SXU kicks off tobacco-free campus initiative with logo contest

Effective Sunday, January 1, Saint Xavier University will become a tobacco-free campus, falling in line with the 2015 laws affecting all Illinois public institutions of higher education and a growing number of other private institutions across the state. This decision follows an initiative and survey by the students of SXU, dating back to 2014. The student body's initiative will work to advance change in a manner that will produce a positive outcome for the entire SXU community for years to come!

Since this initiative started with the student body, the University wanted the students to have the chance to weigh in on the aesthetics of this new promotional campaign through hosting a logo contest. Interested participants needed to submit a creative, innovative and professional logo that should be recognizable and help promote the University’s  soon-to-be tobacco-free campus.

Many submissions filtered through but only two winners emerged: Brenda Bueno and Majed Sweis. As the first place winner, Bueno will receive a $250 prize and her designs will be incorporated into SXU’s marketing materials for this campaign; as a second place winner, Sweis will receive a $50 prize. Both students’ work was submitted through Department of Art and Design Associate Professor Nathan Peck’s graphic design course assignment. Students in the course had the option to submit their assignments for the contest or choose to opt out. Both Bueno and Sweis’ work incorporated the key creative and innovative components to win them top recognition.

"I created a design that used the letters "S" "U" and a cigarette in the middle," said Bueno. "I wanted to incorporate the SXU into the logo so I took the common "no smoking symbol" and gave it a twist by using it as the "X" in the University’s initials."

Thank you to all who submitted logo designs and congratulations to the winners! For more information on SXU's tobacco-free campus, please visit the website.

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