Nancy R. Mata

Associate Professor in Interactive and Graphic Design

Nancy R. Mata

Contact Information

nancy.mata@millersville.edu

Office: Breidenstine Hall I Room 214
Phone: 717-871-5718
Fax: 717-871-7929

Website

Office Hours

T: 3:40 pm – 4:10 pm (virtual or office)
W: 10:00 am – 11:30 pm (virtual only)
R: 10:00 am – 1:00 pm (virtual or office)
Comments: Email preferred. Voicemail is checked twice a week. Schedule an appointment on tinyurl.com. Zoom link.


About 

Nancy Mata is also the Creative Director and Principal of Mata Studios, an award-winning, interdisciplinary graphic design firm providing strategic design thinking through visual communication solutions to a variety of corporations and institutions. The work of Mata Design Associates has received recognition from numerous national and international communication organizations, design exhibitions and publications. As well as won national commissions as part of the Blake Sculpture & Mata Design team.  In addition she has presented papers at several conferences has published writings on design and collaboration.

Before teaching at the college level Ms. Mata worked as creative director for a fortune 500 company as well as a worked as a designer for various advertising agencies including Saatchi & Saatchi. She has taught Interactive and Graphic Design at American University, Washington D.C. and West Chester University before coming to Millersville. While Ms. Mata found success early working in the business industry she realized her calling is around interaction design that could probe deeper and question social issues germane to our direction as a nation. 


Courses Taught 

  • Art 240 Typography I
  • Art 244 Typography II
  • Art 344 Visual Communications & Graphic Design I
  • Art 346 Introduction to Computers in Design
  • Art 347 Design for Social Equity
  • Art 348 Packaging Design
  • Art 349 Information Design
  • Art 375 Illustration
  • Art 444 Visual Communications and Graphic Design II
  • Art 446 Advanced Design: Software Productization: An Interdisciplinary Interaction Web development
  • Art 493 Portfolio: Capstone Course
  • Art 526 Current Trends in Art Education (Graduate Ed. Course)
  • Art  558 Topics in Art History: History of Graphic Design
  • Co-op/Internship Coordinator Graphic & Interactive Design Club Supervisor

Education

Temple University, Tyler School of Art
MFA, Graphic and Interactive Design, Philadelphia, PA
 
Syracuse University
MA, Advertising and Graphic Design, Syracuse, NY
 
West Chester University, West Chester, PA
BFA, Sculpture and Graphic Design Focus 


Research Interests

Design is about people, always!
Nancy Mata’s research interests include design fundamentals, typography, interaction, new media design and collaboration through design. As a designer her work is sited at times as edgy and provocative, her work pushes the spectator to address social and historical issue, which historians have traditionally pushed under the proverbial carpet. Her strong sense of design, love of typography and sense of social justice is the blend of much of her work all the while incorporating new technologies and developing new ways for people to interact with one another. 
 
During her tenure at Millersville University Ms. Mata has been one of the leading principles that founded and developed The Software Productization Center (SPC) at Millersville University. SPC provides emerging technology-focused entrepreneurs within the Central Pennsylvania region with assistance in advancing software products from concept to marketable product. The Center will utilizes faculty expertise, the assistance of student interns from various disciplines, and support from community business leaders and technology experts.


 Professional Affiliations

  • AIGA, Central PA
  • AIGA, National
  • Society of Design