Thomas Elder — Graphic Design MFA | Academic CV & Portfolio

CV

Thomas Elder

he / him / his
MFA, Graphic Design | Iowa State University, College of Design
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomaselder/ Academic CV: https://thomaselder.com/cv/ Portfolio: https://thomaselder.com
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Academic Teaching: Ranks

American University | Department of Art, | Washington, D.C., Senior Professorial Lecturer, Graphic Design, 2022–2025
Boise State University | Department of Art, Design and Visual Studies, | Boise, Idaho, Associate Professor, Graphic Design, Tenured, 2006–2022 Graduate Faculty, MFA teaching, 2006–2020 Assistant Professor, Graphic Design, Tenure Track, 2001–2006

Administrative Positions

Internship Coordinator, Boise State University, Dept. of Art, Aug. 2016–Jan. 2017
Coordinated all internships for the Department of Art, Design, and Visual Studies, developing strategies for securing placements and conducting exit interviews for final grading with completed intern mentees upon completion.
Academic Advising Coordinator, Boise State University, Dept. of Art, Jan. 2011–May 2013
Oversaw the implementation of a new mandatory University-wide advising program while overseeing the entire Department of Art, Design, and Visual Studies, which consisted of approximately 550 degree seeking students in Fine Art, Photography, Illustration, and the Graphic Design Major. Provided comprehensive face-to-face advising to an average of 75 students per semester, effectively guiding and directing their academic studies.
Program Director, Graphic Design Area, Boise State University, 2008–2013

Research Expertise, Bio

I am an experienced educator in Graphic Design, specializing in courses including Typography, Advanced Layout, Package Design, Label Design, Specialized Print Design and Finishes, Directional Signage, Interactive Media, HTML/CSS, Foundation Principles for UI/UX, Motion Graphics, and Story Narrative for Short Animations.

My scholarship includes the creation of a full-semester Graphic Design History curriculum, research in 3D modeling art using Blender, (with juried artwork into multiple National Exhibitions) and ongoing professional conference research into Ethical AI implementation in design pedagogy and practice. I bring professional experience in UI/UX design and maintain active engagement with emerging technologies through NN/g-certified AI for UX conference demonstrating my commitment to preparing students for technology-driven and possibly AI-based design environments.

As a tenured faculty member of a NASAD-accredited Graphic Design program, I played an instrumental role in securing probationary curriculum accreditation in (2004) and full accreditation in (2009) for Boise State University's Graphic Design Program. During the 2016 renewal application, external reviewers determined that the Graphic Design Program was the only program in the Art Department that could be renewed without significant adjustments, demonstrating that our work together as faculty had established rigorous program standards. Our collaborative faculty work, developed a deep understanding of the BFA Degree Program that continues to inform my approach to curriculum design and academic quality.

I advocate for the ADA or known as: Americans with Disabilities Act Standards for Accessible Design (ADASAD), in physical design. As the lead designer developing Adventure Island Playground, located in Meridian, Idaho, to what’s called Settlers Park, which stands as Idaho's first inclusive accessible playground. Drawing inspiration from one of the earliest accessible playgrounds in the country, Hadley's Park in Potomac, Maryland, I implemented comprehensive accessibility guidelines while integrating cohesive graphic design elements and developed their large-scale custom-designed gateway signage.

I am a First Nations voting member of The Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, with formative years living and going to school on the Flathead and Fort Peck Reservations in the state of Montana. I use these life experiences to teach principles of racism, support Indigenous causes, and teaching of #NotYourMascot to share understanding, and outreach with speaking engagements and through juried papers and Conferences.

