Student Media University of Arizona
Student Media is the University of Arizona’s hub for student-run publications, including The Daily Wildcat. The platform spans print, web, advertising, and campus storytelling, serving a fast-moving, digitally native student audience. I worked as a Lead Visual Designer on the Wildcat Welcome 2025 magazine and supporting digital assets, helping modernize the publication’s visual language while maintaining institutional credibility.
Journalism & Media
Project Overview
Student publications often struggle to visually stand out while still honoring university brand standards. For Wildcat Welcome 2025, the challenge was to:
Appeal to a Gen Z audience with bold, editorial design
Maintain University of Arizona brand integrity
Create cohesion across print, web, and marketing assets
Work within tight academic timelines and evolving content
Design Solution
I collaborated closely with student editors, advertising teams, and faculty to shape a cohesive visual system for the magazine and its digital presence.
My approach focused on:
Strong editorial hierarchy and typography
Modular layouts that adapt across print and web
Visual storytelling that feels current, student-driven, and credible
Iterative feedback cycles with cross-functional teams
This resulted in a publication that felt confident, modern, and unmistakably student-led, without losing institutional clarity.
Lead Visual Designer
Wildcat Welcome 2025
Led visual direction for magazine layouts and digital extensions
Designed print and web layouts, covers, and feature spreads
Created presentation decks and design iterations for stakeholder review
Collaborated with editorial, advertising, and student leadership
Supported internal operations under Senior Advertising Manager Mark Marrero, including ad layouts, internal communications, and event collateral
Results & Impact
Successfully designed and launched the Fall 2024–25 Wildcat Welcome magazine
Strengthened visual consistency across print and web
Received direct praise from editors and department leadership for adaptability and design quality
Supported advertising and marketing outcomes for Student Media’s business unit
Contributed to a publication distributed across campus and shared internationally
What This Project Demonstrates
This project highlights my ability to:
Design within real institutional constraints
Balance creativity with brand systems
Collaborate across editorial, marketing, and leadership teams
Ship polished work on deadline in a fast-paced environment
It reflects how I approach real-world design problems, not just visuals.