Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar (VCUQ) students have designed the cover for “Gathering the Tide: An Anthology of Contemporary Arabian Gulf Poetry”, the anthology supported in part by the Qatar Foundation Undergraduate Research Experience Programme (UREP) grant. The anthology presents a diverse and exciting collection of poems by poets from Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. A handful of anthologies represent the Middle East in general, or individual Middle Eastern countries. However, this is the first English language collection that presents the poets of the Gulf region. The poetry collection will invite readers into the rich and vibrant world of the Arabian Gulf, while making available the important literary work being undertaken by the poets of the region.Liberal Arts and Sciences assistant director, Patty Paine Gibbons, together with adjunct professor SamiaTouati Dietz and assistant professor Jeff Lodge, formerly of VCUQatar and now of VCU Richmond, edited the anthology, while VCUQatar graphic design students Nawar al-Mutlaq, Aisha al-Naama, Wanas al-Hussein and Ameera Makki worked on the cover design.All four students graduated in May 2011.The graphic design students became involved as part of a class (print II), that is run as a collaborative workshop and were given the opportunity to choose a project based on affinity for a particular subject matter.“The students associated with the anthology were enthusiastic supporters of Gibbons and the anthology,” Law Alsobrook, assistant professor of graphic design, said.The project ran as a three-week project wherein the students had to interview the client (Gibbons, in this case), conceptualise not only the cover, but other collateral materials for the project. “After interviewing the client and doing their own research about poetry and anthologies, the students then had brainstorming sessions as part of their process in arriving at their cover. I know that there was interest in Arabic calligraphy from the outset and so a good bit of research and experimentation went into that direction, among others,” Alsobrook added.“Working with the students of print II as part of a collaborative experience, I am continually amazed at what a few students can do in such a short period of time. It is truly remarkable to see students galvanised by both subject matter and the ability to work with each other on a topic they find interesting. It is what education is all about, when you see the transformative power of design education in action as students become professional designers before your eyes as they mature and change with each project,” said Alsobrook. “Giving students the freedom to propose design/visual solutions, enables them to express themselves and manifest the cumulative learning from all courses and all professors in the University,” graphic design department chair Muneera Spence said.Students in VCUQatar literature classes first identified the need for a comprehensive collection of Arabian Gulf poetry, VCUQatar students (now alumni) Fatima Mostafawi, Hend Mubarek Aleidan, Sara Marwan al-Qatami and Aisha Khalid al-Naama made invaluable contributions to the creation of the anthology.