Student-Centered Learning
Bon Sel: Student Design Work Becomes International Reality
During the 2004-2005 academic year, 13 graphic and industrial design students, guided by faculty members Robert Sedlack and Paul Down, coordinated their efforts on behalf of the Notre Dame Haiti Program. The Program, directed by Rev. Tom Streit, C.S.C., assistant research professor of biology, works to both increase awareness of and eliminate the causes of lymphatic filiaris (LF) in Haiti. LF is a mosquito-borne illness that results in severe swelling of the limbs and genitalia.
One way to prevent transmission of LF is fortification of salt with diethylcarbamazine (DEC). Given the lack of salt production in Haiti due to tropical storm Jeanne in September 2004, ten industrial design students under Down's instruction focused on increasing the speed and efficiency of salt harvesting. They also worked to package the salt in a way that discourages Haitians from washing it before use—a habitual practice for Haitians, familiar with using discolored, dirty-looking salt.
Three graphic design students, all seniors guided by Sedlack, worked to create an effective marketing campaign that would both ensure the fortified salt's purchase and communicate its benefits. The three seniors, in conjunction with three Notre Dame MBA students, developed an identity program and marketing campaign, naming the product Bon Sel (good salt) and creating the slogan "clairement bon" ("clearly good").
"Design is all about collaboration," Sedlack says, noting that the project involved teamwork not only between different fields of design but also across colleges and among students and faculty.
Furthermore, the student team made connections to professionals in the design world. They pitched their work to DDB Worldwide, an international advertising agency, this past spring. Following a several hour presentation at their Chicago office, DDB committed the necessary time and resources to advance the Bon Sel marketing campaign, effectively making the students' work an international reality.
Not only rewarded by the accomplishment of his students in the boardroom, Sedlack is fulfilled by the process of watching his students learn.
"Helping students understand there's a whole other world out there and watching them grow is an unbelievable experience."