Print Design, Production Management, Project Management, Digital Design, Brand Identity, Merch and Apparel Design, Art Direction
Responsibility, integrity, community, excellence.
From 2022 to 2024, I got the chance to work in the Office of Admission at one of the most unique universities in the country, where I cut my teeth in production work, learned all things CMYK, and grew as a designer, production manager and project manager in ways I could never imagine!
My time at Rice University was incredibly special. From gearing up to our annual Owl Days in 2023 and 2024, to working on an innovative direct mailer idea that made a huge splash in the world of college admissions, this role was truly the adventure of a lifetime.
The following are a just a few of the highlights from the many briefs I worked on during my time within the walls of the beautiful Lovett Hall.
Sammy the owl: print/packaging/merch design, production and project management
Working on the print design, production management, and art direction for this distinctly engaging Summer mailer was the honor of a lifetime!
When our team committed to making a splash with our Summer 2024 counselor mailer, we reached out to Whitestone Branding to make the magic happen. After considering several directions, we landed on a custom mailer box, with a one-of-a-kind Lego kit containing a Rice owl (and, of course, an oak tree and a tiny squirrel) and a letter from the Vice President for Enrollment on a postcard.
The final product was a unique unboxing experience that practically went viral all over counselor offices across the country, winning us a feature in a Whitestone Case Study, and multiple awards:
Gold, Direct Mail Category | Educational Advertising Awards
Certificate of Excellence | American Advertising Federation, Houston
Best Distributor Client Promotion | The Advertising Specialty Institute Counselor Promo Campaign Awards
From exploring initial directions, to building Lego prototypes with my coworkers, to creating a box within a box, this project was one of the most memorable and fun experiences of my design career.
OWL guides benchmark pin: merch design, production management
This was an exciting opportunity to create a special enamel pin for Owl Guides that hit a specific tour hour benchmark.
As passionate Rice students who know all kinds of interesting facts about the campus and its storied history, Owl Guides are often prospective students’ first person of contact with the university and the Office of Admission.
The goal with this piece was to nod to the Rice owl in our logo and to create something so cute that the Owl Guides would just have to have it by working to hit that hour milestone.
Mission accomplished!
logo design, brand identity
As part of of STORY (Small Town Outreach Recruitment and Yield), Rice University is a member of a national consortium of colleges and universities working to expand college access for rural and small-town students. Twice a year, STORY travels to smaller communities to host college fairs featuring its 25–30 member institutions and presentations that walk students through admissions basics.
Drawing inspiration from America’s main streets and historic downtowns, I created this logo for their presentations and event collateral to give the consortium a bright visual identity that speaks to the strengths and lived experiences of rural college applicants.