This was the question I sought to answer through this class project for Typographic Design. I was tasked with creating an original typeface inspired by a faculty member at Syracuse University's Newhouse School, sharpening not only my typographic skills, but my ability to empathize through design.

The professor I chose, Professor Santosuosso, was someone I had taken classes with for a year, meaning I had lots of experience to draw from. I began by writing down some adjectives and phrases describing her that might help inform the typeface. I chose three phrases to run with for early drafts: "bold," "direct," and "to the point." From there, I moved into Glyphs.

Professor Santosuosso's words often carry weight, but she still speaks clearly and concisely, making her lectures easy to understand. Because of this, I decided to create a bold sans serif typeface. The bold strokes would represent the importance of her words while the lack of serifs would represent her ability to distill topics efficiently.

The biggest challenge I had in the creation of the typeface was determining the curves. I did not want a perfectly geometric look because humans are not perfect. The curves are intended to make the typeface more humanistic, which can be seen in the "S", "D", and "O" among others.

I decided to go with the name "Summit" to emphasize the pointed corners of the typeface and the goal-oriented mindset of the professor who inspired it. The name could also be interpreted as "sum it up," a nod to the clear, concise communication from Professor S. that inspired many elements of the typeface.

The most important part of this project was the research. Understanding who the professor is, how she teaches, and what she values was critical to the design process. I learned a great deal about the importance of empathy in design through this project and gained an incredible respect for type designers.