Working with the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), one of the world’s premier fine arts schools, in 2023 to create their Graduate Programs View Book was more than a project—it was an honor. Now, the View Book has earned some honors of its own, winning a Bronze medal in the 2024 Circle of Excellence Awards from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE).
The CASE Circle of Excellence Awards recognize outstanding achievements in educational advancement by colleges, universities, and schools worldwide. According to CASE, the winners are chosen for overall quality, innovation, use of resources, and the impact on the institution or its communities.
Inspiring goal,
measurable results
The View Book was nominated by our client and collaborator on the project, Maryann Schaefer, Executive Director, Enrollment Communications and Operations at SAIC. In her nomination, Ms. Schaefer noted that “Through this publication, we aimed to inspire prospective graduate students from around the globe to join our community,” noting that “Allowing the images and student work to guide the messaging helped us create a cohesive design, while showcasing the character of each graduate program.”
In her nomination, Ms. Schaefer also highlighted the results, including a 9% increase in applications submitted to SAIC.
Fresh design,
impressive scale
In their statement on the award, the CASE judges praised our design, featuring plentiful use of photography and bold color choices, adding: “We were impressed that this creative and fresh piece could be pulled off in such a lengthy publication.” Judges also pointed to the student and faculty profiles throughout the book, combining photography of the artists and their works with stories gleaned from firsthand interviews.
At more than 160 pages, the SAIC Graduate View Book was a major undertaking for our team, engaging a range of disciplines—from graphic design and photo selection to writing, editing and pre-press production. We delivered a design that reflects SAIC’s uniquely bold, interdisciplinary approach to contemporary art and vibrant community that attracts thinkers and creators from around the world.
A creative partnership
We’re proud of the work that went into this project and of the collaboration with SAIC Enrollment Marketing that made it possible. Being selected as a CASE award winner made it all the more gratifying. Our thanks go to Maryann Schaefer and her team for nominating the View Book and for partnering with Cleveland Design. This is truly a shared honor.
“The SAIC Graduate View Book is crucial to our outreach to prospective students seeking a uniquely rewarding educational experience. Receiving this recognition for excellence from CASE is proof that we met our goal of capturing the SAIC experience. Cleveland Design was the ideal partner to bring it to life.”
Maryann Schaefer
Executive Director, Enrollment Communications and Operations, SAIC
