University Professor Lanny Sommese and several of his former students and their works were featured in an 18-page article in the September issue of Idea magazine, an international trade journal published in Tokyo, Japan.

The feature was the third in a continuing series in which the magazine presents the works of a renowned designer/educator and his students.

The magazine asked each educator to choose a theme for the layout, said Sommese, head of Graphic Design at the School of Visual Arts. Instead of choosing a commonly-used theme like peace or energy, Sommese chose "Man is the sum of what he can become."

"It (the theme) seemed to be open-ended. It needed to be interpreted by the individuals, and then they could make a statement...they could do whatever they wanted," Sommese said.

Along with the basic theme, individuals participating in the feature could print a selection of their recent professional works, he said. Included were posters, advertisements, book jackets, album covers, and portraits representing some of their best work.

Sommese said he had never been featured with his former students before. He was also quick to point out that all of the students featured were products of a diverse graphic design program. "I think that's kind of interesting. It's a real credit to our program," he said.

When Sommese chose the featured alumni, he said he looked for a wide variety. "I tried to get a lot of different people, males and females, with lots of diversified kinds of work. They're all doing different types of things, at different ages, levels, and in different areas of the country," he said.

The end result was a feature which may further some careers. "It could accelerate their careers. It's a good forum for their work," Sommese said of the graphic design magazine.

Being in the spotlight is nothing new for Sommese. Many of his works have been reproduced in Graphis, Novum Gerauchsgraphik, Creativity Annual, The Print Casebooks, Graphis Annual, Modern Publicity Annual, and Graphis Poster Annual. His work is also a part of the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.

Sommese is graduate of the University of Florida where he received a BFA in painting and a bachelor of design degree. He earned his MFA in Graphic Design at the University of Illinois. He has been a faculty member at Penn State since 1970.

Although much has changed in graphic design since 1970, a basic core remains, Sommese said. "Styles will change, the need for ideas will not. Ideas will always be relevant," he said.

Selina Chih, a graduate student working with Sommese, said she often finds him inspiring. "He tells us to let our ideas drive everything. He is a very good instructor," she said.

Many students of graphic design excel because of Sommese's "Design Education Philosophy."

"Our curriculum is designed to take full advantage of our university situation, striving to blend the skills and sensitivities of an art foundation with the myriad complementary studies offered within the overall University community," he wrote in Idea.

The key to success, according to Sommese, is not to get discouraged. "Realize that it's a pain sometimes. There's just as much down as there is up. You have to believe in yourself."