…Vail, Colorado native Tessa Vlaar, a Gonzaga University alum who stumbled on graphic design only after coming to the conclusion that public relations and human resources weren’t for her. Now in her second year of the graphic design program at Spokane Falls Community College, Vlaar believes she’s embarking on a career that will enable her to “impact change on the world” and to “help people see things in a way they haven’t seen them before.” The Helveticahaus Scholarship is given annually and funded by proceeds from sales of Helvetica-themed and -inspired products at Helveticahaus, an online retailer founded in 2015 by CK and Linda Anderson to enable them to give back to the design profession in a creative and meaningful way. The Andersons were able to award the first $1,000 scholarship – criteria for which include need, work ethic, and design excellence – just a year after launching the business.
photo: J. Craig Sweat Photography