As Hamilton College appraoched its 10th anniversary of need-blind admission, the Communications team decided to create a cover for Hamilton Magazine that captured the essence of their commitment to admitting students without regard to their financial circumstances.

I reached out to my first design mentor, the legendary Milton Glaser for inspiration. I had previously worked for Milton as an intern, which shaped my entire career. I was uncertain if Milton would even remember me, but I received a response from him the very next morning, along with a sketch (above) reflecting his concept for the cover.

I created a pencil illustration based on his idea. In this image, the blindfold doesn’t obscure Hamilton’s vision: It provides a window of opportunity for its students.

The first comprehensive brand and visual identity guide for Hamilton College. A difficult but rewarding exercise. The message map, the photo guides, and the grid templates needed to work, but just look great in a book that users consign to a drawer.