EMPOWER Michigan

When I was brought on to design the brand for Empower Michigan, a political party running for Central Student Government at the University of Michigan, the challenge was clear: create a bold, accessible, and unifying visual identity that communicates the campaign’s ambitious, equity-driven platform across formats—from flyers and social posts to full-screen digital slides.

The campaign’s policy priorities, rooted in themes of accessibility, advocacy, affordability, and student wellness, deeply informed the design. I developed a visual identity that reflected these pillars, emphasizing community, clarity, and confidence.

The Dotted M

At the heart of the brand is a custom-rendered “M” built entirely from bold yellow dots—a modern, stylized twist on the University of Michigan’s iconic block M. But this isn’t just a design choice for aesthetic’s sake. Each dot represents a separate part of a larger system: distinct ideas, communities, and lived experiences that come together to form a unified whole.

This visual metaphor aligns perfectly with *Empower Michigan*’s mission—to bring together students from across campus in pursuit of shared goals like accessibility, wellness, and equity. Just as the dots form a cohesive symbol, the party is built on the belief that meaningful change happens when different voices collaborate. It reflects policies that emphasize intersectional representation, cross-campus advocacy, and student-led coalition building—from partnerships with student organizations to initiatives promoting commuter, graduate, and marginalized student inclusion.

The dotted “M” embodies the campaign’s ethos: unity through collective action, and strength through diversity.

Bold, Flexible, and Recognizable

The typography is clean, heavy, and confident—matching the assertiveness of Empower’s policy priorities, like expanding reproductive care access and pushing for greater campus safety at night. I used Michigan’s official maize and blue but applied them with high contrast and modern flair to distinguish the brand while keeping it unmistakably Michigan.

The system was built to scale: it works across print, web, and social, including campaign slides, business cards, event signage, and Instagram graphics. This flexibility supports Empower’s approach to transparency and communication—ensuring that no matter where students encounter the brand, the message is cohesive and clear.