BA (Hons) Graphic Design student Jenni Lloyd received the The Sarah Cowell Design Impact Award for BA (Hons) Graphic Design and BA (Hons) Digital Design & Advertising! This award is made in memory of Sarah Cowell, a student who sought to use design to make a true impact, attempting to make the world a better place. The Design Impact Award recognises students from across the design disciplines who demonstrate their commitment to making a difference and addressing social issues.

Staff commented that Jenni was presented the award because “during their three years at the school this student has excelled across all aspects of design and visual communication. Throughout her time here she has developed a creative voice which explores the notion of ‘design for good’, culminating in a final project which examines the rights, visibility and acceptance of women and the LGBTQ+ community through a contemporary lens. She has been a pleasure to teach and the team are delighted that she has chosen to continue her studies with them on MA Design.”

Find out more about Jenni’s practice, next steps and award win below:

Why did you choose The Northern School of Art?

I chose to study at the Northern School of Art because of how welcoming the staff and students were during my brief tour of the course. Seeing the studio spaces, print workshops and amount of student-lecturer time that was available to graphics students definitely stood out to me over other universities as I work much better in this relaxed studio environment.

How did you find your degree programme?

I found the course through a university fair that I attended with my sixth form college, which then led me to requesting a tour after which I applied almost instantly knowing that the course was perfect for me.

Tell us about your FMP:

My Final Major Project, titled OutRage! focuses on increasing awareness on the importance of activism through education on key LGBTQ+ and Women’s rights movements throughout history – dating between 1912 and 2020. Looking at activist groups like ACT UP,  the Suffragettes, Gay Liberation Movement, Riot Grrrl and many more, my project aims to help individuals understand the origins of movements and how they have shaped our society into what it is today because an increased education contributes to a more informed and empowered society. By breaking the project down into three elements – public installations, website and publication – I am able to target both the online and in person protest scene.

Beginning with the public installations which are installed in 6 prominent protest locations discussed throughout the project, individuals would then be able to scan a QR code within the poster to access the OutRage! website. With 6 location screens available so far on the website, each aligns with the public installations to offer a brief explanation of the events and protests that occurred there throughout history. Available for both phones and desktop, the OutRage! website, also offers the option to purchase a limited copy of the publication. The OutRage! publication then offers a more in depth look at protests that fought for Women’s and LGBTQ+ rights protests through its 80 pages. Taking a look into influential figures, and activist groups, it dives into the events that transformed our society into what is today.

How did it feel to win the award? 

It was an honour to win the award, let alone even to be nominated alongside some of my friends, especially having been surrounded by such talented peers in my Graphics & DDA class for the past three years.

What is your favourite memory from your time at university?

The past three years have been even better than I could’ve hoped for, the welcoming environment built by both lecturers and students definitely helped me to grow and feel more comfortable in myself by the end of the three years. Some of my favourite memories started from just working in the studios but turned into gossips and laughs with other students especially when the lecturers would get involved. The course trips were always the highlight of my year as I got the opportunity to visit design spaces in London, Berlin and Amsterdam that I wouldn’t have even known about before but loved every second of.

What are your next steps?

Next year I will be continuing my studies on the Design Practice MA course at the Northern School of Art which is something that I have wanted to pursue since beginning first year. I am also relocating to Newcastle in the hopes of pursuing a design career to support my studies and open myself up to more creative opportunities.

What do you like about Hartlepool?

I do, following first year student accommodation I moved in with one fellow graphics student and two from the Film & TV course. While Hartlepool appears to be quite a quiet town there is plenty to do – both alone and with friends. During my time here I frequented the pottery painting studio, Stitch and Bitch society, Summerhill Park and Park run along Seaton Carew to name a few. With Newcastle being so easy to travel to I also found myself spending significant time there for creative events like the Late Shows, and Seasonal Creators Market’s.

Any advice for future students?

I entered first year very quiet and unsure of myself, causing me to not really talk with anyone in the class until around mid-way through first year. However – despite this being much easier to say than do – genuinely putting yourself out there and making connections on the course/ throughout the university ended up making me much more confident in myself and being able to express it through my work. The advice that I would give is to just take full advantage of the support system that’s in place through the lecturers and peers around you while at university even if you think you may not need it, whether its bouncing ideas off each other or just chatting to peers/ lecturers it makes the world of difference.

You can keep up to date with Jenni’s work by checking out her instagram @jlloydgraphics.

If you are interested in a career in graphics make sure you check out our degree programme here.