Restructuring a vibrant platform to amplify student culture and expression
ROLE
Creative Director, Editor-in-Chief, Graphic + Brand Designer, Photographer
TIMELINE
2 years
TEAM
Led a Director Team of 15 and an Organization of 160
TOOLS
Figma, Adobe Creative Cloud (Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator)
When I became Creative Director and later Editor-in-Chief, MINT Magazine was struggling with campus engagement and community involvement. My goal was to revitalize MINT into a platform that showcased creativity while reflecting diverse voices and amplifying student engagement.
Challenge
To tackle this, I led a rebranding initiative focused on:
Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration: Restructured the editorial process to foster collaboration between writers, designers, and photographers, ensuring cohesive storytelling.
Visual Identity Refresh: Developed bold, concept-driven visuals to align with students’ preferences while maintaining a professional edge.
Approach
Transformed MINT into a bold, biannual publication with a fresh digital presence and an on-campus following, publishing 350 copies each cycle and launching a revamped website for online engagement.
1,000+ sign-ups for our launch party, up from 300 in the previous cycle.
200+ students interested in joining the club during my second year of leadership, reflecting increased engagement and growth.
Increased creative submissions, with contributors producing more thoughtful, concept-driven work.
Outcome
Magazine Covers
CREATIVE DIRECTION, LOGISTICS
As Creative Director, I identified a need for more dynamic and visually striking magazine covers. I conducted in-depth research and developed moodboards that guided our creative exploration for each issue, encouraging contributors to push beyond traditional editorial aesthetics into avant-garde storytelling.
My team was the first in 8 years to shoot a cover outdoors, breaking the tradition of plain backgrounds to bring movement and energy into our visuals. This shift revitalized the magazine’s look and resonated strongly with our audience, driving higher engagement and positive feedback. I oversaw logistics and directed the cover shoots, balancing artistic vision and audience appeal.
Selected Spreads
ART DIRECTION, GRAPHIC DESIGN, PHOTOGRAPHY
These spreads highlight my individual contributions, where I directed photoshoots exploring themes like post-pandemic loneliness and escapism into nature. From concept iterations to final layouts, I experimented with various design and photography approaches, incorporating feedback to elevate the outcome. I used Adobe Creative Cloud and Figma to craft each spread to create an impact on the reader.
Editorial Curation
As Editor-in-Chief, I curated the overall direction of each issue. I worked closely with our contributors to refine their artistic approach and align their work with our thematic vision. I provided feedback on design and photography to ensure the content resonated with our audience. By curating a diverse range of creative voices and maintaining coherence across the magazine, I helped shape each issue into a compelling narrative that showcased our contributors’ talents.
BRAND IDENTITY, CREATIVE DIRECTION
Creative Leadership: Managing a team of 160 students taught me how to balance creative freedom with clear direction. I learned to lead with empathy, allowing contributors to express their unique voices while keeping the publication aligned with our cohesive vision and on schedule.
Teamwork in Multi-Disciplinary Collaboration: Working with models, photographers, and writers, I learned to adapt and integrate different perspectives, often stepping out of my comfort zone as a designer to support a unified vision. I found parallels with my work in UX Design, where blending inputs from stakeholders and users is essential to creating seamless, user-centered experiences.
Project Management: Overseeing the magazine’s logistics—from scheduling shoots to organizing the publication timeline—taught me how to manage multiple moving parts and meet deadlines without compromising quality.
