WPCR Spotlight: Jack Swymer

CLOCK PHOTO / NICO ZILENSKI

Ever seen WPCR can koozie floating around? Or someone wearing a t-shirt with a grim reaper doing a skateboard tricks on it? Jack Swymer, a Junior Graphic Design Major here at Plymouth, is the brain behind these designs. He may not have a radio show, but that doesn’t knock his contributions at 91.7 WPCR. Smymer is formerly the Promotions executive member, but because of his focus on more graphic design than actual promotions, he and the Exec Board decided to name Jack as Art Director. He designs the station’s stickers, patches, t-shirts, banners, and will hopefully one day create a logo for the station. “It’s hard to create a great timeless logo, and I’m still learning in my field, but I want to make something timeless like the 'Nike swoosh' so that it can be here for a long time and people will see the logo and say hey WPCR, Plymouth’s radio [station].”

Swymer's roommate, Nick Einstman, the Assistant General Manager of the station, pushed Jack to get involved, based on his talent and passion in the design field. This type of position pushes Swymer to his creative limits, as it requires a good amount of  illustration creation, something that he’s not used to creating within the classroom setting. The Art Director position has become a meaningful outlet, especially considering he’s creating content with and for his friends. “My style in design is a culmination of constructivism and simplicity. Illustration isn’t my forte, but I’m not creating for me. In the meetings I ask everyone what they want. It’s a part of being a designer, letting go of your ideas a little bit and giving voice to what people want. Everyone has a different set of eyes, one person might like it, and someone might not.” 

Jack alone does the designs, but he states that he would have no problem having help; no one has come to him with an interest in participating. For anyone looking to put their designs on t-shirts and banners for WPCR, head to a meeting for the station or talk with Jack. Swymer says it’s imperative to have multiple eyes and voices in the field of design. “Big companies don’t just have one person on their design team. Chances are there’s a group of people selected to work together to produce a product that people will want to buy into. I want to make t-shirts that people don’t just look at and say, ‘Hey that’s a cool t-shirt.’ I want them to look at the t-shirt and say ‘I need to have that. I will pay money for that.'” 

As of right now, Jack is creating patches for the radio station, but he always has ideas for logos in mind. Hopefully, by the end of next year everyone will be able to awe over the new logo design he creates to represent WPCR.

WPCR meets every Wednesday night at 9pm in Memorial Hall.