4:52 DESIGN: THE STORY

Jen Urdang Stern, with a diploma from Germantown Academy in 1990, a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business and Art from The Pennsylvania State University in 1994, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Graphic Design from Tyler School of Art (Temple University, Cum Laude) in 1999, began working at Munroe Creative Partners – a creative firm in Center City Philadelphia – as an art director (after completing an internship while at Tyler). She continued working at Munroe for the next five and a half years, leaving her Senior Art Director job to pursue the opening of her own firm. In the fall of 2003, having envisioned a company that gave clients direct contact with and access to the creative director – with creating a team approach between the client and the designer – she used her education, knowledge, talent and experience in business and graphic design to launch 452 Design in Center City, Philadelphia. At 452 Design, all projects are customized for the respective clients by Stern, and a consistent team of writers, designers, programmers and photographers is brought in on a per-project basis. As the point of contact for all clients, Stern handles both the creative side and the business side of all projects, from client meetings and project administration to concept development and graphic design through production. At 452 Design, all work has Stern’s personal touch.

The team at 452 Design helps businesses in virtually every industry – from travel to entertainment to real estate to retail – achieve their design and marketing objectives by carefully listening to each client’s needs, every step of the way. In the 21 years of the company’s existence, our work has included the creation of corporate identities, stationery, advertising, invitations, brochures, web sites and other collateral materials. The extensive client list includes Purely Elizabeth, Comcast, Four Seasons Hotels, Fox Television Studios, and TiVo.

Stern was Co-Chair and Co-Founder of the Young Friends of the Abramson Cancer Center at the University of Pennsylvania; an original member of the Teen Empowerment Program Committee for Jewish Family and Children’s Service of Greater Philadelphia; Co-Chair of the Young Friends of the American Associates of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev; and Co-Chair of the Pink Tie Ball of Susan G. Komen for the Cure Philadelphia. In addition, she serves on the Directors Leadership Council at The Abramson Cancer Center, where she received the Distinguished Partners in Hope Award in 2015, as well as on the Executive Development Committee at Friends’ Central School. Stern served on the Graphic Arts Occupational Advisory Committee at Jules Mastbaum High School and organized the redesign of the children’s play room at Families Forward, a local homeless shelter. Her nonprofit/pro bono design clients include Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, A Chance to Heal, National Heroes Day, Survivors Empowered, CeaseFirePA, Drexel University Center for Hunger-Free Communities and Vetri Foundation for Children.

Stern is passionate about helping others, and always aspired to teach graphic design – to have the impact on young graphic designers that her professors had on her. In 2018, she became Adjunct Professor at Tyler School of Art & Architecture, first teaching introduction to graphic design to sophomores, and in 2019 becoming a regular adjunct professor of Junior Typography. She won the Distinguished Adjunct Faculty Award in 2021, and designed two posters that were featured in the We the Women Traveling Poster Exhibition.