From the Nominator

On June 30, 2025, Princeton concluded Venture Forward, an engagement and fundraising campaign. To celebrate the campaign's success and our donors and volunteers, we created an illustrated map showing the impact that the campaign had on the campus. The map was featured in the final impact report and on various promotional items, including this custom jigsaw puzzle, which we presented to alumni volunteer leaders. Our goal was to thank them for their extraordinary service during the campaign. Lisa Burke, Director of Design for Advancement Communications, hired illustrator Sophia Kabalan, provided art direction, and worked with campus partners and advancement colleagues to collect a list of facilities and programs to include. Burke also gathered photographs, maps, and resources for reference. In addition, she hired Jay Dominick of Hello World Puzzles, working closely with him on ideas for the innovative shapes of the pieces, as well as the boxing. The result is a beautifully packaged campaign keepsake, which our volunteer leaders received with delight. The completed puzzle 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 campus traditions include a tiger relaxing beside a tree, black squirrels frolicking by a green, alumni marching along Princeton’s 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

The judge panel was highly impressed by the creativity, craftsmanship, and interactive nature of the puzzle, praising its thoughtful details, hidden “Easter eggs,” and icons that tied back to the institution and campaign. Additionally, judges appreciated the puzzle's purpose as a commemorative donor and volunteer gift, noting that it successfully celebrated the campaign’s achievements in a memorable and engaging way.