Presentations: Papers, Talks, Guest Lectures, Articles

2026 Speaker, Juried, International, CAA – College Art Association 114th Annual Conference, Juried Presentation "Interrupted Histories: A Designer's Analysis of Representation, Racism, and Institutional Complacency." Session Theme: Is There a Native American Art History Canon? Is It a Good Idea? Hilton, Chicago, IL, February 20, 2026.
Abstract: A contemporary lens is essential for questioning the timeline and boundaries of a Native American art history canon, especially as traditional historical surveys underrepresent millennia of Indigenous art and cultural production. As a voting member of the Sault Sainte Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, my work examines how types of visual representation; Object Representation (literal likeness), Abstract Representation (recognizable, culturally-contextual icons), and Abstract Non-representation (symbolic forms detached from direct likeness), shape both legacy and especially contemporary images to who represents our Native identity. By tracing mascot imagery and other racialized visual codes from early settler iconography to present-day branding, the definition of "art" is inseparable from histories of erasure and cultural appropriation. Such imagery, often dismissed as commercial or graphic design, reveals how Native identities have been visualized, policed, and commodified across these three representational modes.
Grant, Registration, CAA 114th Annual Conference – Hilton Chicago, Chicago, IL, February 18–21, 2026.
Awarded a competitive registration grant from CAA: Advancing Art and Design to support my speakership at the 114th Annual Conference, recognizing ongoing scholarly engagement and professional contribution in art and design education.
2022 Article Interview | Adrienne Frank, American University Magazine, Aug. 2022 Issue
Which is Worse: Comic Sans or Papyrus? Article Link | American Magazine
As a researcher of typography, I was invited to interview as a prospective expert on fonts in both amusement of forms and serious debate on issues of semiotics and racism.
2019 Speaker, Juried, International, CAA – College Art Association 107th Annual Conference, Juried Presentation "Racist Human Mascots: A Guide for Artists and Designers to Determine the Qualifications of Racism in Commercialized Art," New York City, NY, February 15, 2019.
Abstract: How does an artist or designer know what qualifies as racist art? A practicing artist or designer should be able to refute why art used for a mascot, a commissioned logo, or a photograph is incongruous to human civil rights. A mascot is a de facto representation of sports teams' identification worldwide. When a team uses a human representation for a mascot, one singular choice is indubitably a racist portrayal, that of a First Nation or Native American person. In the sense of fine art, it is the only mascot that is rendered with a phenotype skin tone.
2019 Guest Lecturer, Critique, UI/UX User testing, American University, Washington, D.C.
Digital Graphic Design student courses, GDES 405, Nov. 22, 26, 2019
2018 Speaker, Invited, Solo Speaker, Guest Instructor, University of Texas, Permian Basin "Racist Human Mascots: A Guide for Artists and Designers to Determine the Qualifications of Racism in Commercialized Art," University of Texas, Permian Basin, April 9–10, 2018. Invitation by Marianne Berger Woods, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Art History
2016 Speaker, Juried, National, School of Visual Arts, SVA, New York City, NY 30th Annual National Conference of Liberal Arts and the Education of Artists—Why Study Art? "Racist Human Mascots: A Guide for Artists and Designers to Determine the Qualifications of Racism in Commercialized Art," School of Visual Arts, New York, NY, Oct. 13, 2016.
2016 Paper, Juried, National Presentation: 2016, School of Visual Arts, New York City, NY Juror, Maryhelen Hendricks, Co-chair, Humanities and Sciences Department, director, National Conference on Liberal Arts and the Education of Artists
2016 Speaker, Juried, International, 2016 International Digital Media Arts Association iDMAa 14th Annual Conference "Racist Human Mascots: A Guide for Artists and Designers to Determine the Qualifications of Racism in Commercialized Art," iDMAa, Winona, MN, October 6, 2016.
2016 Presentation, Juried, International, 2016 International Digital Media Arts Association iDMAa, 14th Annual Conference Juror, Brigid Maher, Director, Film and Media Arts Division, Associate Professor, Co-Director, Center for Media and Social Impact, School of Communication, American University, Washington D.C.

Scholarly & Creative Leadership: Session Chair, Judge, Reviewer

2026 Session Chair, Juried, SECAC – (Southeastern College Art Conference) 2026 Annual Conference, "Decoding Racist Representation: Visual Semiotics and Ethical Practice in Art and Design," Winston-Salem, NC, October 21–24, 2026.
2026 Entry Reviewer: Invited, Society for Animation Studies – “Animate Experience 2026,” 37th SAS Annual Conference, Pittsburgh, PA, USA, June 15–18, 2026.
One of five jury reviewers for submissions to Animate Experience 2026, the 37th Society for Animation Studies conference, evaluating works that engage with animation, affect, trauma, and the broader “Animate Experience” theme.
Description: Hosted by the: Pennsylvania Expanded Animation Alliance, (PA XAA), a consortium of faculty from universities (including Carnegie Mellon University, Point Park University, Robert Morris University, and the University of Pittsburgh) in concert with the Children’s Museum Pittsburgh.

