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About
An interdisciplinary program that blends graphic design, communication, entrepreneurship, and marketing to prepare creatives and visual communicators for innovative careers.
HIGHLIGHTS
Visual Communication
Design Thinking
Marketing
Entrepreneurship
Not Just a Design Major
Grove City College’s design and innovation major prepares you to solve real problems, creatively.
In this major, you will:
- Develop in‑demand creative and strategic skills
- Become fluent in professional design software
- Build a strong, portfolio‑ready body of work
- Develop, prototype & test your solutions and business ideas
Career Opportunities
Common areas of work graduates with a B.S. in Design & Innovation pursue include:
- Graphic Design
- Digital Marketing
- Communications
- Small Business
- More
Ultimately, this major allows grads to cast a wide net, preparing them to bring innovation to any career.
Ryan Hammond
Adjunct Professor of Design
Professor Ryan joined Grove City College as an adjunct professor with a passion for cultivating creativity within a Christ-centered learning environment. Drawing from professional experience in design and marketing, he teaches students how to combine artistic skill with purposeful communication. Through mentorship, hands-on projects, and faith-integrated learning, Professor Ryan equips students to pursue excellence and integrity in the creative field.
Chris Pacione
Associate Professor of Design
Chris is a designer, educator, and entrepreneur with more than 35 years of experience working across industry and academia. He has served Fortune 500 companies, government institutions, and universities worldwide, leading the development of innovative products, services, and organizational practices. A co-founder and former CEO of LUMA Institute and a former design professor in Carnegie-Mellon's school of design, Chris has spent much of his career advancing design and innovation as teachable, repeatable disciplines. He currently serves as Associate Professor of Design at Grove City College, where he teaches and develops curricula that equip the next generation of Christ-centered designers and creative problem solvers.
Nate Mucha
Associate Professor of Design
Professor Nate brings years of professional experience in graphic design, branding, and visual communication to the classroom. Before joining the faculty and becoming the Head of the Design Program at Grove City College, He worked with a variety of clients and organizations, developing creative solutions that communicate meaningful messages through design. Passionate about mentoring the next generation of designers, Professor Nate integrates faith, creativity, and critical thinking to prepare students for impactful careers in the design industry.
Faculty
Design Professors
FACILITIES
Classrooms & Creative Spaces
Design and Innovation Majors will have most of their major-related classes in three buildings:
Smith Hall
Newly-renovated Smith Hall holds most Design classes, featuring engaging, large, studio-style classrooms.
Pew Fine Arts Center
Pew mostly houses spaces for art and music, so design majors may choose to take classes like painting or ceramics there.
Staley Hall of Arts & Letters
“SHAL” holds lecture-style classes for courses in Marketing, Communications, Entrepreneurship, and Humanities.
Helpful
Resources
About the Design Minor
Go to page
Design Classes Offered
GO TO PAGE
Official GCC Design & Innovation page
D&I - GCC.EDU
Apply Now
APPLY - GCC.EDU
Alumni Spotlight
Where are they now?
Olivia (Nicholas) Mateer
Marketing & Design Coordinator at Urban Trail Coffee Co.
2024 Communication arts major | design minor
“One of the things I appreciated most about the program was the opportunity to learn both the fundamental principles of design and their real-world application while receiving consistent feedback from professors and classmates. That environment helped prepare me to confidently approach the creative and communication challenges I encounter in my professional work today.”
COPYRIGHT 2026 GROVE CITY COLLEGE
About
An interdisciplinary program that blends graphic design, communication, entrepreneurship, and marketing to prepare creatives and visual communicators for innovative careers.
HIGHLIGHTS
Visual Communication
Design Thinking
Marketing
Entrepreneurship
Not Just a Design Major
Grove City College’s design and innovation major prepares you to solve real problems, creatively.
In this major, you will:
- Develop in‑demand creative and strategic skills
- Become fluent in professional design software
- Build a strong, portfolio‑ready body of work
- Develop, prototype & test your solutions and business ideas
Career Opportunities
Common areas of work graduates with a B.S. in Design & Innovation pursue include:
- Graphic Design
- Digital Marketing
- Communications
- Small Business
- More
Ultimately, this major allows grads to cast a wide net, preparing them to bring innovation to any career.
Chris Pacione
Associate Professor of Design
Chris is a designer, educator, and entrepreneur with more than 35 years of experience working across industry and academia. He has served Fortune 500 companies, government institutions, and universities worldwide, leading the development of innovative products, services, and organizational practices. A co-founder and former CEO of LUMA Institute and a former design professor in Carnegie-Mellon's school of design, Chris has spent much of his career advancing design and innovation as teachable, repeatable disciplines. He currently serves as Associate Professor of Design at Grove City College, where he teaches and develops curricula that equip the next generation of Christ-centered designers and creative problem solvers.
Nate Mucha
Associate Professor of Design
Professor Nate brings years of professional experience in graphic design, branding, and visual communication to the classroom. Before joining the faculty and becoming the Head of the Design Program at Grove City College, He worked with a variety of clients and organizations, developing creative solutions that communicate meaningful messages through design. Passionate about mentoring the next generation of designers, Professor Nate integrates faith, creativity, and critical thinking to prepare students for impactful careers in the design industry.
