Mary Kay Neff is a member of the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill and is a design educator, graphic designer, and photographer. As Associate Professor of Art at Seton Hill University in Greensburg, PA, she teaches graphic design and digital imaging courses, works with design interns, serves as the Graphic Design Club advisor, and Seton Arts Service Corps coordinator. She is sole proprietor of MKN Design, an independent studio, offering design and creative services to nonprofit organizations, education, and other companies. In the area of print graphics, MKN Design creates identity programs including logo, stationery, annual reports, brochures, signage, and newsletters. At the start of her design career she worked for a number of years as the Graphic Designer and Coordinator of Publications and Photography at Seton Hill University’s Office of Public Information. Sister Mary Kay completed her undergraduate studies in art at the Pennsylvania State University and earned an M.F.A. from Rochester Institute of Technology. While studying graphic design and photography at RIT she began working with historic, alternative process photographic methods, which she continues today along with digital photography. Sister Mary Kay’s award winning photography is exhibited locally and nationally and is included in a number of private collections. She is a member of the AIGA (the professional association for graphic design), and Associated Artists of Pittsburgh.

Education

• M.F.A., Rochester Institute of Technology, Graphic Design

• B.A., Pennsylvania State University

Publications

• Images 2, (2021) Neff, Mary Kay.

• Images, (2017) Neff, Mary Kay

• Alternative Process Photography, (2014) Neff, Mary Kay

Awards

• 2016 Honorable Mention for Social Impact Design. Design in the Community: Service Learning, Visual & Infographics Awards 2015.

• Caritas Award, for Seton Hill University Faculty, 2013

• 2002 Color Photography Award. Circle. Westmoreland Arts and Heritage Festival, Greensburg, Pennsylvania.

• 1999 Honorable Mention. Hands 3. Westmoreland Arts and Heritage Festival, Greensburg, Pennsylvania.

• 1999 Honorable Mention. Tech City Art Contest. Polarity. Carnegie Science Center. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

• 1999 Honorable Mention. Tech City Art Contest. Pathway. Carnegie Science Center. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

• 1998 Tribune Review Photograph of the Year. Untitled. Westmoreland Arts and Heritage Festival, Greensburg, Pennsylvania

• 1998 Westmoreland County Community College Cultural Programming Purchase Award. Untitled. Westmoreland Arts and Heritage Festival, Greensburg, Pennsylvania

• 1997 Heritage Award. Moon and Tree II. Westmoreland Arts and Heritage Festival, Greensburg, Pennsylvania

• 1996 Photograph of the Year Award. Composite Blue Quilt. Westmoreland Art Nationals, Westmoreland County Community College, Youngwood, Pennsylvania.

Organizations

• AIGA, American Institute of Graphic Arts

• Associated Artists of Pittsburgh

Presentations

• Presentation and exhibit, I Raise My Eyes, St. Louis, MO., 2017

• "Design in the Community: Service Learning" Poster Presentation, UCDA Design Education Summit, (Kean University, Union, NJ), May 2016.

• iTeach poster presentation, Seton Hill University, Greensburg, PA, April 2012

• The Community Calls Forth the University, poster presentation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, July 2007

• Photography presentation, Southern Allegheny Museum of Art, Ligonier, 2000.

Certifications

• Adobe Education Trainer, November 2014-2019

• Elite Training, Seton Hill University, Greensburg, PA, August 2011-May 2012

• Online Summer Academy, Seton Hill University, Greensburg, PA, June 2011

• Core Four Business Course, E-Magnify, Eberly College of Business, Indiana University, PA, April 2009

Achievements

• Chair of Art Program Review, 2000 and 2007

• Chair Graphic Design Program Review 1998