Value Design

Education Pledge
Anne H. Berry Penina Acayo Laker
Cleveland State University Washington University in St. Louis

Meaghan A. Dee Rebecca Tegtmeyer

Virginia Tech Michigan State University

Kelly Walters
The New School, Parsons School of Design
What do you value?
This pledge is a part of a larger commitment—
to be responsible to society, graphic designers,
design educators, audiences, class groups,
and individual students. We hope you will commit
and take actions that support your pledge.

Value Design Education Pledge // 2020

PLEDGE 1 / 6

I commit to being anti-racist.

ACTION: I will be engaged (read + listen) and contribute to
the current dialog. I will actively educate myself
about the systems of oppression.

Value Design Education Pledge // SOCIETY

PLEDGE 2 / 6

I commit to upholding all

design histories.
ACTION: I will highlight design contributions from under-
represented cultural and social groups that do not
have roots in modernist or Bauhaus methods.

Value Design Education Pledge // GRAPHIC DESIGNERS

PLEDGE 3 / 6

I commit to distributing
knowledge.
ACTION: I will actively disseminate revised pedagogical
methods with my peers through a variety of avenues.
These can be low or high commitment activities.

Value Design Education Pledge // DESIGN EDUCATORS

PLEDGE 4 / 6

I commit to
demonstrating impact.
ACTION: I will define and determine what impacts are
present from the get-go (tangible or intangible).
I will document and share these with myself,
students, and other stakeholders.

Value Design Education Pledge // PEOPLE + AUDIENCES

PLEDGE 5 / 6

I commit to
creating culture.
ACTION: I will give students opportunities to engage and
interact with each other in fun ways. I will facilitate
activities in the online space that enable students
to share their voice in a safe environment.

Value Design Education Pledge // CLASS GROUPS + ENVIRONMENT

PLEDGE 6 / 6

I commit to promoting healthy

student life experiences.
ACTION: I will prioritize and encourage student mental health;
reconsider what assumptions I might be making about
students and their access to tools, resources, and opportunities.
I will also revisit and analyze my syllabi, project briefs, 
and assessment practices.

Value Design Education Pledge // INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS

Value Design Education Pledge:
I commit to being anti-racist, to uphold all design histories,
to distribute knowledge, to demonstrate impact, to create
culture, and to support student life experiences.