Ryan Hammond
Adjunct Professor of Design
Professor Ryan joined Grove City College as an adjunct professor with a passion for cultivating creativity within a Christ-centered learning environment. Drawing from professional experience in design and marketing, he teaches students how to combine artistic skill with purposeful communication. Through mentorship, hands-on projects, and faith-integrated learning, Professor Ryan equips students to pursue excellence and integrity in the creative field.
Faculty
Design Professors
FACILITIES
Classrooms & Creative Spaces
Design and Innovation Majors will have most of their major-related classes in three buildings:
Smith Hall
Newly-renovated Smith Hall holds most Design classes, featuring engaging, large, studio-style classrooms.
Pew Fine Arts Center
Pew mostly houses spaces for art and music, so design majors may choose to take classes like painting or ceramics there.
Staley Hall of Arts & Letters
“SHAL” holds lecture-style classes for courses in Marketing, Communications, Entrepreneurship, and Humanities.
About the Design Minor
Go to page
Design Classes Offered
GO TO PAGE
Official GCC Design & Innovation page
D&I - GCC.EDU
Apply Now
APPLY - GCC.EDU
Helpful
Resources
Alumni Spotlight
Where are they now?
Olivia (Nicholas) Mateer
Marketing & Design Coordinator at Urban Trail Coffee Co.
2024 Communication arts major | design minor
“One of the things I appreciated most about the program was the opportunity to learn both the fundamental principles of design and their real-world application while receiving consistent feedback from professors and classmates. That environment helped prepare me to confidently approach the creative and communication challenges I encounter in my professional work today.”
COPYRIGHT 2026 GROVE CITY COLLEGE
About
An interdisciplinary program that blends graphic design, communication, entrepreneurship, and marketing to prepare creatives and visual communicators for innovative careers.
HIGHLIGHTS
Visual Communication
Design Thinking
Marketing
Entrepreneurship
Not Just a Design Major
Grove City College’s design and innovation major prepares you to solve real problems, creatively.
In this major, you will:
- Develop in‑demand creative and strategic skills
- Become fluent in professional design software
- Build a strong, portfolio‑ready body of work
- Develop, prototype & test your solutions and business ideas
Career Opportunities
Common areas of work graduates with a B.S. in Design & Innovation pursue include:
- Graphic Design
- Digital Marketing
- Communications
- Small Business
- More
Ultimately, this major allows grads to cast a wide net, preparing them to bring innovation to any career.
Chris Pacione
Associate Professor of Design
Chris is a designer, educator, and entrepreneur with more than 35 years of experience working across industry and academia. He has served Fortune 500 companies, government institutions, and universities worldwide, leading the development of innovative products, services, and organizational practices. A co-founder and former CEO of LUMA Institute and a former design professor in Carnegie-Mellon's school of design, Chris has spent much of his career advancing design and innovation as teachable, repeatable disciplines. He currently serves as Associate Professor of Design at Grove City College, where he teaches and develops curricula that equip the next generation of Christ-centered designers and creative problem solvers.
Nate Mucha
Associate Professor of Design
Professor Nate brings years of professional experience in graphic design, branding, and visual communication to the classroom. Before joining the faculty and becoming the Head of the Design Program at Grove City College, He worked with a variety of clients and organizations, developing creative solutions that communicate meaningful messages through design. Passionate about mentoring the next generation of designers, Professor Nate integrates faith, creativity, and critical thinking to prepare students for impactful careers in the design industry.
Ryan Hammond
Adjunct Professor of Design
Professor Ryan joined Grove City College as an adjunct professor with a passion for cultivating creativity within a Christ-centered learning environment. Drawing from professional experience in design and marketing, he teaches students how to combine artistic skill with purposeful communication. Through mentorship, hands-on projects, and faith-integrated learning, Professor Ryan equips students to pursue excellence and integrity in the creative field.
Faculty
Design Professors
FACILITIES
Classrooms & Creative Spaces
Design and Innovation Majors will have most of their major-related classes in three buildings:
Smith Hall
Newly-renovated Smith Hall holds most Design classes, featuring engaging, large, studio-style classrooms.
Pew Fine Arts Center
Pew mostly houses spaces for art and music, so design majors may choose to take classes like painting or ceramics there.
Staley Hall of Arts & Letters
“SHAL” holds lecture-style classes for courses in Marketing, Communications, Entrepreneurship, and Humanities.
Helpful
Resources
About the Design Minor
Go to page
Design Classes Offered
GO TO PAGE
Official GCC Design & Innovation page
D&I - GCC.EDU
Apply Now
APPLY - GCC.EDU
Alumni Spotlight
Where are they now?
Olivia (Nicholas) Mateer
Marketing & Design Coordinator at Urban Trail Coffee Co.
2024 Communication arts major | design minor
“One of the things I appreciated most about the program was the opportunity to learn both the fundamental principles of design and their real-world application while receiving consistent feedback from professors and classmates. That environment helped prepare me to confidently approach the creative and communication challenges I encounter in my professional work today.”
COPYRIGHT 2026 GROVE CITY COLLEGE