Exhibitions: Fine Art, Design

2019 Exhibition, Invited, National, BAM, Boise Art Museum, Boise, Idaho, USA Boise State University Biennial Faculty Exhibition  "The Treachery of (CG)Images," March 30, 2019–July 28, 2019
Medium: Archival Inkjet on Canvas Size: 36x24 inches, framed, on display
2017 Exhibition, Juried, International, iDMAa, iDEAS Exhibition 17, University of District of Columbia, Washington, DC, USA, CGI art, "She's Not Even A Real Indian, Either," Oct. 5, 2017–Oct 7, 2017
Medium: Archival inkjet pigment on Velum: 8x10 inches, on display
Juror: Dr. Dena Eber, MFA, Ph.D., Bowling Green State University
2017 Exhibition, Juried, National, Texas National, Art Exhibition, 2017, Nacogdoches, TX. CGI art,
"The Treachery of (CG)Images," (April 8, 2017–June 10, 2017) Medium: Archival Inkjet on Canvas Size: 36x24 inches, framed, on display. Juror: Benito Huerta, Professor, University of Texas, Arlington
2016 Exhibition, Juried, International, iDMAa iDEAS Exhibition 16, Winona, MN. Proxigraph CGI art, two prints. "CGI Pop-Art: Commentary of Commercial Package Design" Oct. 5, 2016–Oct 8, 2016 Digital Print 1: "Tomato in Morning," Medium: Archival Digital Print, Size 16x20 inches
Digital Print 2: "Chicken Noodle by Afternoon," Medium: Digital Print, Size 16x20 inches Jurors: Christiane Paul, Associate Professor in the School of Media Studies, The New School, and Adjunct Curator of New Media Arts at the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York City, NY Dene Grigar, Director of and Professor, Digital Technology and Culture Program,Washington State University, Vancouver
Abstract: Many seemingly high-end photographs are, in fact, Computer Generated Images (CGI), bypassing the need for a camera. The photograph is the model for understanding, I invented the term, Proxigraph or, a proxy for a photograph. New technologies present a challenge for artists and designers, as they must either acquire a solid understanding of 3D principles or, if it falls outside their skill set, delegate the task of image creation for package design to someone else.
2015 Exhibition, Juried, International, iDEAS 15: Breaking Barriers, Art Exhibition, Johnson City, TN.
"The Treachery of (CG)Images, "Proxigraph," CGI Art, October 21, 2015–October 24, 2015 Medium: Archival Inkjet on Canvas, gallery framed, Size: 36x24 inches
Juror: Niki Nolin, Interim Chair, Art & Art History, Columbia College, Chicago, IL.
2005 Exhibition, Invited, Regional, Biennial Faculty Exhibition:, Boise, ID.
"Disgorge: Helvetica II, (October) Medium: Clear 19mm CNC-Cut, Heat-Slumped, Acrylic with archival clear ink-jet print backing, Size: 36x7 inches
2002 Exhibition, Juried, Regional, Exhibition: Entropy: Brought to you by the Letter "E", Boise, ID.
"Expectorate: Helvetica I, (October) Medium: Clear 19mm CNC-Cut, Acrylic drilled to hang vertical, Size: 36x7 inches

Research: Professional Clients, Development, Graphic Design

2023–2024 Graphic Design, Brand Identity, Mascot Character Illustration, UI Consulting, UX Development, Resilient Moment Health Inc. | Joyment, Mental Health Care, Rockville, MD.
Senior Design Manager and Design Advisor, led brand identity development for a new CBT-based mobile application utilizing AI-driven personalized audiovisual experiences — including app icon design, mascot character system with mood variants and color combinations, and UI/UX advisory. Continued as Design Advisor through app renaming and relaunch on the Apple App Store, consulting on interface hierarchy, modal settings, and flow continuity to optimize usability and user engagement. Digital illustration; character design system; multi-state asset production; UI/UX consulting.
2021 Graphic Design, Original Label Design, Rye Whiskey, Bardenay Restaurant & Distillery, Boise, Idaho.
Pen and ink illustration; original hand lettering; CMYK offset printing.
Historical Note: Bardenay set a national industry precedent as the first combined full-service restaurant, bar, and spirits distillery in the United States. It took a formal act of Congress to enact the practice nationally. Each label design is an exclusive original design featuring one-of-a-kind hand lettering and pen and ink illustration.
2018 Graphic Design, Original Label Design | Aged Rum; 375 ml Vodka, Lemon Vodka, and Dry Gin, Bardenay Restaurant & Distillery, Boise, Idaho.
Re-design required: expert multi-format label adaptation and file reconstruction.
2017 Graphic Design, Original Label Design, Aged Rum, Bardenay Restaurant & Distillery, Boise, Idaho.
Pen and ink illustration; custom hand-drawn and vector lettering; CMYK offset printing; specialty label stock.
2009, 2012, 2016 Custom Label Design, Original Label Design, Ginger Rum, Bardenay Restaurant & Distillery, Boise, Idaho.
Pen and ink illustration; original hand lettering; CMYK offset printing, metallic foil stamp.
2015 Graphic Design, Original Label Design, Bardenay Restaurant & Distillery, Boise, Idaho.
Pen and ink illustration; original hand lettering; CMYK offset printing.
2015 Graphic Design, Logo Design, Branding. ABC Pediatric Counseling, Idaho.
2014 Graphic Design, Original Label Design, Bardenay Restaurant & Distillery, Boise, Idaho.
2005, 2009, 2013 Graphic Design, Brand Identity and Entertainment Custom Logo Marks, Boondocks, Northglen, CO, Draper, UT Kaysville, UT.
2012 Graphic Design, Original Label Design, Limited Edition, Arid Club Vodka, Boise, Idaho.
CMYK offset printing; limited-edition print production.
2012 Graphic Design, Three-Dimensional Signage and Logo Design, Boise, Idaho.
Dimensional letter fabrication; CNC routing; vector-to-fabrication file preparation.
2010, 2011 Graphic Design, Brand Identity and Packaging Concept, Athlete's Honey Milk, Idaho.
Brand identity system; CMYK packaging concept, custom lycra cycling jersey design.
2007 Package Design, Soup Label Series, Smokehouse Soups, Seattle/Woodinville, WA
CMYK offset printing; package design system, custom pen & ink illustrations, 11-unique label designs.
2006 Signage Design, Historic District Interpretive Signage, City of Nampa Idaho Historic District, Nampa, Idaho.
Custom Environmental graphics; CNC, PBLT, pedestrian and roadway wayfinding.
Research: Professional Clients: Development, Graphic Design cont.
2005 Signage Design, Wayfinding and Environmental Graphics, Albertson College (College of Idaho), Caldwell, Idaho.
Dimensional signage; wayfinding system; large-format fabrication, custom porcelain enamel, custom signage steel bracket design.
2003–2004 Graphic Design, Newsletter, Custom Layout Grid and Publication Design, St. Alphonsus Hospital, Boise, Idaho.
2000–2004 Graphic Design, Inclusive Playground, ADASAD Expert Consultant, incl. Large Environmental Signage, Adventure Island Playground, Settler's Park, Meridian, Idaho.
Lead designer for Idaho's first fully inclusive, ADA-accessible public playground. Developed cohesive graphic identity, custom gateway signage, and environmental graphic standards in compliance with ADASAD guidelines. Large-format fabrication; ADA-compliant signage; environmental graphics; custom gateway signage design.
… Continued design and client consultation across graphic design, branding, and print production.

