MERRILLVILLE — Valparaiso University assistant professor Yeohyun Ahn wanted her students to learn more about graphic design than just the ins and outs of the trade.
"When I was educated in design, I was educated to work for the client, to work for the commission, to work for making profit," said Ahn, 42. "I wanted them to be motivated to do a design project to support the community."
Ahn drew from her own experience as an immigrant from South Korea. After going to college in Baltimore and living in Washington, D.C., for a while, Ahn moved to Northwest Indiana.
Here, she said, she had no connections, no family, no friends. That is until she enrolled in the Lake County Public Library's English as a Second Language program under the guidance of assistant librarian Rosella Garcia, the ESL coordinator.
"I started my network here. She encouraged us to make connections, family," said Ahn, who attended classes from 2008 to 2012.
Garcia and Ahn's fellow students, who came from as far as Mexico, Palestine, Brazil and China, became her family, sharing their joys and tragedies.
The experience motivated her to create a class for her graduate students, Design for Social Change, and to give back to the program that had helped her so much.
Ahn received a $1,500 grant from the Lilly Endowment and took nine graduate students under her wing. The students sat in on ESL classes and got to know the students.
Their assignment was to create a project that would benefit the program and promote diversity.
Md Esha Kahn, of Bangladesh, created an e-book to tell the stories of seven of the ESL students. The book, which is still being completed, focuses on the immigrants and their struggles.
"They come here and they don't have the English language skills," said Esha, adding the new language is their first barrier to a better life.
His brother, Md Rahmat Ullah, drew portraits of eight of the students and told their stories in four or five lines in a booklet that will be used to promote the program.
Other students created promotional posters.
The posters and Rahmat's drawings are on display at the Merrillville branch of the library through June 30.
Rahmat said the assignment was challenging to use his skills as a graphic designer to make a change.
"I thought using illustrations would make a difference," he said.
The brothers said the project not only honed their skills as graphic designers, but also changed their world views.
"It was absolutely fabulous," Garcia said about the project. "It was an honor. They are excellent. The students liked it, and they feel like they are a part of something."
That is what Ahn wanted to accomplish.
"I am very happy I could play a role as a bridge, to help make a connection. I wanted the students to learn they are serving others and making a difference in their community," she said, adding she hopes to continue the class during the next school year, but it will depend on funding.