Carole Maugé-Lewis
Professor Emerita | Graphic Communications
MFA (Graphic Design), Howard University/Washington DC
BFA (Graphic Design) Howard University/Washington DC
Minor: Art History (focus on the History of Graphic Design)
Graphic design encompasses a wide range of visual communication techniques and mediums, including print design, branding, typography, illustration, layout design, and more. Graphic designers use these techniques to create visual concepts that effectively communicate ideas, messages, or information through various forms of media. There are several subsets of this broad field of graphic design.
The Graphic Communication Concentration at Kennesaw State University was established in January 1995 when Carole Maugé-Lewis was hired to implement it. Since then, the concentration has become known for producing high-quality, award-winning designs. with an effective and evolving curriculum, within the BFA program in the School of Art and Design (SOAAD). Maugé-Lewis's contributions to the SOAAD and the discipline as a whole have been significant, as she progressed from Assistant to Professor. Maugé-Lewis also developed the course, the History of Graphic Design for online teaching, which she believes is inextricably linked to the History of Art.
For the Graphic Communication concentration, Maugé-Lewis developed and implemented the Internship Program, allowing students to gain practical experience in the field.
From the beginning, students in the program have won numerous awards and many have secured lucrative positions in design agencies and graphic design services, both locally and nationally. Some have even found employment with recognized companies such as Disney, Facebook, Apple, and other branding and UI/UX agencies, while a few have begun individual businesses.
In 2015, students continued to receive recognition in esteemed design competitions, including the Society of Publication Designers and The One Show. However, the most rewarding recognition has come from Graphic Design USA (GDUSA), a respected source for graphic design professionals for over 63 years. Students have been featured in GDUSA's print and online magazines and have won awards every year since. Furthermore, for the past three years, students have been invited to participate in the exclusive 48-HR Repack competition, where they have received coveted awards. Additionally, since 2015, GDUSA has listed the School of Art abd Design among the "Top Design Schools" in the US by GDUSA.
With such attention from the graphic design community, Maugé-Lewis was featured as one of GDUSA's "Educators to Watch" and "Person to Watch." She was also featured in "60 Years of GDUSA People to Watch for Six Decades," alongside legendary designers like Milton Glaser, Massimo Vignelli, and Saul Bass, many of whom she studied during her undergraduate years.
Maugé-Lewis's scholarship of teaching has been recognized through her receipt of the Distinguished Teaching Award in the College of the Arts twice. Her penchant for cross-disciplinary collaboration across various departments at KSU, notably with the Computer Science and English Departments, is well-known. She has also collaborated interdisciplinary with faculty members from within the School of Art and Design, including Sculpture, Ceramics, Printmaking, and Jewelry and Small Metals. Her scholarship and award-winning creative work have been well-documented, serving local, national, and international clientele.
Educational Philosophy:
With graphic design being such a powerful and dynamic discipline covering such a broad spectrum for visual communication, Maugé-Lewis's focus is on helping students understand and apply design fundamentals to develop solutions that effectively convey messages to the intended audiences. This includes exploring typographic form, syntax, and communication, with careful attention paid to typography, page layout and composition.
In the classroom, she encourages students to read, thoroughly research and consider all aspects of a problem in order to find the most effective solution. This is achieved by building a strong foundation in problem-solving and effective critiquing skills, as well as strategic planning. Positive critiques and clear articulation of concepts are vital during the design process, as they help students develop a strong design vocabulary. Additionally, mastery of ever-changing technology requires excellent technical skills, which students can achieve through constant practice.
