Font Dues

Thanks to a gift from Monotype, UC DAAP students no longer need to pay for typefaces

Students in University of Cincinnati’s College of Design, Art, Architecture, and Planning (DAAP) can design a little easier. Thanks to a gift-in-kind from Monotype, a leading global provider of typefaces, students now have free access to 58 desktop fonts and more than 20,000 web fonts.

The gift, valued at about $1.5 million, is the second largest gift-in-kind in the college’s history.

Font packages will be available to students and faculty in DAAP’s graphic communication design program. The Computer Graphics Center will also be equipped with the typefaces that range from Akko Rounded to Trade Gothic. Students will also have access to more than 20,000 web fonts available through Fonts.com.

“Fonts can be an expensive thing for students to acquire,” said Renee Seward, an assistant professor in the graphic communication design program. “Access to good font is critical for success in this program, because it helps aid in legibility.”

Seward was trying to figure out a way for students to have access to more typefaces when she stumbled across a story from the Art Center College of Design that outlined a recent gift-in-kind from Monotype. From the story, she tracked down Allan Haley, Monotype’s former director of words and letters and current consultant with the company, and asked if Monotype would be willing to partner with UC in the same way.

“Happily, they responded in the affirmative,” Seward said.

“We are delighted to be able to help design students in their studies, and develop a finer appreciation of the typographic arts,” said Chris Roberts, Monotype’s vice president & general manager of Creative Professional Division.

Rachael Ruschke, a student in DAAP whose favorite font is Legacy Sans, says the access to the typefaces is a difference maker.

“Typography is important in all aspects of design, whether it’s print, interactive, or time-based,” Ruschke said. “I know I will benefit greatly from Monotype just by having access to these fonts for my projects. I'm excited to use these for future projects, especially the web fonts.”

Another student at the College of DAAP, Lauran Graves, says every student in the program can benefit from the gift-in-kind.

“Typography is important in all areas of design, so whether you focus in print, interaction, or time-based every student is going to really benefit from Monotype. I'm especially excited to work with the web fonts,” Graves said.

Media Contact:

Caitlin Whitehurst
Assist. Director of Public Relations
513-556-4395
caitlin.whitehurst@uc.edu