Student web designers put the flex in UX

User experience, or UX, design sits at the intersection of technology, creativity, and problem-solving in today’s tech-focused world. The field prioritizes “ease of use” mechanics on websites, apps, and even physical products, with UX designers striving to understand how people interact with these mechanics. They work to remove that impediments that make a product anything less than straightforward for the typical user. Two Clarkies, Erik Vandergrift ’25 and Philip Tierney ’26, are making their way in this dynamic domain, applying their skills to real-world projects that support small businesses and promote environmental advocacy.

‘We don’t just hand over a website’

Vandergrift has transformed his passion for digital design into a thriving business using skills garnered through his interactive media major (on the UI/UX track) and entrepreneurship minor. In early 2023, he co-founded Knit Studios with his business partner, Sam Bridgman, a computer science student at Boston University. Their mission is to provide affordable, high-quality branding and web solutions for small businesses.

“We grew up in Northampton, where there’s a strong foundation of small businesses,” Vandergrift explains. “Walking downtown, you see all these local shops, which have websites that don’t really represent them well. That’s where we saw an opportunity to offer quick, affordable, custom web solutions.”

Knit Studios has worked with a range of clients, from startups to nonprofits, helping them to establish robust digital identities. Vandergrift focuses on UI/UX structure, web design, logo creation, and animation, while Bridgman specializes in web development and platform building. Together, they ensure each project aligns with their core values of transparency and communication. The work doesn’t end there, however, as Vandergrift also ensures clients leave with the knowledge to maintain the brand identity Knit Studios helped create.

“We don’t just hand over a website,” Vandergrift says. “We guide them through the best options for their business, whether it’s platform selection, branding, or long-term maintenance.”

Knit Studios’ work with Eurodesign Autogroup, a car repair shop in Leominster, Massachusetts, is an example of this approach. The shop, which specializes in European-made cars, requested help from Knit to reach a bigger demographic. Vandergrift understood that their specialty was key to their development and marketing goals, so he and his team researched local competitors and crafted a digital presence that emphasized Eurodesign’s expertise. “We focused on their core audience — people with European cars — so we could design a site and branding strategy that spoke directly to their needs,” Vandergrift says.

Vandergrift’s expertise extends beyond Knit. As the lead graphic designer for Clark’s Visual and Performing Arts, he has created posters and branding materials for department events. “One of my favorite projects was the poster for ‘The Moors,’ the fall 2024 theatre production. The reaction from the cast and crew was amazing — it made the whole experience so rewarding.”

‘Function with purpose’

Tierney, who majors in interactive media and computer science, is passionate about a different approach to UX design, using graphic design and user experience principles to serve community-driven initiatives.

Tierney’s portfolio includes projects ranging from environmental advocacy to indigenous land rights. One of his standout works is an environmental calendar for his hometown, where he incorporated community-submitted photos of trees into a seamless seasonal narrative.

“For the calendar, I made sure each month’s design reflected the hues and tones of the submitted tree photos. The layout had to feel natural and cohesive,” he explains. “The response was overwhelmingly positive, so much so that they’re planning an even larger print run next year.”

His design work extends beyond local initiatives. Tierney also worked on a land rights report for a Maya organization in Belize, creating visuals in Mopan and Q’eqchi’ Maya, as well as in English.

“Since both Maya communities and government officials would be using the report, the inclusion of Maya concepts embedded in their language was critical. The graphics would be later printed for larger banners in Maya community training workshops, so that’s why some needed to be created in three different languages,” he says. “This experience deepened my understanding of language barriers and the importance of cultural sensitivity in design.”

Tierney says his Clark classes have helped him refine skills in essential design tools like Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, After Effects, InDesign, and Figma. Learning under experts like Becker School of Design & Technology Professor Kat Andler and computer science Professor Li Han “has been invaluable,” Tierney says.

Tierney focuses on how design serves communities, whether through interactive reports or visually driven advocacy. “Every project adds to my experience and helps me refine my skills in both UI/UX and computer science,” he says. “It’s about creating designs that not only look good but function with purpose.”