distributed by the Pan American Health Organization.
“Innovation emerges out of a deep partnership between design students and community members.”
Penny Herscovitch and Dan Gottlieb, Associate Professors, Environmental Design
“Innovation is deliberate. It’s about solving problems without creating new ones. To innovate is to enable one to share our natural empathy and be able to allow others a new means for expression. Innovation is something humans and other creatures have been doing forever, be it by instinct or experimentation. We innovate to survive and to create positive solutions to simplify and better our lives.”
Mari Nakano, Grad Media Design '09, Visual Design Lead, UNICEF Innovation Unit
A pointed PSA in support of gender equality, on behalf of the UNFPA.
The Nyumbani Village Concept Cards were developed to document research, findings and outcomes of the Nyumbani Village: Kenya project.
"It is very empowering for designers to see how their projects can actually make an impact in people’s lives."
Liliana Becerra, Product Design, Faculty
A parable addressing the topic and tragic consequences of drunk driving among youth.