The Tribal College and University Research Journal was looking to redesign the cover and create a logo for its publication. The American Indian College Fund (AICF) wanted to abide by its branding guidelines of color and typography. It also wanted to include the elements of education, higher education, tribal communities, and Indigenous knowledge. Other elements needed: the Henry Luce Foundation logo and AICF logo.

The project began by familiarizing myself with the research articles within the upcoming and past publications, the past publication cover designs, and AICF branding guidelines. The project began with the logo design, then the cover design.

From the sketches and client feedback, we ended with a tree design that incorporated a braided design and leaves based on the Star blanket. Braids are associated with hair and hair is important to many Indigenous cultures, which represent one of many aspects, knowledge. The Star blanket design is related to honor and is given to individuals as part of recognition of their contributions to their communities. The “V” symbol relates to an open book symbolizing education, whether K-12, college, or Indigenous knowledge.

The cover design is utilizes AICF branding colors, initials of Tribal College and University Research Journal (TCURJ), and a braided circle loop.