Conn. College - Advancement

Atop a 100-year-old arboretum campus, Connecticut College houses 1,900 undergraduate students and is the alma mater to 25,000 alums globally. The college markets to internal and external audiences to maintain its standing reputation.

Role Graphic Designer · Photo Editor

Work Brand Identity · Print

Tools InDesign · Photoshop

Company In-house

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The Problem

Alums need a way to connect with the college and other alums from their class without feeling like there’s a hidden agenda. The solution should provide options for alums to participate financially or otherwise.

"How can we regain control of our brand identity as we reach our centennial?"

Opportunity

  • Distinguish alumni events from fundraising asks. Provide a new, informal mark that positions the college seal for ceremonial purposes.
  • Drive excitement to attend the college’s events.
  • Apply the refreshed identity to separate informal communications from formal college business.
Success Measurements
  • Increase alumni engagement and event participation by 20%.
  • Increase alumni donations, especially among younger classes to 100 M in two years.

Process

Research & Discovery

Establishing buy-in was important. I co-led stakeholder sessions to identify pain points and collect feedback to ensure we met the college’s needs.

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Define

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Ideate

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Branding

Print

Moving away from the traditional blue and white/text-only alumni materials, I used additional colors, patterns, type treatments, and vintage photography to generate excitement and pull on emotional connections to the college.

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UX Design

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Visual Design

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Testing

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Impact

Outcomes
  • Increased Alumni Engagement: Engaged more alumni and boosted event participation by 20%, strengthening community involvement and building lasting relationships with the institution.
  • Growth In Alumni Giving: Encouraged more alumni — especially younger classes — to donate toward a $100M goal over two years, strengthening fundraising sustainability.
Key Learnings
  • Clear Subbrand Differentiation: Defined distinct subbrands for fundraising initiatives and alumni events, helping alumni quickly understand each communication's purpose and choose how to engage.
  • Transparency Builds Trust: Alumni seek honesty and clarity in communications; disguising fundraising materials as event promotions (and vice versa) erodes credibility and weakens engagement.
  • Audience-Specific Design Matters: Tailor designs to audiences — older and younger alumni respond differently to messaging, visuals, and engagement.
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