Senior computer science major Merry Nguyen won a logo competition for the College of Computer and Software Engineering’s 2020 Hackathon this past summer.
While there were no guidelines, the initial idea of the competition was to use the winning logo on T-shirts printed specifically for the event. With the unexpected onset of COVID-19, the winning logo would only be displayed on the event’s webpage.
Since the competition was not for T-shirts anymore, Nguyen had more room for creativity. From an aesthetic point of view, she wanted to use colors and fonts that would clearly stand out on the competition apparel.
“The final product looked very different from what I started out designing,” Nguyen said. “In the end, there is no bad design. We have to always place the client’s requirements at the forefront. This is what guides a good result.”
Nguyen’s winning logo was a modern contemporary image of a computer and a circuit with binary numbers fading into the background. A salient feature was the clean and appealing look of the design.
“My design style is minimalistic which is what I tried doing for the logo,” Nguyen said. “I had a general idea of what I wanted the logo to look like. But the design evolved gradually over a few weeks.”
After the win, Nguyen experienced a joyful sense of confidence and achievement. She shared it has added value to her professional experience as well as helped build her own personal brand while serving as a testament to the kind of work she could excel in.
“I can be critical of my own work,” Nguyen said.”I never thought I would win. But, I’m happy that I persevered.”
Prior to enrolling in KSU, Nguyen studied media arts and animation at the Art Institute of Atlanta. Naturally, the CCSE’s logo competition seemed to be a great opportunity to explore her creativity and challenge her mind.
Nguyen said that it is important to have a strong work ethic. By treating the competition like she would a serious client, her priority was to make sure the client was happy.
“You have nothing to lose and everything to gain,” Nguyen said. ”I firmly believe that as students we should endeavor to explore Kennesaw State’s resources not just for class but for our hobbies and passions too.”
“There were important lessons I learned during my time in school,” Nguyen said. “Get to know your professors and build mentorship relationships with them. School can be stressful but we have to make time for our passions. A saying I believe in is, ‘it is not about how long it takes as long as you finish the race.’”
Nguyen’s plans after graduation include pursuing full-time roles in computer science, specifically UX/UI design while building intuitive digital portfolios and growing her practical skills.