Research Development: Conferences, Selected Activities

2026 Webinar, Ellen Lupton, Graduate Faculty, Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA), May 12, 2026.
AIGA Member Webinar: Beyond Basic Typography: Skills for Working Designers. Typography is more than choosing fonts. Mtaphores such as, the "Pickle Stack", "Nuggets" and "Noodles", details of em dashes, — and en dashes, – kerning, spacing, and hierarchy to separate amateur work from professional design.
2026 Webinar, (AAC&U), featuring Caleb Keith April 27, 2026.
AAC&U: The Future of AI and Implications for Higher Education and the World of Work. Panelists: Bryan Alexander (Georgetown University), Dustin Bruzenak (CEO, Modern Logic), Michelle Kassorla (Georgia State University, Perimeter College), Bethany Miller (Associate Provost, Macalester College), and C. Edward Watson (AAC&U). Focus on AI integration in curriculum, labor market shifts, ethical writing pedagogy, and institutional policy development.
2026 Conference, In-person Workshop: Creative Summit: Soft Launch: Influencer Economy & Brand Storytelling.
Kogod School of Business, Creator Summit, American University, Washington, D.C., April 14, 2026. Creator-economy branding, social media influencer marketing, and digital storytelling as models of professional communication. Speakers included Erin Alice Garnes, @ERINALICEGARNES of Sephora, and Kaeden Rowland, @blivxx of Staples, social media influencing, with additional programming on brand strategy and the business of content creation.
2026 Conference, Featured Speaker, "CAA 114th Annual Conference," Hilton Chicago, Chicago, IL. (February, 2026)
2025 Conference: American University's, Kogod School of Business, IAAI – Institute for Applied Artificial Intelligence's: Inaugural AI Teaching Conference. – Mary Graydon Student Center, American University, Washington, D.C., November 6, 2025. Recorded themes from 19 presentations and two expert panels covering law, environmental science, journalism, computer science, public policy, education, business, and library instruction. Explored emerging practices in AI‑integrated curriculum design, such as scaffolded assessment, process‑based evaluation, academic‑integrity protocols, information literacy, inclusive design, and campus‑wide faculty‑support models. Highlighted cross‑disciplinary perspectives on faculty workload, equity, copyright, and student‑centered learning while noting transferable tools and frameworks relevant to design pedagogy and visual‑communication curricula.
2025 Conference Tour: SEGD DC Chapter - American University Wayfinding Tour with Takeform. – Constitution Hall, East Campus, American University, Washington, D.C., August 14, 2025.
Attended an exclusive in-person campus wayfinding and experiential graphic design tour hosted by the SEGD DC Chapter, led by Takeform's design team—Jacob Zimmerman (Chief Creative Officer), Kelsey Rossignol (Sr. Experiential Designer), and Rebeccah Demaray (Project Coordinator), alongside AU space planner Gabby Li, LEED Green Associate. Explored the integration of branded environments, placemaking, signage strategy, storytelling, and accessibility across American University's campus.
2024 Conference Workshop: NN/g Neilson Norman Group Training Course: Practical A.I. for UX Professionals, July 16, 2024. Researched-Based User Experience with live-teaching instructor, Caleb Sponheim, PhD, the course focused on applying Artificial Intelligence in User Experience (UX) Design. Topics included AI-driven user research, UX design, and personalization techniques. The online certificate course taught how to leverage AI tools to enhance UX practices and create improved user-centered designs.
2023 Conference Workshop: DC Design Week, AIGA - Level Up 2023 - SEGD Experiencial Design Workshop: Dupont Underground" with SEGD CEO Cybelle Jones, SEGD Chair, Carrie Bruns and Jonny Peterson. Oct. 30, 2023. - Developing experiential interventions for D.C. art space, Dupont Underground, led by DU's founders and local architects Lucrecia Laudi & Julian Hunt.
2020 Webinar Conference, "Behind the Keyframes: Producing at Pixar", Duke & Duck Senior Producer, Mike Capborat, behind the scenes 12 years at Pixar, sharing experience from Monster's University, Ratatouille, and Burrow animations. Washington, D.C.
2020 Webinar, Conference, "American University Motion Graphics Guest Lecture, Duke & Duck, featuring Mike Capborat; their newest hire from Pixar" April 16, 2020.
2020 Webinar, Conference, DC in Motion, "Working from Home or Hardly Working" March 31, 2020.
2019 Conference, Featured Speaker, "CAA Annual Conference 107th Annual Conference," New York Hilton Midtown, New York, New York. February, 2019.
2017 Conference, Featured Speaker, "International Digital Media and Arts Association 14th Annual Conference," iDMAa: Washington D.C., October 5, 2017–October 7, 2017.
2016 Conference, Featured Speaker, "School of Visual Arts Thirtieth National Conference on Liberal Arts, School of Visual Arts: New York, NY, October 12, 2016–October 15, 2016.
2016 Conference, Featured Speaker, "International Digital Media and Arts Association 13th Annual Conference," iDMAa: Winona, Minnesota, October 5, 2016–October 8, 2016.
2015 Conference, "International Digital Media and Arts Association 13th Annual Conference,"
iDMAa: Johnson City, TN. October 21, 2015–October 24, 2015.
2014 Conference, "International Digital Media and Arts Association 12th Annual Conference,"
iDMAa: Orem, UT. November 6, 2014–November 7, 2014.
2014 Conference, CAA Annual Conference 102nd Annual Conference," Chicago, IL. February 2014.
2005 Conference CAA Annual Conference 93rd Annual Conference, Atlanta, GA February, 2005.

