TOM GALMARINI
Associate Professor of Graphic Design and Illustration
TEACHING PHILOSOPHY
Teachers have been among the most influential people in my life, and that is where my own teaching begins. Both of my parents were teachers. In my academic journey, I have been fortunate to have learned from working professionals who were leaders in their field.
Having taught courses that include Intermediate and Advanced Design, Typography, Package Design, Interface Design, Illustration, and Creative Imaging with an iPad focus, I know there is no single way to teach. Each student responds differently to instruction, so I take a varied approach: lecture, demonstration, group critique, collaborative projects, and one-on-one conversation. My goal is for every student to engage in meaningful work that leads not only to understanding the material but to the ability to put it into practice.
Students learn best when they are actively solving problems, communicating ideas, collaborating with others, and applying what they learn to realistic professional situations. As a practicing designer who has also worked in the business world, I bring that world into the classroom, which operates like a professional studio. I share projects I have worked on, walk students through the constraints and decisions behind them, and structure assignments around the full arc of a project: research, concept, iteration, execution, presentation, and reflection. This first-hand view of professional design gives students knowledge they cannot get from a book, and it prepares them for the careers they are working toward.
Critique is at the heart of that studio culture. I hold critiques throughout a project, not just at the end, and I open the floor for students to give critical but constructive feedback on one another’s work. Articulating a response to someone else’s design is not easy, and learning to do it well sharpens both their thinking and their own work. It leads students to discoveries of their own and builds real problem-solving skills. A solution a student finds independently is worth far more than an answer I hand them. Involving every student in this exchange is also the surest way I know to keep them engaged with the subject and invested in their projects.
Lab time gives students room to work individually or in small groups, and the focused peer-to-peer feedback that happens there is invaluable. Students communicate more freely in a less intimidating setting, and I have deliberately built that student-to-student dynamic into my curriculum. Working one-on-one with students opens a different kind of dialogue. Whether I am helping with a project, offering feedback, or simply listening, these conversations are where students learn to work through creative blocks, and they respond strongly to that attention.
Honesty and respect are the foundation of the student–teacher relationship. I keep an open-door policy, encourage questions and critical thinking, and am up front with students at all times, including admitting when I do not know the answer. Students trust feedback that is direct, fair and honest, and that trust is what allows them to take the creative risks that lead to growth.
I am a strong proponent of collaboration beyond my own classroom. I frequently partner with other professors to combine projects so that students are immersed in more than one area of study at once. These cross-curricular experiences let students see first-hand how different disciplines work together, exactly as they will in professional practice. I also believe students need real-world feedback from outside the classroom, and I pair that outside perspective with structured self-evaluation so students learn to assess their own work honestly against professional standards and reflection becomes a habit rather than an afterthought.
Design keeps changing, in its tools, its media, and now in the role artificial intelligence plays in how designers research, ideate, and iterate. I want my students to meet that change with strong fundamentals and the confidence to keep learning. I enjoy surrounding myself with enthusiastic young adults and helping them along their journey, and I am a firm believer in giving back, just as my teachers gave to me.
In the end, isn’t that what teaching is all about?
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