Although you may not have known it at the time, you’ve likely seen a piece of artwork from the Student Creative Group at UCF. Made up of a small team of students, the SCG gives artistically talented Knights the opportunity to design projects for groups across the university in collaboration with UCF Marketing and Communications and the School of Visual Arts and Design.
Previous work includes GIPHY stickers for Instagram, illustrations for the Cypress Dome literary magazine, and concepts for bus wraps, welcome back stickers, and other pending projects with the university.
This year, the Student Creative Group helped create the bold and vibrant branding for UCF Celebrates the Arts. Students in the group — which include David Cordero, Brook Farris, McKayla Hogan, and Jordan Stewart — created a variety of concepts to choose from, and as the concepts were narrowed down, collaborated with each other to perfect the final selection.
Stewart, a graphic design major, originated the final design selected. From the bright colors to the whimsical visual elements, this year’s branding serves as a perfect representation of the vibrance of UCF’s artistic community.
Victor Davila ’97 ’07MFA, assistant professor at the School of Visual Arts and Design who founded SCG, says the group benefits both students and the institution.
“The students have the chance to work on many kinds of projects with real clients giving real feedback that impacts the university as a whole,” he says. “This kind of experience is vital to their growth as designers, and they learn lessons that they can use in their careers.”
Cordero, a graphic design major and marketing minor, designed some of the concepts for the UCF Celebrates the Arts branding. He says the most valuable part of participating in the group is gaining experience working with a major brand and learning from Davila.
“It was great to be inspired by his passion for design, and he would bring us a variety of different projects that allowed us to work creatively in a more professional environment,” Cordero says.
After graduation, Cordero plans to enter the advertising industry, eventually becoming an art director so he can combine his design and marketing knowledge with his leadership skills.
This year, you can celebrate the arts in a new way with apparel from the official UCF Celebrates the Arts Redbubble shop. From T-shirts and face coverings to mugs and phone cases, there are plenty of ways to rock this year’s vibrant, colorful design. And be sure to wear your apparel to show your support when you attend one of the many in-person or virtual events that are part of this year’s festival.
Learn more about UCF Celebrates the Arts and reserve your tickets at arts.cah.ucf.edu/celebrates.
