Alex Pint (’24) Returns from Typographic Print Program in Switzerland

Among the winners of last semester’s Professional Development grant is recent graduate Alexander Pint of Elmira, New York. Pint and classmate Kara Hammond used their grant to attend the Typographic Print Program in Näfels, Switzerland. 

Pint says, “The program is an extensive 2 weeks of sketching/creative thinking and hands on design work. The program is extremely analog, but it also incorporates digital aspects as well… I had never been on a plane, or even left the east coast! So, I was excited!”

Pint met Dafi Kühne, the Swiss designer who runs the Typographic Print Program, during a semester-long AICAD exchange program. He learned about the program directly from Kuhne, and kept up correspondence even after returning to Montserrat. When Kuhne invited him to apply for the program, the only obstacle was the cost.

“I heard about the Professional Development Grant through my girlfriend Angelina DeDominicis ‘24. The application process was extremely smooth and the Professional Development lunch was an extremely helpful experience. Alyssa and Beth have been nothing but helpful and I am so glad that Montserrat provides something as amazing as this!”

“My entire experience in Switzerland was transformative; it opened my eyes to new possibilities… The most important lesson I learned was not to dismiss an idea to early. During the program we spent about three days solely on sketching and concepting. I ended up with nearly 100 poster designs! The goal was to build a visual vocabulary and to avoid prematurely discarding ideas. 

“These initial sketches were entirely analog; we weren’t allowed to use a computer until Dafi gave us the go-ahead. We didn’t open a computer until about a week or more into it.

“I also just want to thank Beth, Alyssa, and everyone who reviewed my application for the Professional Development Grant because it was extremely helpful having that extra support for the program!”