Kent State University reimagined its undergraduate viewbook to address a core recruitment challenge: how to connect meaningfully with prospective students in an environment saturated with competing messages. The goal was to help students see themselves at Kent State—not just read about it. Based on research, the viewbook was structured around five student archetypes: Ambitious Scholar, Social Connector, Explorer, Career Strategist, and Homegrown Achiever. The archetypes reflect how students approach learning, belonging, exploration, career preparation, and place. Students may identify most strongly with one archetype, while also seeing aspects of themselves in others. To strengthen relevance, Kent State produced three targeted versions of the viewbook—for Northeast Ohio, rest of Ohio, and national. While the archetype framework remained consistent, some content was edited to reflect differences in tuition, scholarships, and geographic context.
From the Judges
The judging team found this submission to be a fresh and exciting approach to a viewbook. Of particular note were the design elements, especially linking the photography to the archetypes.
