Kennesaw State University students are participating in a project to design a commemorative wine label and promotional materials for a special bottle of red wine, marking the 25th anniversary of the university’s partnership with Montepulciano, Italy. The initiative is part of a collaboration between graphic design students in the School of Communication and Media at the Norman J. Radow College of Humanities and Social Sciences.
The KSU Italy program began in 1999, offering students opportunities to study abroad while earning degree credit. This year, the Digital Publication Design course, taught by senior lecturer Sarah Johnson, focused on producing professional-quality materials for this anniversary celebration.
“They are learning what real-world collaboration looks like,” said Johnson. “They’ve had to problem-solve across time zones, communicate clearly despite language barriers, and keep the project moving under tight deadlines. It’s pushing them outside their comfort zones in the best possible way and turning classroom learning into career readiness.”
Students were tasked with designing labels that represent the collaboration between KSU, the City of Kennesaw, and Montepulciano. Some participants listened to Italian music during brainstorming sessions to immerse themselves in the cultural context.
For this assignment, students received a creative brief from their client. Working in groups of four, they conducted research and developed concepts before submitting video pitches. A panel made up of representatives from KSU, the City of Kennesaw, and Montepulciano selected a winning concept.
“It has been exciting. I feel like it’s another great thing to add to my résumé,” said Ellie Faulkenberry, a public relations major who was part of the winning team. “When I signed up for this class, I didn’t realize we’d be so involved in a real-world project. Getting the chance to work with an international client has been such a valuable experience. It’s not only preparing me for the job market but has also been really enjoyable.”
Although production will take place in Italy, all participating students will see their designs produced during an event at Heidelberg USA’s facility near campus this December.
The debut of the winning label is scheduled for November 25 in Montepulciano as part of a Friendship Pact signing ceremony between Kennesaw and Montepulciano.
This wine label project is one example among several experiential learning initiatives tied to KSU’s Italy partnership. Earlier this year marketing students from Michael J. Coles College of Business worked on strategies—including multilingual materials and social media outreach—to help increase visitors at Montepulciano’s Civic Museum.
Associate Professor Prachi Gala led these efforts which included launching new signage and establishing a TikTok account aimed at younger audiences.
Other business consulting projects involving marketing and management students have also taken place with local clients both this year and previously.
Ken Hill, Italy Program Fellow in Global Education at KSU noted: “In simplest terms, these projects broaden and deepen the rich relationship and process of cultural exchange that began in 1998 and formalized in 2013,” Hill said. “Now with the joint signing of the Friendship Pact between Kennesaw and Montepulciano, there are even greater engagement possibilities for our students, faculty, and the communities in both cities.”
