La Sierra University Career Services
I had the amazing opportunity to work with a fantastic team at La Sierra University's Career Services Center. Thier mission is to serve La Sierra students and alumni to encourage them to discover their calling and offer them the resources to successfully navigate their career journey.
The team was in plans to start an online contact management system. A portal for job posts, career events, and a resource center for current students. The idea for this project was to "bridge" students into the working world. Hence, the name of the logo they would like me to design. The goal was to get over 2,000 students to register. Their goal was to eventually reach every incoming student in their freshmen year to use Career Bridge portal. So in 5 years, the entire student body would be on the system.
Since the team target market is young college students, they are looking for a logo that is:
• Trendy, simple, and minimalist.
• Represents trust, strong foundation, and helpfulness.
• Baby blue, white, and grey colors.
• Portrays a bridge as a metaphor from school to the real world.
Logo Process
Image Inspiration
I started the process by looking into photos of bridges around the world. I searched for photos that had a simple design with an interesting perspective. As you can see in the image below, the source of my inspiration came from the perspective of the Mackinac Bridge in Michigan.
Sketch
I sketched 40 drafts for presentation to Elke. The one we selected was number 26, which had a clear indication of what Elke was looking for.
digitized Mockup
I moved forward and created various digitized versions of number 26. The team and I agreed that having a stand-alone bridge would be the best design to keep because of the scalability factor. Which means the bridge inside the box won't be recognizable placed in website banners on mobile phones.
Colors
The color process was pretty simple. I designed a two-page color chart for the team to choose what fits for them. We decided to go with number four that had the right tone they were looking for.
After the color chart, I created and presented various color versions of the logo. The team and I decided number 8 and 7 would fit nicely with a few tweaks.
Finalize Logo
Elke and her team loved the final version of the logo. The entire process took about two months to finish. Which is actually an average time frame because each member of the Career Services team is very busy with their schedule.
Logo Guide
I also created an official logo guide with all the information they need keep the brand and logo consistent throughout their marketing projects. This book includes slides presentations, print & online specifications, and many other things requested by the team.
Distribution
Prints
The logo was handed over to the university graphic designer and designed a 4x5 inch print to market the product launch with the link to their department website. The flyers were distributed to all campus departments, mailboxes, and common spaces where students hang out.
Step and Repeat Banners
The logo was also used on a couple step and repeat banners throughout La Sierra campus. There was a great number of postive feedback from staff and students across campus.
Student and Employer Portals
This is the main event and main reason the logo was created for- The Career Bridge portal. This is an online contact management system for students and off-campus employers. It's a place for job posts, career events, and a resource center for incoming Freshmen students.
Review
Elke Hardt, M.ed.
Director of Career Services
5 of 5 stars
Rene attended meetings prepared with sketches, listened to our ideas, incorporated revisions as requested, worked within budget, and delivered beyond our expectations. The final design is appealing, and incorporates what we requested: the essence of a bridge and simplicity. I appreciate Rene's willingness to work alongside the client and offer suggestions that fit our needs. We are so pleased with our logo and have already used it in a number of ways