Reimagining Identity in the Design Classroom

'Identity' functions critically in graphic design, as the object of professional work while also bearing the trace of the designer's personality. How might one use the concept of 'identity' to help students explore their sense of design's possibility beyond typical conceptualizations? Can design pedagogy encourage students to think of 'identity' as an intervention into the world? This paper shares service-learning classroom strategies that focus on the multi-valent layers of 'identity.' Situating 'identity' as a zone of encounter that engages the designer, the client, and the audience provides opportunities for student designers to explore their own emerging values while also seeking to engage with the vision and values of their clients, resulting in a myriad of dialogic possibilities.