Rutgers

The Rutgers University Foundation (RUF) supports Rutgers University through philanthropy, alumni engagement, and global impact initiatives. This project encompassed multiple high-visibility digital experiences—including a recruitment-focused website, an interactive wall display at the New Brunswick Alumni House, and a stewardship video designed to communicate Rutgers’ global impact through donor- and alumni-focused storytelling—each engaging a different audience while reinforcing a unified mission and brand.

Primary challenges

• Attract top faculty and staff in a competitive recruitment landscape

• Clearly answer the question: “Why should you work here?”

• Translate Rutgers’ deep history and global impact into engaging, modern experiences

• Design for both digital and physical environments

• Navigate complex stakeholder, brand, compliance, and accessibility requirements

The work needed to feel forward-thinking and immersive, while honoring the university’s legacy and institutional credibility.

The strategy centered on positioning RUF as a purpose-driven, people-first institution—distinct from corporate employers and deeply rooted in education, philanthropy, and community impact.

Strategic priorities

• Highlight mission, culture, and long-term growth over transactional benefits

• Appeal to candidates and alumni motivated by purpose, not just prestige

• Use storytelling to connect past, present, and future

• Balance heritage with innovation across both screen-based and physical experiences

Rather than mimicking corporate recruitment platforms, the work emphasizes what makes RUF unique: meaning, contribution, and belonging.

The project included two primary experience types: a recruitment website designed to convert talent, and an interactive wall installation designed to inspire alumni, donors, and visitors.

Recruitment website experience

• Fixed navigation with a persistent Open Positions CTA

• Candidate journey structured around:

  • Why Work Here

  • Benefits & Growth Opportunities

  • Employee Testimonials

  • Open Positions

  • Contact & Next Steps

• Testimonials elevated as peer validation rather than secondary content

• Mobile-first, accessible layouts with WCAG 2.1 AA compliance

Interactive wall display experience

• Designed for the entryway of the New Brunswick Alumni House (Van Nest Hall, est. 1845)

• Large-scale, touch-enabled display celebrating Rutgers’ legacy and global impact

• Content organized into interactive sections such as:

  • Scarlet Forever (emotional connections and alumni pride)

  • Distinguished Alumni

  • Rutgers Firsts (historical milestones)

  • Scarlet Stories (student and alumni narratives)

  • History of Van Nest Hall

  • Impact statistics and social feeds

The wall experience was intentionally immersive and exploratory—inviting visitors to engage emotionally with Rutgers’ story rather than passively consume information.

The visual system balances institutional heritage with warmth, accessibility, and modern energy.

Brand & visual direction

• Clean, spacious layouts that balance institutional credibility with warmth

• Rutgers scarlet red paired with violet to signal creativity, inclusivity, and ambition

• Gradients used to add depth, guide focus, and create visual continuity

• Authentic photography featuring real employees, alumni, and campus environments

• Minimalist iconography to simplify complex ideas and benefits

Narrative & experiential storytelling

• Developed a stewardship video storyboard to communicate Rutgers’ global impact through students, staff, alumni, and donor contributions

• Structured the narrative to balance emotion and credibility—celebrating outcomes without feeling promotional

• Designed story beats to align with brand values, institutional pride, and long-term donor relationships

• Ensured the video complemented (not duplicated) the interactive wall and web experiences

Innovation highlights

• Large-scale, touch-enabled interactive wall designed to inspire alumni, donors, and visitors

• Modular content system supporting historical storytelling, alumni pride, and institutional milestones

• Cohesive storytelling across physical space, motion, and digital platforms

These choices allowed RUF to feel both established and progressive—grounded in legacy, but oriented toward the future.

Together, the recruitment website and interactive wall display formed a cohesive ecosystem that strengthened engagement across talent, alumni, and donor audiences.

Impact

• 30% increase in recruitment site traffic within three months

• 40% increase in average time on page

• 25% increase in job application submissions

• 15% improvement in qualified candidate alignment

• 70% completion rate on testimonial video content

• Strong engagement and positive feedback from alumni house visitors

Collaboration & delivery

• Worked closely with Talent Management, Foundation leadership, developers, content strategists, legal, and compliance teams

• Used structured discovery, prototyping, and iterative feedback loops

• Reduced design approval cycles by 30% through clear alignment

• Ensured accessibility, compliance, and long-term scalability across all experiences

The result was a set of connected, meaningful digital experiences that supported recruitment goals, celebrated institutional pride, and reinforced RUF’s mission at every touchpoint.

UI Design · UX Strategy · Senior Art Direction · Cross-Functional Collaboration