Restructuring a vibrant platform to amplify student culture and expression
ROLE
TIME
2021 - 2024
TEAM
Led 15 directors and 160 photographers, designers, writers, and event planners
CHALLENGE
When I became Creative Director and later Editor-in-Chief, MINT Magazine was struggling with campus engagement and community involvement. My goal was to revitalize MINT into a platform that showcased creativity while reflecting diverse voices and amplifying student engagement.
STRATEGY
To tackle this, I led a rebranding initiative focused on cross-disciplinary collaboration and a visual identity refresh. I restructured the editorial process to foster collaboration between writers, designers, and photographers, ensuring cohesive storytelling. I developed bold, concept-driven visuals to align with students’ preferences while maintaining a professional edge.
OUTCOME
Increased creative submissions, with contributors producing more thoughtful, concept-driven work, publishing 350 copies each cycle and launching a revamped website for online engagement.
1,000+ sign-ups for our launch party, up from 300 in the previous cycle.
200+ students interested in joining the club during my second year of leadership, reflecting increased engagement and growth.
As Creative Director, I identified a need for more dynamic and visually striking magazine covers. I conducted in-depth research and developed moodboards that guided our creative exploration for each issue, encouraging contributors to push beyond traditional editorial aesthetics into avant-garde storytelling.
My team was the first in 8 years to shoot a cover outdoors, breaking the tradition of plain backgrounds to bring movement and energy into our visuals. This shift revitalized the magazine’s look and connected strongly with our audience, driving higher engagement and positive feedback. I oversaw logistics and directed the cover shoots, balancing artistic vision and audience appeal.
These spreads highlight my individual contributions, where I directed photoshoots exploring themes like post-pandemic loneliness and escapism into nature. From concept iterations to final layouts, I experimented with various design and photography approaches, incorporating feedback to elevate the outcome.
As Editor-in-Chief, I curated the overall direction of each issue. I worked closely with our contributors to refine their artistic approach and align their work with our thematic vision. I provided feedback on design and photography to ensure the content resonated with our audience. By curating a diverse range of creative voices and maintaining coherence across the magazine, I helped shape each issue into a compelling narrative that showcased our contributors’ talents.