Book Editing, Acknowledgment

Access for Everyone: A Guide to the Accessibility of Buildings and Sites with
Reference to 2010 ADASAD, Third Edition By Arvid E. Osterberg, Donna J. Kain. Published by Iowa State University - free: .pdf book
ISBN 978-0-9726480-3-8 Copyright © 2002, 2005, 2010.

My research on accessibility, collaborated with Dr. Arvid Osterberg, Ph.D, on the initial development of this seminal accessibility book, designing the original graphics and vector illustrations, the ADA measurement diagrams, floorplans, and accessible guides that clarify measurements and accessibility concepts, and managing the initial print layout for the book’s first draft.

Book Review

Graphic Design Portfolio Strategies for Print and Digital Media,
By Robert Rowe, Gary Will, Harold Linton. Published by Pearson,Copyright © 2005–2010 - honorarium for review.

Definition: Racism

In 2009, I created a comprehensive Graphic Design History course, building upon existing curricula while addressing overlooked areas. A central theme is exploring how racism appears in visual rhetoric. Traditional dictionaries like; Webster's, Dictionary.com, and even Urban Dictionary, fall short in helping students recognize racism and its visual stereotypes. Therefore, I prioritized teaching anti-racism principles to address this crucial gap.

Dictionaries often define racism as a belief in superiority, but an individual's self-awareness of their own superiority is less meaningful if they (the learner) cannot translate that awareness into what constitutes the actions of racism. In other words, people may not fully recognize their own lack of awareness to superiority or recognize how they may manifest racist behaviors.

Racism has a baseline set of action behaviors, yet standard definitions often fall short. Since standard definitions fail to clearly define racist actions, I created a definition of racism for my research and Graphic Design History course content. I see the following definition as a key introduction before discussing the belief in superiority and the harmful actions of racism.

Racism: Discrimination of inherent human differences; with disregard for dignity by defamation, limitation or denial of cultural ethnicity, or human rights. | 2012

Invented Word; used in coursework

PROXIGRAPH - {prɒkts ə ˌɡræf]

Authored a new word as part of research and course content for Design History. There is no word, beyond the acronym, CGI, which for purposes of some images like in an IKEA catalog that is made to 'look' like a photograph. CGI is too broad a term for specific images and can be applied to all images including that of science fiction. There needs to be a specific term for images like images modeled after human images or modeled after tangible still life, that appear photo-realistic.

Submitted to Oxford English Dictionary for consideration.

Proxigraph: (prɒkts ə ˌɡræf,) An image that is created in computer software or an algorithm to create the illusion of a tangible or real image, or a proxy for a photo-realistic image. The photo-realistic image (such as a CGI image) is created in software or by artificial intelligence, and that stands in as a proxy for what we may perceive as a photograph. | 2015, 2022.

