THE FACE BEHIND THE DESIGN

Ever wonder who brings the Parkside Day look to life? By collaborating with talented student designer Chris Davis and our Creative Services team, we’ve made 2026 our most vibrant year yet!

Christopher Davis Jr
Business Management, Graphic Design
Expected to graduate in Fall 2026

Headed into the Parkside Day project, I felt a responsibility to capture the feeling of belonging and history at Parkside, and was challenged to do so in a 5x7” magnet postcard form that will not only sit on your desk or refrigerator, but call you to action and build excitement for April 22, 2026.

My approach focused on clarity and consistency. I worked through type hierarchy, contrast, and the color system, which introduced the ‘birch’ tone along with Parkside Green in varying tones to create a clean and warm look. I also involved contrasting brand elements, with the ‘Rangers’ wordmark and the Ranger bear pairing in harmony with the dominant Parkside ‘P’, alongside the shield logo and the historic, credible seal. This reinforced a unified system that reflects history and identity.

What made this project successful was its ability to scale. Beyond the magnet postcard, the design language has shown up across campus in other materials. The magnet postcard project didn’t only function, it also influenced.

I look forward to delivering visual clarity as an extension of the University of Wisconsin-Parkside. This is all in service of our tight-knit community, which makes me very grateful and responsible for the opportunity to contribute in such a way.

At Parkside, I’ve had the opportunity to contribute to the community and build real-world skills. The same mindset rolls into my upcoming role as a Graphic Design intern with the Store Experience Design team at Best Buy, where I’ll be working on in-store visuals at a nationwide level. Ultimately, my goal is to enable a creative career that scales impact and serves a purpose greater than myself.