Print magazine has published an article its April 2009 issue featuring ComD's Design Corps studio class.

As stated in its mission, Design Corps encourages and promotes the relationship between design practice and design education, with students in the class providing professional-quality, pro-bono design services to non-profit organizations in exchange for valuable industry experience. They create and present design options, provide finished files and monitor production of the final approved design. They work both as individuals and teams under realistic deadlines. Since its re-establishment in the fall of 2005, Design Corps has produced print- and web-based designs for more than thirty organizations, both local and national, under the direction of current instructors and co-creative directors Michael Kelly and David Frisco.

Kelly says the class, which he took while a student at Pratt, operates differently than it did 10 years ago: "Now we aim to treat it as much like a design firm as possible. Rather than simply designing materials, students take part in budgeting, scheduling, production, and other aspects of the design process, while also learning how to work as part of a team." The professional experience is not the only student benefit, as Frisco points out: "The class also provides students the opportunity to learn about and become involved with many community and cultural organizations outside of their immediate campus surroundings. This includes exposure to some great local groups that they would not otherwise be aware of."

Kathleen Creighton, Comd chairperson, praises their work saying "Both Michael and David go beyond the call of duty, contributing enormous amounts of time and energy to the students and clients of Design Corps." This February, the Design Corps course, along with other classes and programs, earned Pratt Institute a place on the Presidential Honor Roll for Community Service, the highest federal recognition awarded to colleges in the U.S.

To learn more about the class and the organizations they have served, visit the Design Corps website here.