Teaching: American University, Credit Courses, Undergraduate, semester

2025 S GDES 220 Digital & Emerging Media Design - HTML/CSS, UI, foundation development
2025 S GDES 230 Graphic Design History - Personally researched curriculum I brougt the the University.
2025 S GDES 270 Design for Understanding - AU Core, Habit of Mind, Creative-Aesthetic Inquiry
2024 F GDES 220 Digital & Emerging Media Design - HTML/CSS, UI, foundation development
2024 F GDES 270 Design for Understanding (2 sections)
2024 S GDES 220 Digital & Emerging Media Design - HTML/CSS, UI, foundation development
2024 S GDES 230 Graphic Design History - remote
2024 S GDES 270 Design for Understanding
2023 F GDES 491 Internship, Social Media, Branding, Web Prototypes — Rachael Bennett LinkedIn
2023 F GDES 405 Experiential Design, prototype physical wayfinding signage, and mobile app UI/UX
2023 F GDES 270 Design for Understanding (2 sections, 002, 003)
2023 S GDES 420 Design Capstone - Senior Capstone Presentations, Portfolio Development, Exit Interviews
2023 S GDES 270 Design for Understanding (2 sections, 001, 002)
2022 F GDES 270 Design for Understanding (2 sections, 003, 004)
2022 F GDES 230 Graphic Design History - remote

Teaching: Boise State University, Credit Courses, Undergraduate, semester

2022 S Art 483 New Media Design (HTML/CSS, Figma, Sound Design, Motion Graphics) – remote
2022 S Art 388 Graphic Design Studio IV – remote modality
2021 F Art 483 New Media Design (HTML/CSS, Figma, Sound Design, After Effects) –remote
2021 F Art 400 History of Visual Rhetoric – remote (aka, Graphic Design History)
2021 S Art 388 Graphic Design Studio IV – remote - Branding, Packaging, SIgnage
2021 S Art 400 History of Visual Rhetoric – remote
2021 S Art 483 New Media Design (HTML/CSS, Figma, Sound Design, After Effects) – remote
2020 F Art 277 (2 sections) Graphic Design Studio I – remote
2020 S Art 288 (2 sections) Graphic Design Studio II – remote
2019 F Art 377 Graphic Design Studio II
2019 F Art 400 History of Visual Rhetoric
2019 S 288, (2 sections) Graphic Design Studio II
2019 S Art 400 History of Visual Rhetoric
2018 F Art 277 Graphic Design Studio I
2018 F Art 377 Graphic Design Studio III
2018 S Art 288 Graphic Design Studio II
2018 S Art 400 History of Visual Rhetoric – lecture (Graphic Design History) course
2018 S Art 483 New Media Design
2017 F Art 377 Graphic Design Studio III
2017 F Art 483 New Media Design
2017 F Art 491 Visual Arts: Sr. Studio Art Seminar: Advanced Seminar teaching fine art students the skills of speaking, writing, and fine art presentations.
2017 F Art 496 Independent Study, overload, – Animation project - Ben Konkol LinkedIn
2017 S Art 397 Special Topics, Narrative Animation, and 3D still-frame scene rendering.
2017 S Art 400 History of Visual Rhetoric – lecture course
2017 S Art 493 Internship
2017 S Art Hist. 493 Internship
2016 F Art 477 Graphic Design Studio V
2016 F Art 483 New Media Design
2016 F Art 493 Internship oversight
2016 F Art Hist 493 Internship
2016 S – Research Sabbatical – awarded full semester, paid
2015 F Art 477 Graphic Design Studio V
2015 F Art 483 New Media Design
2015 S Art 288 (2 sections) Graphic Design Studio II
2015 S Art 297 Special Topics: Narrative Animation and 3D still-frame scene rendering. Student: Will Tebo, Film: Lolly Vimeo link Winner of 8 film awards. LinkedIn
2015 S Art 483 New Media Design
2014 F Art 400 History of Visual Rhetoric – (Graphic Design History) lecture course
2014 F Art 483 New Media Design
2014 S Art 288 (2 sections) Graphic Design Studio II
2014 S Art 483 New Media Design
2013 F Art 400 History of Visual Rhetoric – (Graphic Design History) lecture course
2013 F Art 483 New Media Design (HTML/CSS, Wordpress - local host editing, Sound Design, After Effects Animation)
2013 F Art 596 Graduate Student, Independent Study, Art/Graphic Design History
2013 S Art 288 Graphic Design Studio II
2013 S Art 388 Graphic Design Studio IV
2013 S Art 483 New Media Design
~
2001 to 2012 Teaching courses similar to the above classes, | Design Studio Courses, including Independent Studies and Directed Student Learning.
2009 S – Research Sabbatical – awarded full semester, paid
2006–2020 Graduate faculty, MFA teaching....

