Work

Challenge

The International Lifeline Fund helps bring clean water and energy to communities throughout Africa. Its mission is to empower people and help communities work together.

As ILF expanded into new regions of Africa, it needed a logo that would connect with people from different backgrounds. We aimed for a design that shows hope, unity, and clearly supports ILF’s mission.

Insight

In many African communities, people collect water from wells. The first designs used symbols of water and energy. Later, we shifted our focus to people, using themes like assistance and teamwork.

Design Solution

The logo shows helping hands and a rope, representing working together to draw water. Blue stands for water, and earth tones add warmth and unity. The design works well on marketing materials, signs, uniforms, and vehicles. Later, ILF chose green as its main color for rebranding but kept the original design, showing commitment to its identity and flexibility.

Results & Impact

Today, the ILF logo appears on all communications and field operations, including the website, fundraising materials, partner outreach, and signs. This helps keep the brand consistent. In humanitarian work, a logo builds recognition and trust, and this logo has done both as the organization has grown.

Challenge

The Marvelwood Alumni Association wanted a new look to help unite a divided alumni community. They hoped this would encourage former students to come back for alumni weekends and support fundraising efforts.

They wanted a symbol that would inspire nostalgia, pride, and a sense of community. This mattered most to alumni from the old campus, since the school had moved from Cornwall to Kent, Connecticut. The logo needed to represent something lasting about Marvelwood, helping everyone feel connected no matter where the school is now.

Insight

As a Marvelwood alum, I remember students coming together after a sports win to ring the Victory Bell. This tradition connected the past and present, made everyone feel like they belonged, and brought together people from different generations through shared memories.

The bell is just one part of Marvelwood’s natural setting that shapes how alumni feel about the school. The wooded hills, Housatonic River, Appalachian Trail, and Mohawk Mountain are more than just scenery. They bring back memories and are peaceful places that graduates remember for years. The landscape helps build the sense of community that comes from the school’s traditions.

Design Solution

I used these shared memories and connections to design a logo that brings everything together. The logo features a bell for achievement and unity, with rolling Appalachian hills in the background to show the school’s location. I picked modern colors and a geometric style to make it appealing to more alumni. The logo works well for events, newsletters, and fundraising, and it still feels unique to Marvelwood.

Results & Impact

The headmaster was excited about the new design, and the school’s marketing agency made it part of Marvelwood’s main branding. Now, the logo appears in Alumni Association materials and school communications. It helps bring people together and builds Marvelwood pride and shared memories.

/ The initial logo concept /