Welcome to Frank Tierney.com

Service Statement

Part of my professional mission is to serve others. In general, I view both teaching and the practice of graphic design as service professions. As I help individual students grow and become professionally capable, I help groups and sometimes individuals with their communication design needs. I accept being a public servant, and as a public high school graduate, I continue to be grateful to the teachers who embraced what has now become my mission: to prepare students not only to make a living, but to develop lives in which the enduring issues of an area of human interest play a significant role. In my life, that area of interest has been graphic design.

I seek ways to unify teaching and service activity. One of those ways is through service learning. Wherever possible, I have integrated real-life projects into the classroom, often in collaboration with local organizations. For two years I have been faculty adviser to Harbinger, the student journal of art and literature.

Few things are as gratifying as helping students afford their education—I have enjoyed sitting on the Scholarship Committee and the Development Committee which I currently chair. The Development Committee’s focus has been on raising scholarship money, improving the instruction areas for students, and growing graduate programs. Since 2007 I have helped the community-based organization Medici Circle with some of its print design needs. This group’s focus is on School of Art scholarship money. The Medici circle has raised nearly $40,000 for undergraduates alone. The organization sponsors community-building events such as an annual 5 x 7 art auction.

Research and service are combined in the pro-bono design jobs I have completed for the School of Art and other organizations within Texas Tech. These include free consultation on exhibitions such as the Southwest Collection/Special Collection’s “The Medieval Southwest,” or the design of an award-winning poster/catalog for a progressive printmaking show. I am proud to admit that I have not been paid for a job since 2007.

I believe that service must be taken-on willingly, and sometimes without credit. It must be genuine and habitual. Whether keeping track of alumni updates, or the daily advising of students on social media, service permeates my days and makes them meaningful.

University Service

Harbinger, the student literary journal of Texas Tech University (an annual publication of student writing and visual art) Faculty Advisor, 2009.

3d Animation Lab Advisory Group (member 2007—2008)
Since its conception in early 2007 I have participated in this ad-hoc group’s meetings four times. The committee now meets the second Tuesday of every month. Our discussions have been about how to make the lab visible, and the trans-disciplinary use of animation.

Print advertisements for the Fine Arts Doctorate Program, TTU Graduate School of Art (2006–present). Appearing in the CAA Journal and the NAEA throughout 2006 and 2007.

School and College Committees

TTU School of Art Development Sub-Committee (member August 2006—present, Chair since October, 2009) Meeting at least six times throughout the year, this committee’s work focused on identifying School of Art needs and fundraising.

TTU School of Art Marketing and Branding Committee (member since September 2009)
This committee oversees the recruiting and marketing needs of the School of Art.

Medici Board (marketing committee chair 2007, faculty reporesentative since 2006)
The Medici Board is a community organization that seeks to support the School of Art. It meets once a month except in December and in the Summer. For 2007 and again in 2009 I designed logos and collateral for this group’s mixers and fundraising events.

Painting Faculty Search Committee (member Spring 2007)
As one of four members of the search, I reviewed nearly 150 applications and met weekly throughout the Spring 2007 semester. I ferried candidates to meals, interviews, and to and from hotels. I participated in phone interviews of references.

Exhibitions and Visiting Artists Committee (member 2006—June 2008)
This Committee met four times throughout the year to determine guest speakers, visiting artists and exhibitions at a variety of venues. Proposals are vetted then selected and scheduled approximately a year in advance.

Technology Committee (member 2006—August 2008)
This committee meets approximately 6 times a year, but held 3 orientation sessions in late 2007 for students interested in the laptop initiative. I participated in two of these. The laptop initiative pilot will enable nearly 30 Communication Design students to purchase laptops and software at reduced rates for use in class work.

Scholarship Committee (member 2006—2007)
This committee met once to review scholarship applicant portfolios.

Area (Communication Design) Service

The students of Type and Image (Art 383) participated in a collaborative with a similar course taught by professor David Martinez at UT PanAmerican in McAllen, Texas. Students exchanged photos of their home environments and created architectural preservation posters.

The students of Type and Image (Art 383) participated in poster4tomorrow (an international poster design competition juried by native Texas Woody Pirtle). 2009 theme: Freedom of Expression.

In Fall of 2009, Dr. Francisco Ortega and I presented the Communication Design program before 70+ students of the freshman Art Seminar, TTU.

In the Fall of 2008, I was invited by Hallmark Incorporated to participate in a three-day “Visiting Educators Program” held from November 05-07, 2008. The program included a complete tour of Kansas City MO headquarters, and meeting with TTU Art Alumni.

In Fall of 2008, Dr. Francisco Ortega and I presented the Communication Design program before 70+ students of the freshman Art Seminar, TTU.

In the Spring of 2008, the students of Art 4380.301; Publication Design participated in a real-life service project and each designed a 4 x 9 brochure for the Southwest Collection’s Medieval Southwest exhibition. The winner (Traci Townsend ’09) saw her design printed in an edition of 3,000.

In the Spring of 2008, the students of Art 3381; Typography designed and hand-lettered a frieze for the Teaching, Learning and Technology Center. In this hands-on project they learned the importance of letter spacing.

In the Spring of 2008 and again in Spring of 2009, I organized the Communication Design area’s first and second annual School of Art Open House, held on late March.

The Digital Window: An Exhibition of Graphic Design Education (2008)
Exhibition of Student Typography at University of Texas, Pan American
In preparation for an exhibition in early 2008, I organized student entries for a show of contemporary design education. Students from Texas, Mexico, Cuba and Turkey presented their work in UT PanAm’s recently renovated library gallery space from January 31 through February 15, 2008. Six students from Texas Tech were represented at the show.

The One Show, Student Competition (February 2007)
The One Club is an organization that promotes design excellence in advertising and annually sponsors a theme-based student competition. In Spring of 2007 I organized and funded entries from 13 students in Public And Social Design (Art 4381). The design brief was to create a campaign for the Natural Resource Defense Council.

Adobe Achievement Awards (April 2007)
These awards encourage experimental use of Adobe software among students. In Spring of 2007 I reviewed student entries for this competition. One student was placed in the second round of judging—an accomplishment considering the many entries.

Communication Design Display Case coordinator (2006–Fall, 2009)
Approximately four times a semester work gets rotated through the display cases in the Art facility. I solicited and sometimes hung work for these displays.

Communication Design/School of Art Website alumni information contact (2005–present)
I continue to forward Design Alumni information updates to Joe Arredondo for inclusion in the alumni after being website editor of the Communication Design area from 2005–2006.

Professional Memberships

AIGA American Institute of Graphic Artists (national),
Santa Fe Chapter, member since 2007

CAA College Art Association (national),
memberfrom 2005–2008

PCCLAS Pacific Coast Council of Latin American Studies,
member since 2006

UCDA University and College Designers Association (US & Canada),
member since 2005

TDC Type Directors Club (international),
member in 2007—2008

Professionally Related Community Service

Concerned Citizens of Wagon Mound Website (April 2007)
Community activists in a rural village in Northeastern New Mexico engaged students to design an informative website focusing on the health risks of the area, particularly on the permitting of a formerly treated hazardous waste dump adjacent to the village of Wagon Mound, didactic proof that designers can influence issues of social advocacy and environmental justice.

Child’s Advocacy Center of the South Plains (September 2005–March 2006)
Website redesign consultation. I met 3 times with the Advocacy Center to discuss website revisions and redesign.