UCDA Creative Summit

Keynote: The Future of the Viewbook

The viewbook is a stalwart part of university and college student recruitment cycles. However, as the needs and expectations of students have changed, so too have these documents. In this presentation and discussion, Nathan Monk will explore the history of this promotional publication, showcase emerging trends, and explore future possibilities for university viewbooks. While the world has shifted to digital-first everything, prospectuses have stubbornly stayed the same. Is the viewbook still relevant, or is it time for change?

Nathan Monk is the co-founder of Prospectus+, a firm that produces digital alternatives and compliments to the traditional printed university viewbook. His expertise has included designing high-profile websites with complex system integrations including HEIST award-winning projects. In addition to his professional accomplishments, Monk is the host of the Most Clicked podcast, where he discusses trending topics in higher education digital marketing. As a frequent speaker at national and international conferences, he enjoys sharing his insights on digital innovation, transformation, and strategy.

20x20 Presentation: Bolster Your Multimedia Efforts by Building a Team of Student Volunteers

Skelton will share her experience with founding a program for engaging a group of 25+ students in representing the university with multimedia content.

As a digital media producer for Lenoir-Rhyne University, Mikeala Skelton oversees the development of all media used in marketing the university to an external audience through the Office of Marketing and Communications. She has experience with creating content specifically for YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and SEO campaigns in support of online and social media strategy. 

20x20 Presentation: Grey's Anatomy: Lessons in Life, Design & Leadership

An exploration of parallels between an in-house design career and TV's longest-running medical drama, Grey's Anatomy. (Seriously? Seriously.)

Veronica Burgess has worked in education design for 14 years in roles such as graphic designer, senior media producer, digital designer, and her current role as creative director for the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri, where she focuses on multi-channel marketing campaigns, print and digital design, environmental branding, and illustration.

Keynote: Navigating the Creative Space: Building Your Brand as a Young Creative

As a creative professional with more than 10 years of expertise in various and numerous design and design-adjacent roles, Chanelle Smith-Walker knows what it means to build a professional brand for oneself in the creative space. She will share her journey and experience with us in this insightful, inspirational, and candid presentation. 

Chanelle Smith-Walker currently holds the position of team photographer for the Carolina Panthers, making her the second black female team photographer in NFL history. Chanelle has played a pivotal role in leading the Carolina Panthers' digital team through significant projects, including the Representation Matters: Celebrating Black Culture Initiative, the 2022 and 2023 schedule release campaigns, and the Hall of Honor campaign. 

Previously, Chanelle made history as the first black creative director in the SEC while serving as the Creative Director for University of Tennessee football. She was also part of the design team for the 2021 College Football National Championship, establishing herself as a member of the first female design duo and the first black designer for the CFB Playoffs.

Chanelle's career trajectory includes roles such as Director of Creative Media for NC State Football and Associate Director of Graphic Design for the Baylor Bears. She began her journey in the field as a graduate assistant for the athletics creative department at Southern Miss, eventually becoming the Director of Digital Media and Creative Services.

Workshop: Making Letterforms with Kelcey Gray

Experiment, Practice, Play, and Explore. In this session, graphic designer Kelcey Gray will guide you through a series of introductory and experimental exercises to flex your typographic muscles. Bring your preferred pen, pencil, and paper, and prepare for some lettering goodness.

Kelcey Gray is an Austin, Texas–based designer who spends her time working with words and exploring the possibilities of typography and lettering. She is the author of Let’s Make Letters! and currently teaches design and typography at the School of Design and Creative Technologies at the University of Texas at Austin. Kelcey received her MFA in Graphic Design at the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore. Throughout her career, she has won several industry awards and been featured in publications like Fast Company, Communication Arts, Under Consideration, Gestalten Books, and Type on Screen edited by Ellen Lupton. She has exhibited her work both nationally and internationally, notably at the 2017 London Design Festival. She was once told she was "energetic, but not in that annoying way" by someone who clearly meant well but was not very good at giving compliments. 

