Background
Every year, the Graphic Design Program at Drexel University celebrates the accomplishments of the seniors by highlighting their exceptional design projects in a Senior Showcase. This year focuses on the Class of 2023. The showcase aims to bring the class and other community members like Drexel University Professors, Faculty, Alumni, Job Recruiters, and Friends and Family of the students together for viewing each student’s hard work and success.

Objective
Establish a unified brand identity for the Class of 2023 that reflects and honors the diverse personalities, backgrounds, and creative styles of the students. This identity should cultivate a sense of community and pride, engaging peers, faculty, alumni, industry professionals, and supporters through a cohesive visual and narrative approach.

2023 Drexel University Graphic Design Senior Show

In the early stages of research, the focus centered on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic—an era defined by separation, endless Zoom meetings, and limited opportunities for collaboration. Returning to in-person classes in the final months of school became a moment to reconnect with old friends and build new relationships. This contrast raised key questions: How could these differences be showcased as the very qualities that make the class bold and unpredictable? And how could the impact of the pandemic, alongside the bond formed as seniors, be emphasized? These guiding questions shaped the initial concepts outlined below.

As the concept of boldness and unpredictability evolved, the team experimented with pixels, glitches, repetition, and alternative design principles to test how these elements could challenge conventional visual systems.

Over six weeks, this iterative process of trial, refinement, and exploration gradually shaped the direction, ultimately leading to a cohesive and finalized branding system.