From Classroom to Community: Lindsay Rexford uses her MS in Information Design & Strategy in Support of the Alaska Community Health Aide Program
Lindsay Rexford (MS in Information Design and Strategy '24) resides in her hometown of Anchorage, Alaska, and works as an instructional designer at the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC). ANTHC partners with statewide Tribal health organizations to provide health services for Alaska Native people in areas with some of the nation’s lowest access to health care. Lindsay’s job includes developing e-learning courses for students and rural healthcare providers in the Alaska Community Health Aide Program. The partially online curriculum allows practitioners — mostly from remote, rural areas of Alaska — to minimize time away from home while training to become Community Health Aides/Practitioners.
Lindsay was working as the ANTHC Marketing & Communications design manager when she realized she wanted to advance her knowledge of user-centered design and content strategy. “I'd always wanted to get a master's degree. I realized I just needed to take the plunge and find a program that offered what I wanted to learn.” She was intrigued by an ad for Northwestern University’s Master of Science in Information Design and Strategy (IDS). “I did my due diligence and looked for other similar programs, but never found anything comparable to Northwestern’s program,” Lindsay says.
She was particularly impressed with the program’s faculty. “I noticed Kevin Budelmann's name as a faculty member. He co-authored the book Brand Identity Essentials, which was already a regular reference in my library.” Realizing I could be learning from someone whose work I and others in the field so highly respected, I felt a mix of excitement and intimidation. “I thought to myself, ‘I don't even know if I'm going to get in or be on par with the other students.’” She took a chance on herself. After being accepted into the IDS program at Northwestern SPS, she realized “I had what it took to succeed, and it was a great fit for me.”
A bulls-eye Information Design and Strategy curriculum
Lindsay's first course was Models and Theories of User-Centered Design with instructor Lauren Liss. Lindsay said the terms design thinking, human-centered design, and experience design "have been around for a long time now, but through the coursework and my cohort, I learned practical steps to develop genuine empathy. With the knowledge of this framework and general methodology, I learned how to uncover what an audience or user group truly needs, rather than relying on assumptions, even when approached with the best of intentions and extensive experience.” Her IDS studies illuminated her perspective on design research: “I learned it can often be small and nimble in scope — it doesn't have to cost anything other than some of you or your team's time but can unveil profound, often unexpected, insights, and provide the data needed to champion strategic change or innovation.”
Faculty member Jessica Ashley's Effective Communication course was also something Lindsay could use immediately at work with the diverse population her organization serves. “While many principles were familiar, she covered them through a lens of inclusive communication practices. Broadening our perspective and allowing all voices to be heard equitably helps us challenge the status quo and be more effective in creating lasting, systemic impact.”
Remote learning and leadership at Northwestern SPS
Despite completing most of her coursework virtually from Alaska, Lindsay connected with her program and Northwestern through leadership roles in the IDS program’s Student Leadership Council (SLC) as general counsel and later as visual communications chair. “Serving on the SLC allowed me to have a consistent community of students I could connect with during my time in the program,” she says. As a new student, Lindsay benefited from connecting with the former SLC president, who helped answer many of her questions, which inspired her to give back and push herself to gain additional leadership experience. “It was validating to know that I can hold my own in leadership alongside a group of professionals from across the country in a variety of fields, from the tech space to higher education and beyond.”
Lindsay deepened her connection to Northwestern by traveling to Chicago and Evanston for the annual SPS Symposium in 2023, holding the Homecoming weekend in October, and again for convocation last June. She said of meeting SLC members in person during the Symposium: “The Council and other IDS students met at the welcome reception and continued to connect throughout the weekend, getting to know each other in person. As a small program within the SPS, Symposium is a valuable opportunity for all IDS students, alumni, and faculty to connect. Also, stepping onto the Northwestern campus brought my graduate experience to life. Being there made everything feel more real — from the school I’d chosen to the path I was on.”
Earning her master’s in information design and strategy allowed Lindsay to pivot at work, she says. "I was ready to take on a broader role that allowed me to leverage my IDS education." An opening for an instructional designer position at her current workplace came up, and she took another chance. “Being most of the way through this degree allowed me to enter into this field when it wasn't a given that I could have otherwise.” Having specialized in learning design, Lindsay says her educational theory, instructional design, and learning experience design courses were “directly applicable to my new role — I can converse with my colleagues in the learning design realm, who often have their master's in education or educational technology.”
Lindsay’s advice to others pursuing their MS in Information Design and Strategy? “You get out what you put into your learning. I recommend taking full advantage of time with instructors and the opportunities to ask questions. Also, with course projects, keep your portfolio in mind. Utilize greater Northwestern offerings such as the NEXT externship program and Career Advancement. Attend SLC-sponsored virtual (and occasional in-person) events. Consider joining the SLC yourself! If you’re already investing in the program, you won’t regret any effort you make beyond what’s required — that’s what will set you apart.”
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