Vertical Development for Professional Growth Conference
The Lilly Leadership Institute at Miami University is a selective, three-year leadership development program designed for students pursuing technology-related majors. Sponsored by Eli Lilly and Company, the institute focuses on preparing students to become thoughtful, ethical leaders in technical and business-driven fields. Throughout the three-year program, students engage in leadership coursework, professional development, mentorship, and experiential learning opportunities that emphasize personal growth, teamwork, and real-world application.
As a member of Cohort 12, I have been immersed in this structured leadership journey, which culminates during junior year when each cohort is responsible for planning and executing a professional business conference. Each conference centers on a specific leadership topic and challenges students to apply what they have learned by coordinating speakers, managing logistics, and creating a cohesive brand experience that reflects the conference’s theme and goals.
For Cohort 13’s conference, I developed the complete visual branding around the theme of vertical and horizontal development, with a primary emphasis on vertical development, growth that focuses on mindset, self-awareness, and deeper leadership capacity. The branding system included a primary logo, secondary logo, watermark, and curated color palette to ensure consistency across all conference materials. Designed in Adobe Illustrator, the logo features an abstract graphic of three figures reaching upward, symbolizing collective growth and aspiration. This project allowed me to translate a complex leadership concept into a clear, professional visual identity that supported the conference’s mission and elevated the overall attendee experience.
Click the button below to view the branding PowerPoint:
