Life Remodeled partners with College for Creative Studies to launch its new Practicing Design Center program

January 23, 2025

In the fall of 2024, Life Remodeled (LR) partnered with College for Creative Studies (CCS) to launch their new Practicing Design Center, an initiative dedicating resources to nonprofits and small businesses. This amazing offering continues CCS’s expansive work serving the community in Detroit and beyond, connecting nonprofit and community organizations with students and faculty to tackle community challenges using the transformative power of art and design.

Emily and Martina, senior Communication Design & Strategy students, worked under the guidance (as site supervisor) of LR’s Marketing Director, Rhonda Evans, to rebrand LR’s flagship program, Next Level Nonprofit (NLN). Over the 15-week semester, Rhonda worked closely with Emily, and Martina to conduct research and development, participated in valuable critique sessions, presentations, and asset building, and attended an NLN workshop led by Jen Freidman, NLN Director, to gain firsthand insights. Chair and Professor (faculty mentor) Susan Laporte provided valuable guidance and feedback throughout the process. 

See rebrand samples below:

Next Level Nonprofit offers coaching to nonprofit organizations nationwide to increase impact and build a dream team. As of 2025, Next Level Nonprofit is a separate entity and is no longer offered as a program of Life Remodeled.

The Practicing Design Center format is an amazing opportunity for students to gain real-world experience while providing nonprofit organizations like Life Remodeled and Next Level Nonprofit with amazing resources that would otherwise be unavailable due to financial restrictions. Students can choose to take the 15-week course as a credited internship or for experiential learning only. 

The College for Creative Studies is one of the nation’s premier colleges for art and design located in Midtown Detroit.  With world-class faculty and curriculum, students graduate from CCS to become some of the industry’s top artists and designers in the areas of illustration, communications design, automotive design, fashion, photography entertainment arts, and more. 

Read more about the Practicing Design Center at the link below: https://www.ccsdetroit.edu/news/ccs-launches-practicing-design-center/