Meet Anjuli Calvert ’08 : SIGD Advisory Council Member

A Principal Design Strategist & Service Designer for the Kentucky-based health insurance company, Anjuli Calvert got off to a healthy start in 2015 by being named to Forbes magazine’s “30 Under 30” in Manufacturing & Industry when serving as Lead Industrial Designer at General Electric Home Appliances. The last eight years has seen her hold various positions at Humana—which, she said, insures roughly 17.2 million members nationwide—helping to develop products and services that provide a better customer experience and improve members’ overall health. She received her Bachelor of Industrial Design in 2008 from the School of Industrial and Graphic Design (SIGD).

What are Calvert’s healthy designs to help Auburn University as a member of the SIGD Council?

“I plan to support and inform the planned transformation of SIGD by sharing my own subject matter expertise and career evolution from traditional industrial design to CX, service design, innovation and design strategy,” she said. “I would also ensure the program and students graduating are prepared to meet the changing role of design within various industries, especially within large corporations.”

It wouldn’t be hard for her to believe in the base the school provides for students as she has seen the effect of Auburn’s education on her own career, crediting her program’s emphasis on rapid prototyping in 3D and iterating through progressively refined prototypes as having a profound impact on her design process.

“This bias towards ‘making something’—even a rough model—that can be quickly tested and improved is invaluable,” she stated. “It not only fostered in-depth user understanding but also equipped me to tackle diverse design challenges, from traditional industrial objects to complex systems and intangible experiences.”

One example she provides involves the development of clinical programs aimed at supporting seniors managing chronic conditions at home. She discovered that frequent and early prototyping often helped in identifying the critical components necessary for ensuring adoption and engagement.

“Without adoption and regular engagement, clinical interventions are not effective,” she stated.

Her enthusiasm for education can be seen when it comes the whole family: her husband, David ’09, also received his Bachelor of Industrial Design from Auburn, and she is currently facilitating a human-centered design approach to new curriculum implementation at her children’s school.

Calvert’s “30 Under 30” accomplishment showcased her ability to hit the ground running early in her career. Now, with years of experience, she is committed to providing guidance, no matter the decade students are in or goals they wish to achieve.