UCDA inspires designers working in academia in North America and around the world by delivering relevant programming and benefits in a personal and thoughtful way. The organization provides for the professional and personal growth of its members, and advocates for designers’ and educators’ roles within their institution. UCDA works to elevate the importance of design overall.
UCDA: connecting, inspiring, and supporting a creative community in education
UCDA Events
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Faculty Forum: Developing a Research Agenda
faculty forum
Faculty Forum
February 13, 2026: Developing a Research Agenda Ever wondered how to turn your creative practice or personal curiosities into a meaningful research path? Join us for an engaging conversation about clarifying the distinctions between practice-based and scholarly research within the design discipline. We’ll explore techniques for mapping your passions, identifying emerging themes, and transf…
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Creative Conversations: Accessibility, But Make It Creative
Creative Conversations
Zoom
Accessibility, But Make It CreativeDesigning for everyone doesn’t mean designing less—it means designing smarter. Join fellow campus creatives to unpack practical accessibility strategies, tools, and workflows that keep your work compliant and compelling. From color contrast to alt text to accessible PDFs, we’ll talk about what’s working, what’s frustrating, and how …
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Spring 2026 Book Club: Meeting 1
Zoom
UCDA Spring 2026 Book Club Registration for Meeting 1 — February 26, 2026 UCDA Book Club meets virtually over three meetings to discuss a single book. Each meeting has a separate registration form for attendance. For the best experience, we recommend participating in all three meetings, but it is not required. You must be a current UCDA member to participate in UCDA Book Club. Sprin…
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UCDA JOURNAL
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Meadville Lombard Theological School’s Design Renaissance: Crafting an Inclusive Identity
July 16, 2025At a time when many institutions rely on tradition to define their brand, Meadville Lombard Theological School saw an opportunity to do something different—something deeply personal. Their new visual identity, anchored by a honey badger mascot named Theo, isn’t just a logo refresh. It’s a full-on embrace of inclusive design tha…
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The Value and Benefit of Being a UCDA Member
April 15, 2025It is more important and valuable than ever to be an active member of a professional association such as UCDA. Only UCDA offers specific professional development, community, networking, and resources for designers who work in education and for design educators. This article shares in detail the value and importance of being a m…
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