In a groundbreaking move, a third-year Graphic Design student at York St John University has been awarded the institution's inaugural Athena Swan design prize for her visionary campaign to champion gender equality on campus. Fi Rowntree's striking and conceptually robust work is now being transformed into a vibrant visual campaign, adorning the university's York and London locations with posters, banners, digital graphics, badges, and stickers.
The Athena Swan Charter, a global framework supporting and transforming gender equality within higher education and research, has recognized York St John's continued commitment to fairness and inclusivity by awarding the university a Bronze Award. As part of this initiative, second and third-year Graphic Design students were tasked with creatively raising awareness of the Athena Swan charter and the broader gender equality agenda.
Fi Rowntree's winning design concept is a bold and impactful response to this challenge. Her wordmark logo places the Athena Swan name front and center, with each of the ten letters drawn from a different typeface, a nod to the ten academic subjects the charter covers. Significantly, the typefaces were designed by a mix of male and female type designers, reinforcing the brand's commitment to gender equality.
Rowntree's design aesthetic takes inspiration from the riot grrrl and punk movements, utilizing the iconic purple and green hues of the Suffragette movement. The result is a visually striking and conceptually rigorous campaign that aims to connect with the university community and inspire them to take an active role in promoting positive change.
I hope the designs connect with people, and they are seen as almost as a movement and something they want to be involved in, Rowntree explained. I want them to have a positive impact by way of inspiring people to shift from being a passive bystander to getting involved and supporting and effecting positive change.
The judging panel, comprising academics from the Graphic Design department and Athena Swan co-leads, were unanimous in their praise for Rowntree's work. Course Leader John Temperton commended the student's ability to respond to this in very direct and clear way by appealing to both a specialist and broad demographic without resorting to an overly literal or generalised approach.
Senior Lecturer Clare Nattress echoed this sentiment, highlighting how the project allowed students to think more critically about the inequalities, injustices and challenges facing society today and to help them promote a fairer society. Nattress described Rowntree's work as eye-catching, underpinned with conceptual rigour and believed it would effectively engage the university community with the Athena Swan Charter.
As York St John University prepares to unveil Rowntree's visionary campaign across its campuses, the institution's commitment to gender equality and the empowerment of its students is on full display. This landmark project not only celebrates the talent and creativity of its Graphic Design students but also serves as a powerful catalyst for meaningful change, shattering the glass ceiling and inspiring a new generation of advocates for equality.
