Karl Gude, lecturer for the School of Journalism, College of Communication Arts and Sciences. Photo by Amanda Ross.

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Going from dairy farming to graphic design, Karl Gude only fantasized about living, let alone teaching in a college town. Now a lecturer in the School of Journalism, College of Communication Arts and Sciences at Michigan State University,  Gude worked for 26 years in New York City for publications such as the Associated Press, Newsweek, New York Daily News and United Press International.

Gude came to MSU in 2006 to start a program in information graphics and visual communication in journalism. Visual journalism, as he describes it, can include diagramming explanations of events such as aircraft explosions, medical findings or even crime scenes for trials.

“It could be anything, and you would have to learn about it very quickly,” said Gude. “So I would need to learn about it, diagram it, move it to the newspapers and all in one day. It could not be wrong.”

Currently, Gude is working on an exhibit “The Presentation of Evidence as Art” in the third floor halls of MSU’s College of Law. He has one piece in the exhibit, his work and diagram from the O.J. Simpson murder trial which was used in the legal proceedings to explain complex issues to the court.

The exhibition formally opens at 4 p.m. on Oct. 8 and Gude will be lecturing about his work with visuals in a legal setting at 7 p.m. on Nov. 12 at the College of Law.

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