Mullins Native Uses Design to Help Impoverished Communities

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Scott Jackson (center) stands with his GoDesign partners Eric McManus and Stephanie Jackson.

SAVANNAH, GA (03/08/2013)(readMedia)-- SAVANNAH, Georgia- Mullins native and Savannah College of Art and Design alumnus, Scott Jackson recently partnered with fellow SCAD graduates to form GoDesign, a nonprofit organization that designs and creates architectural structures for poverty-stricken communities on a global scale.

Jackson's appreciation for art began at Mullins High School, which lead him to pursue his degree in architecture at SCAD. While in college he became involved with Bull Street Baptist Church and began working with inner city teenagers in Savannah. Through the church Jackson also began leading student missions trips to Ethiopia and Belize.

"I remember coming across a quote that said that nearly 3 billion people lived on less than $2 a day," said Jackson. "I began to ask how I could use my architecture skills to make a difference in the lives of those 3 billion people. " That idea formed the foundation of GoDesign, where creative projects have a big impact on the lives of financially disadvantaged individuals.

GoDesign recently worked with Temple Christian Church to design a school in Southern Ethiopia that will serve 60 children in the remote village of Dilla. The school will officially open to the public in the fall of 2013. Through the nonprofit, Jackson strives to solve architectural issues in national and international communities and help fund projects through partnerships with other organizations that support his mission.

SCAD: The University for Creative Careers

The Savannah College of Art and Design is a private, nonprofit, accredited institution conferring bachelor's and master's degrees at distinctive locations and online to prepare talented students for professional careers. SCAD offers degrees in more than 40 majors. Visit scad.edu.