September 13th, 2022

In 1947, shortly after the troops of World War II returned from overseas, St. Augustine founded Merrimack College in North Andover, Massachusetts. The initial goal was to educate those veterans and supply them with an education that they did not have the opportunity to complete. Merrimack College remains an Augustinian institution 75 years later, which now consists of 40 buildings and 13 academic divisions that offer bachelor’s, master’s, education specialist, and doctoral degrees.

To celebrate the 75th anniversary of the college and its overwhelming success, a campus-wide campaign titled “Because We Believe” was developed which is now an essential aspect of campus and now serves as a critical characteristic of the institution. Within this campaign, Professor Nancy Wynn’s brand identity design students alongside Professor Robbin’s history class were tasked to develop an official showcase of the college’s esteemed history. Located in the McCoy Gallery in the Roger Center for the Arts, the “75th Anniversary Exhibition: Where the Past Comes Alive” not only pays homage to the decorated success of the college but the history of the nearly century-old institution through categories such as Founding, Campus, Athletics, Student Life, and Covid-19. 

Upon starting the fall semester, I was extremely eager to visit the exhibition and see how our work from the previous semester translated into the physical space. Upon my entrance into the gallery, I was astonished by the amazing work that my fellow students and myself had designed and put together for the space. The printed material, artifacts, write-ups, and overall design of the space successfully captured the importance and gravitas that this exhibition and the college deserved. As a contributor to this semester-long project, I was extremely enthusiastic about how our work translated into the physical space. However, I found myself primarily feeling proud of all of the students, both designers and historians, that had a hand in the curation of this celebratory exhibition. This exhibition was truly the first piece of my young graphic design journey that had been professionally printed and displayed. Even though the fall semester has just begun, this display and curation serve as a revolutionary time in my professional career.