From the Nominator

On Oct. 1, 2021, Princeton University publicly launched Venture Forward, an engagement and fundraising campaign dedicated to meeting today’s complex challenges and those of the future. The campaign had three goals: building alumni engagement, seeking critical philanthropic support for the university’s strategic initiatives, and sharing Princeton’s defining principles and their impact. The campaign concluded on June 30, 2025, to resounding success. In preparation for the campaign closing celebration, Advancement Vice President Kevin Heaney proposed creating an illustrated map showing the campaign's impact on the campus; this map would be featured in the campaign report, as well as on various promotional items. Lisa Burke, Director of Design for Advancement Communications, researched and evaluated illustrators and worked with the vice president, members of the donor relations team, and front-line fundraisers to determine the facilities and programs to include. Lisa hired independent illustrator Sophia Kabalan and guided her on the tone for the project and provided information on the selected facilities and programs to include, as well as reference photographs, campus maps, and online resources. The final illustration features buildings supported by the campaign in orange and a few landmark buildings in white. The hand-drawn map is not for navigation, but presents a charming overview of the new buildings. Playful additions relating to Princeton traditions include a tiger relaxing beside a tree, black squirrels frolicking by a green, alumni marching along the Reunions P-rade route, and even Coach, the university’s beloved therapy dog. The names of academic programs created through the campaign line the edges.

From the Judges

Judges appreciated the disciplined visual language, versatility, and ability to function across fundraising and donor engagement channels. The project's sophistication and adaptability made it one of the category’s strongest design entries. One judge said, “The level of detail…is impressive,” while another said, "Love the use of the design across different materials." Other comments were “beautifully executed,” “strong sense of clarity and restraint,” and "very cool concept.”