University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Pitt Athletics Introduces Graphic Design Department
2/6/2018 4:18:00 PM | General
PITTSBURGH – The University of Pittsburgh has taken the next step in developing a unified and consistent brand identity with the creation of an in-house graphic design department. Housed within media relations, Pitt's graphic design team currently consists of director Cody James, assistant director Dylan Winters and undergraduate interns Emilee Fails and Nick Poprocky.
"Under the direction of our external team, we quickly identified the need for an in-house graphic design department here at the University of Pittsburgh," said Director of Athletics Heather Lyke. "Establishing a clean and consistent brand identity is an important step in growing our visibility locally, regionally and on the national landscape. We have an excellent plan in place to build the department and visually transform our department."
James was hired in mid-December as the Director of Graphic Design after spending the previous year as the graphic design coordinator for the University of Maryland football program. He also spent two years as the lead graphic designer for football at the University of Kentucky. James crafted content at Maryland that helped elevate the program to a top 25 ranking for Social Media Visuals among NCAA Power 5 Conferences by SkullSparks, while his 2016 Signing Day graphics received a top 25 ranking from @Trenches_.
Winters, a local freelance designer and Pittsburgh native, joined the department in late January. Among his clients over the past five years are the Pittsburgh Pirates, 26 Shirts, Erie Apparel, Team Pittsburgh Dek-Hockey and Albany Bark!. Winters has also pitched branding concepts to Pitt Athletics, Michigan State Athletics and James Conner since launching his graphic design company. A graduate of California University of Pennsylvania Winters began his career as a graphic design intern with the Washington Wild Things.
"I am excited about the team we have put together to launch our in-house graphic design department," said Assistant Athletic Director of Media Relations Matt Plizga. "We had a deep and talented pool of candidates for both full-time positions with the work of Cody [James] and Dylan [Winters] consistently catching the attention of our hiring committee. Both of them have a passion for brand management and a commitment to growing our department into one of the best in college athletics."
In addition to creating two full-time positions, Pitt also tapped into a talented pool of undergraduate graphic design students in the area. Collaborating with local colleges and universities, Pitt will offer two graphic design class-credit internships per semester.
Fails, a junior Public Relations & Advertising major with a minor in Graphic Design at Point Park University, has a strong background in photography and graphic design. She currently serves at a graphic design coordinator on the Point Park Campus Activities Board, receiving the 2017 Outstanding Marketing Campaign Award, in addition to working a DiCello's Gallery and doing freelance photography in the area.
Poprocky is also a junior at Point Park, majoring in Advertising with a Graphic Design minor. He was a vice presidential scholar in 2015 and has been the head of graphic design for the Point Park AdFed/PSSA Club for the past three years. He is also a member of the Point Park Graphic Design Club and works with Fails on the Campus Activities Board.
"The course-credit internship program is an important part of our graphic design department," said Plizga. "We are going to continue grow the program and provide hands-on experience in college athletics to aspiring graphic designers. We are fortunate to have some very strong graphic design programs in the area to collaborate with and we have the right people in place to help prepare these individuals for a career in college athletics."
The graphic design team housed within the media relations department will also work closely with director of creative media Zach Lantz, who handles social media, graphics and recruiting campaign initiatives for the Pitt Football program.
University of Pittsburgh Graphic Design Team Portfolios
Cody James – Director of Graphic Design – www.codyjamesgraphics.com
Dylan Winters – Assistant Director of Graphic Design – www.dylanwinters.com
Emilee Fails – Undergraduate Intern (Point Park) – www.emileefails.com
Nick Poprocky – Undergraduate Intern (Point Park) - http://nickpoprocky.wixsite.com/blog/
"Under the direction of our external team, we quickly identified the need for an in-house graphic design department here at the University of Pittsburgh," said Director of Athletics Heather Lyke. "Establishing a clean and consistent brand identity is an important step in growing our visibility locally, regionally and on the national landscape. We have an excellent plan in place to build the department and visually transform our department."
James was hired in mid-December as the Director of Graphic Design after spending the previous year as the graphic design coordinator for the University of Maryland football program. He also spent two years as the lead graphic designer for football at the University of Kentucky. James crafted content at Maryland that helped elevate the program to a top 25 ranking for Social Media Visuals among NCAA Power 5 Conferences by SkullSparks, while his 2016 Signing Day graphics received a top 25 ranking from @Trenches_.
Winters, a local freelance designer and Pittsburgh native, joined the department in late January. Among his clients over the past five years are the Pittsburgh Pirates, 26 Shirts, Erie Apparel, Team Pittsburgh Dek-Hockey and Albany Bark!. Winters has also pitched branding concepts to Pitt Athletics, Michigan State Athletics and James Conner since launching his graphic design company. A graduate of California University of Pennsylvania Winters began his career as a graphic design intern with the Washington Wild Things.
"I am excited about the team we have put together to launch our in-house graphic design department," said Assistant Athletic Director of Media Relations Matt Plizga. "We had a deep and talented pool of candidates for both full-time positions with the work of Cody [James] and Dylan [Winters] consistently catching the attention of our hiring committee. Both of them have a passion for brand management and a commitment to growing our department into one of the best in college athletics."
In addition to creating two full-time positions, Pitt also tapped into a talented pool of undergraduate graphic design students in the area. Collaborating with local colleges and universities, Pitt will offer two graphic design class-credit internships per semester.
Fails, a junior Public Relations & Advertising major with a minor in Graphic Design at Point Park University, has a strong background in photography and graphic design. She currently serves at a graphic design coordinator on the Point Park Campus Activities Board, receiving the 2017 Outstanding Marketing Campaign Award, in addition to working a DiCello's Gallery and doing freelance photography in the area.
Poprocky is also a junior at Point Park, majoring in Advertising with a Graphic Design minor. He was a vice presidential scholar in 2015 and has been the head of graphic design for the Point Park AdFed/PSSA Club for the past three years. He is also a member of the Point Park Graphic Design Club and works with Fails on the Campus Activities Board.
"The course-credit internship program is an important part of our graphic design department," said Plizga. "We are going to continue grow the program and provide hands-on experience in college athletics to aspiring graphic designers. We are fortunate to have some very strong graphic design programs in the area to collaborate with and we have the right people in place to help prepare these individuals for a career in college athletics."
The graphic design team housed within the media relations department will also work closely with director of creative media Zach Lantz, who handles social media, graphics and recruiting campaign initiatives for the Pitt Football program.
University of Pittsburgh Graphic Design Team Portfolios
Cody James – Director of Graphic Design – www.codyjamesgraphics.com
Dylan Winters – Assistant Director of Graphic Design – www.dylanwinters.com
Emilee Fails – Undergraduate Intern (Point Park) – www.emileefails.com
Nick Poprocky – Undergraduate Intern (Point Park) - http://nickpoprocky.wixsite.com/blog/
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