Keynote: Building a Next Generation Brand

The New York Times calls Texas "the Future of America" because experts predict the massive demographic shifts it's experiencing will occur nationwide, creating a more diverse America. In the 2020 census, Texas added 4 million new residents, 95% of whom were people of color. Many will be first-generation college students. Texas State University has also transformed with student demographics that mirror the state. This seachange created an exciting opportunity for TXST to revitalize its brand and meet the next generation of Texans. In this session, members of the TXST team will share their strategies and learnings while leading the university's first rebranding effort in more than 17 years. 

Elias Martinez serves as AVP for Marketing at TXST, leading the AMA's 2022 Higher Education Marketing Team of the Year. While at TXST, his team has been recognized by the CASE Circle of Excellence and the Webby's Anthem Awards, which honor the best purpose- and mission-driven work. Before joining TXST, he served as AVP for Brand Strategy at Colorado State University, where he led brand marketing. The UCDA awarded his group at CSU "Best In-House Team" in 2016. Before moving into higher education, Elias helped solve business problems for Nike, Google, General Mills, Cheerios, Betty Crocker, Wheaties, Purina, and Nordstrom at Zeus Jones, a digital marketing and branding firm. His work has been featured on Good Morning America, NPR, ESPN, Esquire, Sports Illustrated, Fast Company, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, Ad Age, Communications Arts, and the front page of Reddit.

Keynote: Building a Next Generation Brand

The New York Times calls Texas "the Future of America" because experts predict the massive demographic shifts it's experiencing will occur nationwide, creating a more diverse America. In the 2020 census, Texas added 4 million new residents, 95% of whom were people of color. Many will be first-generation college students. Texas State University has also transformed with student demographics that mirror the state. This seachange created an exciting opportunity for TXST to revitalize its brand and meet the next generation of Texans. In this session, members of the TXST team will share their strategies and learnings while leading the university's first rebranding effort in more than 17 years. 

Kelly King-Green is a creative director with more than 22 years of experience in integrated brand marketing, and 11 years focused within higher education. She has a strong mix of creative and operations experience, and currently leads a team that produces strategic, high-impact brand content for Texas State University. Kelly has a deep understanding of the creative process and how to craft powerful stories that engage and motivate audiences. She lives and works in beautiful San Marcos, Texas.

20x20 Presentation: Creative Confluence: Speed Painting and the Spirit of Connection 

Creative expression has been woven into all aspects of Anna’s life since she was very young. The soul-filling, life-giving, contributions of the tactile process of creating music, writing, painting, sculpture, and craft feed her capacity for even greater creativity. With a professional career deeply rooted in graphic design, her most recent exploration into the acrylic medium and the painterly styles that mimic illustration feel like a bridge between the fluid artistry of painting and the precision of graphic design, blending two passions into one harmonious expression. She encourages everyone to embark on some form of collaborative creativity, where each person can weave their unique strands of imagination into a collective piece. The application of this exercise in any aspect of life will undoubtedly bleed into a creative and collaborative workplace culture that is an infinite feedback loop of creativity. 

Anna McBrayer is the Director of Marketing & Communication at Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado. She is a longtime member of UCDA and served as the conference chair for the 2022 UCDA Design conference in Santa Ana Pueblo, New Mexico. Anna's career has benefited greatly from the supportive environment that UCDA brings to creative teams within higher ed and beyond.

20x20 Presentation: How UCDA Helped Me Learn to Stop Worrying and Love My Art Style

The artistic journey can be bombarded with divine discontent. Liz Lord will share how she grappled with this discontent in her own work, how UCDA helped her along the way, and her current path to find and love her art style.

Bio: Liz Lord is a graphic designer in the marketing and communications department at Utah State University. She also art directs, designs, and illustrates Utah State Magazine, USU’s alumni magazine. With almost 20 years of experience designing for higher ed, she has won national awards for her design and illustration work, and was honored to add “NASA approved illustrator” to her credentials in 2022.