The Council for University Programs
Events for students, by students
OVERVIEW
The Council for University Programs (CUP) is the official programming board for Northeastern University.
The board is entirely made up of students who work year round to plan, market, and run campus events including concerts, stand-up, lectures, and community events. Bringing in diverse and highly anticipated names like Hasan Minhaj, Jonathan Van Ness, Aminé, Carly Rae Jepsen, Colin Jost, and Lucy Dacus to Northeastern students.
MY ROLE
Throughout my various roles in CUP, I was responsible for establishing the organization's brand guidelines, designing over 40 event posters, redesigning the website, as well as leading and managing the marketing & design teams.
AREAS OF FOCUS – CASE STUDIES
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BRAND IDENTITY
I saw a need for consistent branding
When I first joined CUP, I noticed that the organization did not have established brand guidelines. I saw this as an opportunity to create a much needed sense of consistency for CUP while also sharpening my design skills.
Balancing unique events and cohesive design
A major challenge with this branding was that CUP is responsible for planning a very diverse array of events, each one appealing to a slightly different demographic of students.
Implementing the new branding
It was important that all of our marketing channels had the new brand guidelines implemented. This included our social media, website, and print materials.
UX / UI
With new brand guidelines, the website needed a refresh
I started by reviewing the previous website design, as well as websites of professional event planning companies in order to determine the important elements to include. Then I moved into creating low fidelity prototypes in Figma.
Hifi prototyping & working with a full stack developer
Once the low fidelity design was solidified, I moved into creating a high fidelity version including prototyped interactions and notes for the developer I was working with.
Emphasizing flexibility
It was important that the website could be frequently and easily updated without needing to access the code. Working with the developer, we ensured that elements like e-board team members, upcoming events, and external website links could easily be edited outside of the code. This enables CUP members without coding experience to be able to make much needed changes in a timely manner.
POSTER DESIGN
Unique posters to promote exciting events
I had the opportunity to create over 40 event posters for The Council for University Programs over the span of three years.
Working with artists
Creating posters using the imagery of artists and brands required me to become a flexible designer that is used to feedback and changes, even last minute ones.
Experimentation and illustration
I constantly pushed myself to try different styles, growing both my design and digital illustration skills.
