This academic year has brought with it several triumphant changes for The Observer. Within nine months, The Observer implemented not only a new publication name but also new forms of content, contributors, and now, a new logo. With help and support from our very own campus community, this transition has pushed our publication out of the confines of the past and into the ranks of modernity. In January, after a formal announcement of our new name, The Observer looked to members of our community to decipher the look of our new logo. Today, we are pleased to unveil the prized result of our call for help. We welcome everyone to our new logo!

Upon the end of our three-month-long logo contest, the editorial team had much to consider. We appreciate everyone who took the time to make our vision come to life throughout this process. The combined efforts of the UIS community, editorial team, and staff contributors have brought us to this point. And while our transition is not complete just yet (keep an eye out for our renovated website pending Fall 2022), we have amassed pivotal success through this joint effort. We would like to send a respective thank you to UIS’s very own Bailey Cross for designing the illustrated embodiment of our transition.

Over the summer, our editorial team will be working diligently on launching our new website! We will have a new URL, a brand new fresh theme, with a lot more fun and engaging features than our current site. While this transition has been short of a monumental feat for us, we are very proud of our entire staff, our editorial team, and our faculty advisor as we push through this rebranding project we started back in the Fall semester. We are excited, to the stars and back, about rolling out our new rebranded website, and we cannot wait for you to see it!

So, keep your eyes peeled for updates from us, and we hope you will join us on our journey into the future of The Observer.

Learn more about Bailey, her time at UIS, and her aspirations as a graphic designer:

The UIS Observer: What year are you, and what is your major/minor?

Bailey: I am a senior this year and will be graduating this semester in May 2022. I am majoring in Business Administration with Minors in Visual Arts and Marketing.

The UIS Observer: What’s your hometown?

Bailey: I am from Bowling Green, Kentucky.

The UIS Observer: Are you involved with any organizations on campus?

Bailey: I used to play on the UIS Women’s Soccer Team; I played from 2018 to 2021. I didn’t play my senior year because I wanted to explore and learn more about myself and my career goals. I played soccer my whole life, from age 5 until age 21, but I needed to better understand myself outside of that competitive atmosphere, and I needed to find myself and my true passions in life.

The UIS Observer: What inspires you as a graphic designer?

Bailey: In the basic sense of the word, I am an artist, and I find inspiration all around me. Whether it’s nature or another artist’s work, small ideas get stored in my mind and are just waiting to come out on a new project or artwork. As a graphic designer specifically, I want to bring creativity to branding projects, so seeing logos and branding that are fun but professional at the same time is inspiring. Also, as a marketing minor, I think it is really interesting to be able to see how graphics and visuals can attract a certain audience, and it is always fun for me to explore that in my projects.

The UIS Observer: What motivated you to share your work with the UIS Observer?

Bailey: Honestly, I thought it would be fun, but most of all, I believed that I could learn a lot and gain a lot of experience through doing this project. Even though it was a fun competition of sorts, I went into it as if I was working for a client and was hired to do this branding. I really wanted to learn what goes into a good brand presentation and how to create one. I am always willing to learn anything new, especially if it is something creative, and I am so glad that I pursued this project because I did learn so much that I will forever have in my repertoire.

The UIS Observer: What do you hope to convey through your graphic design work to the world?

Bailey: I just want to convey that not everything has to be so serious. Designing graphics is fun, the process of the design coming together is exciting, and especially, seeing the final result can be so rewarding. Obviously, some projects need more professionalism; however, don’t forget that the process can still be enjoyed. This is what I hope to convey through my work as a graphic designer and artist.

The UIS Observer: Who has helped inspire you and help you grow in your skillset?

Bailey: I look up to so many people and artists. But my family is my biggest inspiration, and they are my biggest supporters. They have always told me to follow my dreams and always inspired me to keep creating no matter what form that takes. From a very young age, I was always drawing or painting, and my parents and grandparents would color and draw with me. I know that that support is what led me to keep creating throughout my whole life.

The UIS Observer: Is there anything else you would like to share?

Bailey: I just wanted to thank all those at the UIS Observer who are giving me a platform to show my graphic work and thank them for allowing me to share a little bit about myself. I am grateful.