Saint Louis University School of Science and Engineering
The new School of Science and Engineering at Saint Louis University carries an enduring legacy of excellence, integrity and unwavering spirit. With a promising future ahead, the School’s university magazine celebrates unity and shares achievements in academia. Read on for one of Paradigm’s latest higher education marketing case studies.
Role
- Content Development & Copywriting
- Print Design
Industry
- Higher Education
Challenge
Saint Louis University continually refines its frameworks, programs and processes to keep pace with an ever-evolving world. One such change was responding to community needs by forming the School of Science and Engineering in 2022.
The new School united four departments from the College of Arts and Sciences — Chemistry, Computer Science, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences and Physics — with all disciplines previously housed in the Parks College of Engineering, Aviation and Technology. The union brought similar disciplines under the same roof, promoting a culture of multidisciplinary collaboration.
While this change better serves students and faculty, some community members had concerns that it would take focus away from individual departments. University leadership turned to Paradigm for higher education marketing strategies — leading to the creation of a new university magazine that would reassure the broader community, share program evolutions and celebrate stories of innovation.
Content Strategy
As the inaugural issue, the School of Science and Engineering magazine needed to introduce itself to decades of alumni. Paradigm intentionally incorporated pieces that explained the merger of disciplines and shared information about notable programs. For example, our team created a spread about the Oliver L. Parks Department of Aviation that paid homage to its independent history and illuminated a brighter future.
The School’s magazine needed originality to stand apart from other publications. At SLU, faculty members make breakthroughs in research, students excel in their studies and graduates skyrocket to the top of their fields. For this reason, we chose to keep its university magazine content focused on people rather than institutions. Our copywriters interviewed people of interest and crafted stories of achievement around their own words.
One story of note was a profile of Eugene Kranz — a SLU alumnus and the former Chief Flight Director of NASA. His work on landmark missions, such as the Apollo 11 lunar landing and the Apollo 13 rescue, set the standard for all hopeful scientists and engineers. His story, as well as the accomplishments of countless alumni, ultimately inspired the name of the magazine: The Billiken Blueprint.
Print Design
The Billiken Blueprint took a clean, editorial approach that paid homage to the overarching SLU brand. Layouts used SLU brand colors, with predominantly white backgrounds and SLU Blue graphics to add dimension. Classic SLU symbols such as fleur de lis and shields further tied the publication to the University as a whole.
However, our design team found ways to add the School of Science and Engineering’s personality to this university magazine. We used illustrations of machines, aircraft vessels and cross-hatching patterns found in blueprints to add visual interest to each layout while mirroring the copy’s subject matter. Striking photography supplemented each page, showcasing diversity through the faces and places found around campus.
The SLU-Madrid section added variety to the design, using a red tone found on rooftops and brick pathways throughout Spain. By implementing a clear color shift, we highlighted the unique experience of studying abroad — differentiating the SLU-Madrid and St. Louis campuses.
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