Behind the look: Saints alumni help shape our brand

This spring, The College of St. Scholastica completed a comprehensive visual identity project with local agency wonderhorse, ushering in a bold new chapter for the St. Scholastica brand. Over the last several months, our internal creative and communications teams, in partnership with the creative minds at wonderhorse, worked diligently to introduce this new direction across channels.

A visual identity encompasses the complete visual and verbal language that defines who we are. It includes a collection of imagery, typography, tone, and voice to produce a design playbook that tells our story. For St. Scholastica, that story is rooted in our Benedictine values, our mission, and our century-long tradition of shaping lives of purpose. With a clearly defined identity, our faculty, staff, students, alumni, and partners can align their work and present a unified, authentic reflection of what it means to be a Saint.

Alumni connections

What makes this brand refresh especially meaningful is that it was shaped not only by creative experts but by Saints themselves. Wonderhorse is home to two St. Scholastica alumni who played central roles in bringing the College’s refreshed identity to life: Creative Director Tyler Johnson ’12 and Creative Writer Bailey Jansen ’13.

Johnson, a Fine Arts major with an emphasis in design, began his St. Scholastica journey planning to pursue dentistry before discovering his passion for visual storytelling. With encouragement from faculty and career services, he redirected his path toward design and marketing, a shift that set the foundation for his creative career.

Set toward a fulfilling path

“When I first started at CSS, my outlook on school was centered on choosing the safest path and finding a career that would simply pay the bills. During my first semester, I was fortunate to take classes with Professor Sarah Brokke, who recognized talent and potential I hadn’t yet seen in myself. She opened my eyes to the possibilities within a creative career. I’m still grateful for her encouragement and the fulfilling path it set me on.”

Today, Johnson brings that same curiosity and adaptability to his work, leading projects that bridge strategy and imagination. “It was rewarding to revisit St. Scholastica, this time as a person helping to contribute to its identity. Our project team was comprised of a mix of former students and others who were looking deeply at the school with fresh eyes. Together we were able to bring invaluable context and new insight resulting in an identity that feels rich and meaningful.”

Shaped by values and purpose

Jansen’s journey began in nursing before she found her calling in English and communication, supported by mentors who encouraged her natural gift for writing. That shift opened the door to a career rooted in storytelling and helping clients express a sense of purpose in their work. In her role at wonderhorse, Jansen filled a pivotal role in shaping the language behind the brand refresh, ensuring the tone reflects the heart, values, and drive of the Saints community she knows so well.

“I had the opportunity to walk through the halls, have discussions with other students, learn from faculty, have the College’s values be the voice in my head for four years,” said Jansen. “During this refresh, I was able to revisit my own experiences and incorporate them into the process to help create a tone that felt authentic to St. Scholastica.”

Together, Johnson and Jansen described this project as deeply fulfilling, balancing strategic goals with creative innovation to ensure the new identity speaks authentically as The College of St. Scholastica.

Driven by mission

From initial conversations to final deliverables, the comprehensive project was a lengthy process that spanned over a year. The wonderhorse team, led by owner Dan Litman, deployed a wide array of research tools to collect feedback from key College stakeholders. In addition to ample market research and internal collaboration, Litman and team ensured that conversations with College alumni, faculty, staff, and current students took precedence in defining the personality and voice behind the College.

Guiding questions included:

• What are St. Scholastica’s unique selling points?
• What emotions should your brand convey?
• What is your mission and are you currently fulfilling it?

Through these conversations, one theme rose above all others:

Saints want to be bold, inspiring, and full of purpose.

Whether spotted on a wrapped city bus, a billboard while cruising north on I-35, scrolling the College’s social media accounts, or while flipping through St. Scholastica Magazine, the bold visual identity of The College of St. Scholastica is a true testament to who this community is together as we seek to transform the world for good.

Tagline

Building the Future represents our legacy and our vision for St. Scholastica. Here, students are surrounded by the brightest minds and the most dedicated hearts. We keep our eyes on the horizon, continuing to lay the groundwork for a better tomorrow. St. Scholastica is not only paving the way; we’re leading the way. We are Building the Future.

Color palette

Our signature St. Scholastica Blue and Gold remain the foundation of our identity. Wonderhorse expanded this palette with new complementary hues that add vibrancy and depth. Fresh blues bring modern energy, while earthy tones connect our visuals to nature and our historic Daisy Farm roots.

Photo forward

Photography takes center stage in the new look. Colorful, authentic images highlight our community in action. These visuals invite our audiences to see themselves as part of the Saints story.

Iconography

The foundation of our new iconography draws inspiration from stained glass windows, the unique architecture, and the regional landmarks of our Duluth main campus. Wonderhorse also incorporated programmatic elements that nod to our academic strengths. The result is a modern, geometric aesthetic that feels deeply connected to St. Scholastica as a Catholic Benedictine institution.

Voice

St. Scholastica speaks to many audiences: prospective students, alumni, faculty, staff, and community partners. To maintain consistency, our refreshed brand voice embodies clarity, confidence, and heart. Our messages aim to motivate action, inspire pride, and celebrate belonging.

“We see a Saint.”
“All your hard work has been building up to this.”
“Building the Future you deserve.”

The heart behind the brand

Wonderhorse approached this project with equal parts research, discovery, creativity, and collaboration, ensuring every design decision was grounded in strategy and authenticity. The team emphasized that strong branding is as much about meaning as it is about look. Through careful exploration, the style guide embodies the St. Scholastica blend of history and innovation, crafting a voice and visual language that resonates across audiences.

For Saints alumni Tyler and Bailey, this project wasn’t just another client assignment; it was a homecoming. They brought professional expertise and lived experience as alumni, ensuring that the refreshed brand reflects the pride and belonging that Saints carry long after graduation.

Our brand has grown into a bold new chapter.

Building the Future Starts Here.