Role:
Book Design // Typesetting
Book Design // Typesetting
Client:
UMBC Office of Undergraduate Research
UMBC Office of Undergraduate Research
Uniting Academic Disciplines
I had the opportunity to design the 27th issue of the UMBC Review, an academic publication that showcases peer-reviewed student scholarship from across a wide range of disciplines, bringing together diverse perspectives and fields of study. My objective for this design was to unify the disciplines and reflect curiosity, collaboration, and interdisciplinary spirit at the core of the journal. This milestone issue marks the publication’s 30th anniversary, celebrating three decades of undergraduate research at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.
Radiating Interdisciplinary Excellence
This issue of the Review celebrates 30 years of interdisciplinary excellence. UMBC hosts a community of bright, inquiring minds—an energy that serves as the foundation for this publication, which I chose to express through a visual theme of radiating and overlapping patterns. In the cover and the section title pages, the colorful rays are woven throughout campus architecture, visualizing the spread of knowledge as it connects disciplines and expands outward into the world.
Playful, Yet Professional
The look and feel of this design needed to appeal to both experienced academics and undergraduate students. I opted for a bright and playful visual language to celebrate the Review’s 30th anniversary issue, while maintaining a polished style to establish the sense of professionalism associated with a research publication.
Design Research & Process
My research process began with the creation of a moodboard that would communicate my concept to the Review team. I gathered images that explored similar visual themes to my proposed concept, and carefully selected typefaces and a color palette to serve as a jumping off point for the design. I designed and typeset this edition from cover to cover, sending multiple passes over to my supervisor and the Review’s team of editors for proofing and revisions on a tight schedule in order to meet our goal of having this edition printed and ready to distribute at UMBC’s Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement Day.
Release + Distribution
To generate hype for the release, I put together a social media campaign counting down the days to the launch of the Review. The volume's release coincided with UMBC's Undergraduate Research Day, and copies of the Review were distributed freely at the event to students, faculty, and the general public.
My design for this issue of the Review was featured in UMBC's Senior Art Exhibition alongside my design for the 2025 issue of Bartleby, UMBC's Creative Arts Journal.
DESIGN AWARDS
I am pleased to say that my design for this issue of the UMBC Review recieved the UCDA Design Award in Silver as well as the Judge's Choice Award, ranking in the top 10% of submissions for 2026.
Out of the 171 entries she reviewed, print judge Jessica Church selected “UMBC Review 2026” to receive her Judge’s Choice award. Here's what Jessica had to say about the design:
"This seemingly simple layout takes the starburst design to a whole new level with a well executed and engaging blend of photography, patterns and color. Strong use of typography balances out the composition and makes sure the student research is the highlight of each spread."
TOOLS: Adobe InDesign, Adobe Illustrator, Microsoft Excel
MeNTOR: Laura Schraven
