AUM visual art students design new One Montgomery logo

Auburn University at Montgomery students in “VISU 3722: Design Techniques” recently partnered with One Montgomery, a local nonprofit dedicated to building unity and collaboration across communities, to design and launch the organization’s new logo.

The class project offered students a professional-level experience in client collaboration and brand development, said Associate Professor of Fine Arts Breuna Baine, the course instructor and faculty mentor for the project.

“Through projects like this, AUM’s Department of Fine Arts continues to give students practical opportunities to engage with the community, apply professional design skills, and contribute to meaningful causes,” she said.

The new One Montgomery logo — designed by Tristen Meads, a junior graphic design and communications major from Montgomery, and Antonio Sullivan, a senior graphic design major from Birmingham, Alabama — was unveiled Thursday, Nov. 6, during a presentation at AUM’sCason McDermott Art Gallery. Baine, Meads, and Sullivan received certificates of recognition from One Montgomery co-chairwoman Mary Anne Martin and incoming co-chairwoman Pearl Flowers.

“One Montgomery is very appreciative of the team effort by Breuna Baine and her students to provide us with a new logo,” Martin said. “We were founded as an organization to bring the Montgomery community together, and this partnership represents exactly why we were established.”

The partnership took shape when One Montgomery approached AUM before the start of the Spring 2025 semester to collaborate with Baine and her students on a new logo for the organization. Through Zoom meetings and class visits, students learned about the organization’s history, mission, and vision. These discussions gave students insight into One Montgomery’s membership, target audience, and motivation for refreshing its logo — all of which helped shape their creative approach.

After those conversations, students began a professional design process that took the assignment beyond a typical class project. They started by creating thumbnail sketches and developing rough ideas in Adobe Illustrator. Color choices were then finalized using the Pantone Matching System. Building on insights from their research and discussions, students critiqued and refined their work before presenting final logo concepts to One Montgomery.

“This partnership was an ideal way to provide visual art students with a community-based learning experience,” Baine said.

After students submitted their completed logo designs, One Montgomery reviewed their concepts before selecting the final design collaboratively developed by Meads and Sullivan.

“I believe design has the power to help us connect and understand one another better,” said Meads, who expects to graduate in Fall 2027. “Helping bring One Montgomery’s logo to life has been a meaningful opportunity, and I’m honored to work alongside a group whose mission is all about community, diversity, and trust.”

Sullivan, who plans to graduate in Fall 2026, added, “Graphic design transforms shared ideas into visuals that connect hearts and inspire action.”