Each year, four t-shirt designs are submitted for the Fear the Bird shirt competition—a tradition that has been running since 2007. The Illinois State University community votes on their favorite, and the winning design is produced for students and staff to purchase. Those wearing the shirt can receive incentives at retail locations in the Bone Student Center on Fear the Bird Fridays. 

As part of my internship with Event Management, Dining, and Hospitality, I submitted two designs for the 2024 competition. One of them was selected as the winning design. 

My design focuses on a geometric composition, using lines and directional elements to create a bold, dynamic typographic layout. Previous years’ shirts leaned into more organic shapes, so I intentionally moved in a different visual direction to stand out. 

In addition to the t-shirt, my design was also applied to a series of promotional items, including a reusable water bottle, straw topper, and scrunchie—demonstrating the design’s versatility across multiple formats beyond apparel.