RSJ News
Former Newsweek art director turns to teaching
10-02-2009
Bonnie Scranton uses colored squares to illustrate a design concept with her students.
After 16 years working as the graphics director and a senior art director at Newsweek, she was offered a voluntary buyout earlier this year. Having always been interested in teaching, Scranton accepted the buyout and applied at the University of Nevada, Reno.
“I had always liked the idea of teaching,” said Scranton, who had previously taught a semester at the University of Washington and two semesters at Yale University. “You are encouraged to learn new technologies, constantly working to stay ahead of your students.”
Scranton made the move from New York to Reno over the summer and began teaching this semester. She teaches Journalism 108 (media production), 303 (media graphics), and 300 (visual communications).
“I love working with students,” she said. “I’ve had so many good mentors in my career that it is an opportunity to pass on what I’ve learned.”
Born in California, Scranton grew up in Seattle and previously lived in San Francisco, so she said it hasn’t been hard adjusting to living in the West.
Scranton earned her bachelor’s degree in graphic design from the University of Washington and a master’s degree in graphic design from Yale.
Prior to working for Newsweek, she worked in San Francisco as a cartographer for Reineck & Reineck, at the information design firm The Understanding Business and for Edward Tufte, considered a guru of information design.
Some of her favorite projects over the years include working on three of Tufte’s books and Richard Saul Wurman’s road atlas of the United States when she worked for The Understanding Business in 1988.
“I believe it was the first atlas completely designed and produced on the computer, so that was a challenge,” Scranton said. “I enjoy organizing and editing complex information to make it more accessible and understandable.”
In Reno, Scranton has rented a home and a design studio. She said it’s nice to have two spaces to separate her personal and professional lives.
For now, she uses the studio to prepare for her classes, but she hopes by the summer to be able to use it for freelance work as well.
“Since it’s my first year here, I have a lot of preparation to do,” she said. For her 300 class, for instance, she prepares slides of more than 100 images each time the class meets.
Scranton said she’s always been a visual person – preferring to sit down and sketch a drawing or look at pictures rather than read a book from the time she was a child.
She wanted to be an art major in college, but her parents were concerned about her being able to earn an income. Graphic design was a natural choice.
“I do love graphic design,” she said. “It always seemed a natural for me and I have been fortunate to make a career out of it.”
Scranton said she’d like to continue teaching.
“It really provides the best of both worlds – it allows you to keep learning, and allows free time in the summer for projects,” she said.
Despite having just gone through a buyout, Scranton said it’s a good time for students entering the workforce.
“I think they’re in a great position,” she said. “Anyone I know who is hiring right now is hiring for entry-level positions. Young journalists are familiar with the technology and have an easier time adapting to new situations because everything is new to them.”
