Overview
CARmencement was Sacramento State’s innovative response to the COVID-19 pandemic: a drive-through graduation celebration that honored students safely and memorably. With no precedent to draw from, we developed a completely original design system—illustrative, bold, and full of energy—that translated across signage, swag, web, and live event materials.
Scope of Work
Concept development for an unprecedented event format
Creation of a fully custom illustration system
Design of graduate keepsake box and branded apparel
Development of large-scale event signage and wayfinding
Social media and digital asset design
Art direction for tone, color palette, and visual style
Cross-platform production coordination and file prep
Approach
Without prior models to reference, we leaned into illustration as a way to capture the joy and movement of the event. I designed a set of custom illustrations and icons that conveyed celebration, community, and motion. These graphic elements were paired with bold colors and strong type to ensure visibility across large-format signage and a high-energy tone throughout all touchpoints.
The design system was flexible enough to scale across hundreds of feet of directional signage, graduate keepsakes, T-shirts, social media assets, and environmental graphics—many of which were produced under tight timelines and shifting logistics.
The identity was applied across a wide range of assets:
Graduate Keepsake Box
A custom-printed box featuring original illustrations and branding
Large-Format Event Signage
Directional signs, welcome banners, and photo backdrops lining the drive-through route
Branded Apparel & Giveaways
T-shirts, masks, clings, and buttons for grads and volunteers
Social & Digital Assets
Announcement graphics, web headers, and shareable templates
Illustration System
Custom icons, cars, and confetti graphics used throughout the event materials
reflection
CARmencement stands out as one of the most creatively rewarding projects of my career. With no playbook to follow, the solution required both conceptual originality and practical execution under pressure. It also gave me a rare opportunity to explore pure illustration within a large-scale institutional campaign—something I deeply enjoyed.