Teaching: Supporting Activities

American University

2026, AU Design Show ’26, Katzen Arts Center, American University, Washington, D.C., USA (March 20–30, 2026). - AU’s juried exhibition of print and digital design, with multiple student entries selected for exhibition. Honorable Mention – Poster, awarded to Samantha DeAngelis LinkedIn Foundations: Persuasive Images Poster: Title: “Worth or Worth” Jurors: William Colgrove: (Assistant Professor of Graphic Design, RIT; Founder and Chief Experience Officer, Threespot), Katty Huertas: (Art Director, The Washington Post), Alice Packard: (Design System Consultant; American University Graphic Design alum, Class of 2017).
2025, AU Design Show ’25, Katzen Arts Center, American University, Washington, D.C., USA (March 28–April 4, 2025). - Best in Category – Digital, awarded to Shu-Tong Murray: LinkedIn for hand-coded website: “The Amazing Life of Albert Hofmann.” Jurors: Kara Mask: (Global Vice President, Creative, NJI Media; AIGA DC Education Chair), Mariza June Avila: (Service Designer, Innovation Team, OCTO; AIGA DC Mentoring Chair), Tate Strickland: (Senior Interaction Designer, Bloomberg, London, UK).
2024 F GDES 270 - UI/UX Development Testing, GDES 405: Seven GDES 270 students conducted user testing for app development projects in GDES 405, gaining hands-on experience in design processes and semiotics.
2023 F GDES 405 - Teaching Field Trip - DC Design Week, AIGA Level Up 2023 - SEGD Experiential Design Workshop: Dupont Underground - Oct. 30, 6–9 pm Organized off-campus field trip where students participated in hands-on workshop, networked with local and regional designers, and gained real-world design insights.
2023, AU Design Show ’23, Katzen Arts Center, March 25–April 10 Jurors: Brigitta Blair: (Ubisoft), William Colgrove: (Threespot), Ross Nover: (Friendly Design Co.), Alice Packard (Gartner), Chris Sledge (Viasat), Tate Strickland (Google). Top Student Design Award to Sedona Y. Salb, LinkedIn
Foundations: Image Generation and Appropriation.
2023, GDES 420 Capstone Course - Guest Speakers: Josef Edmonds (2019 Alum, March 29) and Ross Nover (2005 Alum, April 5) shared career experiences and portfolio development strategies with Capstone students.

Boise State University

2018 F, 2017 F, 2015 F: Graphic Design Studio – Teaching Field Trips: Organized visits to Trademark Creative Studio, LinkedIn Award-winning custom sign fabricator. Experiential learning of file managment of large-format prints, fabrication, CNC routing, and laser cutting.
2015 F: Invited Guest Instructor:
Guest instructor for Jonathan Krutz, College of Business and Economics, Boise State. Critiqued 8 student documents in person, addressing typography, scale, proportion, and visual communication.
2014 S Invited Portfolio Reviewer, Northwest Nazarene University, Senior Capstone and Portfolio Critique, Boise, ID. | Invitational review for 11 student portfolios in an AIGA-sponsored weekend event, advising on portfolio final designs.

Service: American University

2025 Robyn Rafferty Mathias Student Research Conference, March 22, Session II, 10:30–11:45 am.
Served as a judge for the Student Research Conference, evaluating and providing constructive feedback on student research presentations. Contributed to the academic development of emerging scholars by assessing the quality and impact of their work.
Judge, Session II, Art in Its Historical and Social Context
Laura Mirabella - Tawaraya Sōtatsu's "Dragons and Clouds"
Jessica Ban - Lavinia Fontana and her Boudoir Venus
Lucas Field - Imitatio Buonarotti and Artistic Emulation in the Sculpture of Pietro Bernini
Chase Helein - Young Love: Gender, Desire, and Growing up in Giulio Romano's Sala di Psiche
Jessica Papay - Manet's Political Allusions: Mademoiselle V… in the Costume of Empress Eugénie
2025 S: AI Steering Committee, College of Arts and Sciences, American University, Inaugural Selected Committee Member, Spring 2025 — application-based appointment
Interdisciplinary faculty committee, convened under the Dean's office and supported by Google seed funding, to advance responsible AI integration across CAS research, curriculum, and student education. Work included advising on AI incubator development, contributing to interdisciplinary AI certificate planning, and participating in responsible AI policy and ethics discussions.
2025 Preview Day, College of Arts and Sciences Academic Showcase,
Sunday, Feb 16, 10:30–12:30 pm.
Represented the Graphic Design faculty on AU Preview Day, addressing questions about the GDES Program and recruitment while showcasing AU's overall campus culture.
2025 AU Continuing Appointment & Term Faculty Affairs Committee,previously, TFAC, now CATFAC
Continuing and Term Affairs Committee.
Representation as Committee Member on Faculty Actions and Priorities for AY 24–25
Monthly meetings for proposal for Faculty Action Committee (FAC) development for wider representation of Term Faculty on the faculty review of their promotion files.
2024 AU Term Faculty Affairs Committee, TFAC, now CATFAC
View 2025 entry
2024 ADVANCE AU: An NSF Funded Project, AY 24–25 Cohort Member symposia and workshop
Cohort Membership is an application process for consideration and acceptance to the cohort with priorities of applicants towards minority populations and women for improving campus climate by clarifying and executing new promotion policies that integrate diversity, equity, inclusion, and antiracist perspectives.
2024 Sum Graduate Student advising, Jacob Valentine,
Course directives and oversight of development for apportioning Graphic Design coursework.
2024 New Eagle Day, College of Arts and Sciences Academic Showcase, April 12, 10–12:30 pm....
I served as the Graphic Design faculty representative for New Eagle Day, helping and facilitating questions to the GDES Program and recruitment to AU's qualifications and job relevance to the coursework and community.
2024 Robyn Rafferty Mathias Student Research Conference, April 6, Session I 9:00–10:30 am.
The Research Conference Judge is an application process for consideration and acceptance.
Judge, Session I, Perspectives on Race in Media
Dani Nowicki - Across the Multiverse: Liberatory Potential in Multiverse Stories
Krystalynn Oliver-Mays - Crime Junkies: The Investment in True Crime through Short-Form Media
Mattie Branson-Meyer - Cracking the Code:
The Implication of Racial Stereotypes in Hard-Boiled Crime Fiction
Valeria Blanco - Asian American Representation in Film
2024 Robyn Rafferty Mathias Student Research Conference, April 6, Session II, 10:30–11:45 am.
Research Conference Judge is an application process for consideration and acceptance.
Judge, Session II, Inside the Artist's Studio
Jamison Rohan - The Artist Thus Far
Phaedra Askarinam- Tea and Tiling: Art Advocating for Women Silenced by Oppressive Systems
Pooja Campbell - A Return to Connection
Rowan Gjersvold - High Fashion Interwoven with Queers
2023 Academic Integrity Committee, Violation Case April 20, 12:15–2:15 pm
Engaged in comprehensive fact-finding in committee through interviews, deliberation, and examination of academic integrity case details and outcomes.

