Mikala
Kmiecik-Burlingame
'19
is
a
senior
graphic
design
major
and
the
talent
behind
a
new
logo
that
will
represent
the
Association
of
Independent
Colleges
and
Universities
of
Ohio
(AICUO)
for
years
to
come.
To celebrate its 50th anniversary, the AICUO, a nonprofit organization that represents independent colleges in Ohio, held a student competition for the redesign of the organization's logo.
Todd Jones, AICUO President and General Counsel, says "AICUO regularly seeks to integrate students into its work through internships and advocacy. In preparation for its 50th anniversary, the association revived an idea from the 1980s when it used a student design for its new logo."
Kmiecik-Burlingame's sleek and simple design, which Jones calls "a wonderfully subtle, yet effective abstraction," was exactly what the AICUO was looking for and the anniversary edition will be used for the next 18 months on everything from their website and letterhead to office decor and business cards. After that, a variant of the logo will be used for years to come.
Perks to participating in the competition include being featured on the AICUO's website and in a student art exhibit in spring 2019. Top prizes included a tablet as well as a personal Adobe Creative Suite license.
To
further
her
professional
development
and
add
to
her
portfolio,
Kmiecik-Burlingame
also
interned
at
OhioGuidestone,
an
organization
providing
solutions
for
children,
families
and
communities.
During her internship, Kmiecik-Burlingame has been able to fulfill the internship credit required for her major, gain hands-on experience working as an in-house designer and create multiple graphics and logos that have been used by the company.
When asked about the graphic design program at BW she states, "It's surreal to me that when I came into the DMD [digital media and design] major three years ago, I knew next to nothing about graphic design. But now, I'm making designs and interning at an organization where the designs I create are being used for real-world applications."
She adds, "I'm going to be graduating from BW in a few short months with a portfolio of work and real-world experience under my belt; something that I don't think would have been possible without the classes and opportunities I've received through our art department."
