Welcome to HMCT

Mission Statement

The mission of the Hoffmitz Milken Center for Typography is to set the standard of excellence in typography education; elevate and advance the teaching and understanding of both letterform design and typographic practice; provide valuable support and service to the educational and professional communities, reinforcing the meaning and value of typography; and to honor the past and anticipate the future of typography in a society of rapidly changing visual communication methods.

Leah Hoffmitz Milken

Professor Leah Hoffmitz Milken was a multi-award-winning graphic designer renowned for her letterform expertise. As a consultant to the top design firms in America, she contributed to, and helped evolve, some of the most recognizable logotypes and identities seen today. 

Throughout her career, she specialized in the creation of unique logotypes and typefaces for multiple industries and media. Corporate brands benefiting from her expert typographic eye include FedEx, Nokia, United Airlines and Disney.

As an educator for three decades, Leah left her mark on students through her skilled tutelage in typography and visual problem solving, inspiring future generations of “thinking designers.” Since joining the faculty in 1992, Leah influenced a generation of graduates, many of whom have become internationally recognized experts in graphic design and typography. Notable former students include Mike Abbink, senior creative director at IBM Watson, and designer of the typefaces Kievit and Brando; and Josh Finklea, designer of the typeface Post Grotesque.

Leah’s profound dedication to teaching and her desire to give back to her students were recognized in 2008 when she was presented with an Honorary Alumna designation from ArtCenter. She was also active in the College’s Legacy Circle, an alumni-led volunteer group raising support for student scholarships. In 2013, Leah was awarded the ArtCenter College of Design Distinguished Achievement Award for her commitment to design, typography and education. She is an honors graduate of Ontario College of Art in Toronto, and pursued her graduate studies at the prestigious Kunstgewerbeschule in Basel, Switzerland. Awards and citations from organizations of note include: the American Institute of Graphic Arts [AIGA], Graphis, Type Directors Club, Association Typographique Internationale [ATypI] and The Library of Congress.

Our People

The Lowell Milken Family Foundation

The Lowell Milken Family Foundation focuses its efforts on groundbreaking and comprehensive initiatives that provide powerful opportunities for educators, students and people of all ages. The Lowell Milken Family Foundation is based on a core belief that human capital remains the world’s most important asset, and education remains the best means for cultivating human capital by providing young people with the skills, knowledge and experiences to prepare them for rewarding and productive lives. Working with ArtCenter College of Design to establish the Hoffmitz Milken Center for Typography has resulted in an enriching partnership through which to honor Professor Leah Hoffmitz Milken’s memory, as well as her extraordinary knowledge of and deep commitment to typography. The Lowell Milken Family Foundation is proud to support this mission through the work of the Hoffmitz Milken Center for Typography as it fosters excellence in an academic field that is central to design education, culture, and visual communication.

HOURS

The HMCT (South Campus) Gallery is free and open to the public. It is accessible when school is in term, seven days a week from 9 AM to 7 PM. The Storefront Gallery, located within the Center, is also free and open to the public most weekdays from 10 AM to 4 PM. (We advise you to call ahead to make sure the Storefront Gallery is open, 626-396-4343 ).

LOCATION

950 South Raymond Avenue
Pasadena, California 91105