Designing the next era of XavierUniversity.edu

Timeline

10 Months

My Role

Web Designer

Platform

Web / Mobile Web

Introduction

Xavier University needed a complete overhaul of its digital presence - one that could serve everyone from prospective students and parents to faculty, alumni, and donors. The old site had grown cluttered and confusing over time, with dated visuals, inconsistent navigation, and major accessibility gaps.

Our goal was to reimagine the site into a modern, intuitive experience that better reflected the spirit of the university while driving key outcomes like increased applications, improved engagement, and greater support for donations.

Over the course of a year, our small team led the redesign and migration of thousands of pages into a new CMS, transforming the site into a clean, accessible, and unified digital ecosystem that brought Xavier’s brand to life online.

My Role

As the sole web designer on the project, I led the end-to-end design effort defining the overall look and feel to creating accessible, responsive layouts that brought the brand to life online. I collaborated closely with three developers to bring every component to life, working in tandem with the print and photography teams to ensure the new site visually aligned with Xavier’s evolving brand identity.

The Challenge

Xavier’s website was ready for a refresh. It struggled to serve its diverse audiences, with outdated visuals, inconsistent navigation, and a poor mobile experience. Accessibility was also a major concern, making it difficult for some users to find or engage with key information.

The redesign set out to solve these concerns while achieving three primary goals:

Improve usability and accessibility for all visitors
Create consistency and clarity across pages and departments
Support recruitment, engagement, and donor growth by elevating the university’s digital brand

Introduction

My Role

The Challenge

The redesign set out to solve these concerns while achieving three primary goals:

Improve usability and accessibility for all visitors
Create consistency and clarity across pages and departments
Support recruitment, engagement, and donor growth by elevating the university’s digital brand

Introduction

My Role

The Challenge

The redesign set out to solve these concerns while achieving three primary goals:

Improve usability and accessibility for all visitors
Create consistency and clarity across pages and departments
Support recruitment, engagement, and donor growth by elevating the university’s digital brand

CHALLENGE #1

The First Impression Missed the Mark

The homepage made navigation difficult, with unclear wayfinding and competing priorities that left visitors unsure where to go next.

Example
The homepage tried to serve too many goals at once. Navigation felt confusing, with important information scattered across multiple areas and no clear entry point to guide prospective students. The initial view offered only a search bar, leaving visitors without context or direction on where to begin their journey.

Impact
Without clear wayfinding or prioritized content, users struggled to find what mattered most. The experience felt disjointed and overwhelming, making it harder for prospective students to explore programs or understand what Xavier had to offer at a glance.

CHALLENGE #2

Unclear Visual Hierarchy

Inconsistent fonts, colors, and emphasis left users unsure which content was most important.

Example
Headings, links, and calls to action blended together, forcing users to hunt for critical info like application deadlines or campus news.

Impact
The lack of clarity reduced readability and made key actions harder to discover, weakening the overall user experience.

CHALLENGE #3

Inconsistency Across Pages and Departments

With content managed by dozens of contributors, the site lacked structure and visual consistency. Each department styled and formatted pages differently, leading to an uneven and sometimes confusing experience.

Example
Page layouts, typography, and color usage varied widely from one section to another, making it difficult for users to understand whether they were still within the same site.

Impact
The inconsistent design weakened brand trust and made navigation feel unpredictable—turning what should have been a unified experience into a patchwork of disconnected pages.

"How might we unify Xavier’s online presence into a cohesive, accessible experience that strengthens the brand and builds trust across all audiences?"

Final Design

A modern, accessible experience for every visitor

As part of the Marketing and Communications team, I worked closely with departments across campus including Admissions, Academic Affairs, and Student Life to ensure the redesign addressed the needs of each audience. I spoke directly with high school students, current students, and faculty to understand their perspectives and priorities. I also collaborated with our in-house print and photography teams to align visuals, messaging, and tone, creating a cohesive brand experience across digital and print touchpoints.

The new design captures the energy and character of the Xavier community. It guides visitors with clarity and purpose, creating a digital experience that’s easier to use and more reflective of the university’s mission and spirit.