Service: Boise State University

2001–2022 Overview
Department Committee Service:
Chair and Committee member in various Service Committees, including
Tenure and Advancement Committee, Chair and Member, (multiple)
Department Curriculum Committee, and
Executive to the Chair of the Art Department.
I conducted thorough reviews and evaluations of numerous tenure application file dossiers, both as a committee Chair and a committee member.
Faculty Search Committees; Served on eight searches including two Graphic Design tenure-track faculty searches; six Fine Art tenure-track faculty.
Contributions to Committees Service encompassed the:
Graduate Faculty Program Steering Committee, overseeing current and future graduate students.
Visiting Artist and Scholar Committee.
Active involvement in multiple:
Faculty Tenure & Promotion Committees,
Art Department Curriculum Committees,
Steering Committee Leadership:
Assumed leadership roles on Steering committee for a notable National Conference, such as:
The First Nations Conference, a nationally invited conference, was held at Boise State University in March 2002. Collaborated to invite renowned speakers, including Sherman Alexie, Darelle Butler, Joy Harjo, and C. Maxx Stevens.
College and University Service:
Served on multiple University-wide committees, including:
Faculty Senate Executive Committee,
University, Curriculum Committee,
General Education Committee,
Academic Standards Committee.
External Service:
Reviewer for academic journals and conferences in graphic design and digital media arts.
External Reviewer for Tenure and Promotion cases at other Universities.
Grant Proposal Reviewer for national funding agencies.
Professional Organization Service:
International Digital Media Arts Association (iDMAa) - Conference Committee Member and Round Table Reviewer
College Art Association (CAA) - Juried Conference Speaker

Professional Recognition

2016, 2009 Research Sabbatical - Boise State University
Full semester, paid sabbaticals awarded for research excellence and scholarly productivity
2009 NASAD Accreditation Team Member
Instrumental role in securing full accreditation for Graphic Design and Art majors
2006 Tenure Achievement - Boise State University
Awarded tenure in recognition of excellence in teaching, research, and service

Professional Memberships

AIGA - Professional Member 
American Institute of Graphic Arts, the professional association for design
iDMAa - International Digital Media Arts Association
Member, Conference Presenter, and exhibition participant
CAA - College Art Association
Member, Conference Presenter: 2026, 2019. Conference Attendance: 2026, 2019, 2014, 2005.

Indigenous

The Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians
First Nations voting member, Ojibwe
| Raised on the Flathead Reservation and Fort Peck Reservation in Montana.

Technical Skills

Design Software: Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, After Effects) | Blender 3D | Figma | Affinity | Recraft | Photopea | Inkscape
Web Technologies: HTML5, CSS3, Responsive Design, AI coding, UI/UX Design principles | JavaScript (basic; learning .js) | Vibe Coding
Specialized Skills: Typography & Type Design | Accessibility Design (ADASAD) | AI Prompt Engineering (NN/g) | Animation & Story Narrative | Package & Label Design | Flexography | CMYK Production

References

Professional references available upon request.