From the Nominator

The graduate viewbook of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago had the task of showcasing a world-class art and design institution, multiple programs with distinct characteristics, peerless resources, and the varied work of our students and their mentors. Through this publication, we aimed to inspire prospective graduate students from around the globe to join our community.  Enrollment Marketing led and directed the project and brought together members of our institution--including deans, department faculty, recruitment staff, and marketing teams--to partner with our outside design/content agency. We leveraged existing photography, pulled inspiration from our newly launched website, and contracted our long-time photographer to shoot big, bold images of our featured community members. Allowing the images and student work to guide the messaging helped us create a cohesive design, while showcasing the character of each graduate program. Our graduate recruitment team, departmental partners, and prospective students have been very excited by this approach. While many factors impact recruitment, we have seen a 7% growth in our application numbers, with a 9% increase in submitted applications.

From the Judges

A very professionally produced piece with significant use of photography and strong color choices throughout. We were impressed that this creative and fresh piece could be pulled off in such a lengthy publication (160+ pages). It is a massive book (and undertaking) that felt a bit overwhelming at times, but necessary given the status and nature of the school and the advanced level of artistry for prospective graduate students. The profiles of the students were an important element, but could have been more impactful if aligned with the respective programs.