Bri Castillo ’25 designed the brand collateral for the TCU Richard Barrentine Values and Ventures competition. Photo Credit: Bri Castillo
Department of Design Senior Instructor Jan Ballard, an inaugural member of the Innovative Teachers Guild, launched a student competition to develop branding for the TCU Richards Barrentine Values and Ventures® competition at the Neeley School of Business.
The competition serves as a platform for aspiring entrepreneurs, inviting undergraduate students worldwide to pitch ideas for ventures that combine profitability and address societal issues.
In Ballard’s course, “Professional Recognition for Graphic Designers,” Bri Castillo ’25 design was selected by stakeholders in the Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Her branding concept centered around the theme of Texas, with a specific focus on Fort Worth.
“Within two weeks of starting class, students develop plans to earn points for the semester,” said Ballard. “Bri and two other students eagerly accepted the challenge to create the complex design proposals for the competition, including items such as a t-shirt, keychain, sticker, scuba bag and program cover.”
Bri Castillo ’25. Photo Credit: Jan Ballard
Castillo, a first-generation Latina student, approaches her work with a passion for diverse marketing mediums and embraces forward-thinking strategies in her work. She is a rising leader within the Department of Design and an active member of the John V. Roach Honors College.
“Establishing an identity for an event that garners participants from both within TCU and beyond, I aimed to create visually distinctive elements that could be discerned by participants far from Texas,” Castillo reflected. “Since the selection of my designs, I’ve collaborated closely with a production team, event coordinators and Jan Ballard to ensure seamless implementation. It’s been a privilege to contribute to this endeavor, ensuring that our collective vision truly comes to life.”
During the production phase, Castillo worked with Joe Brown, owner of HF Customs, to review the printing of the event’s t-shirt deliverable. Brown, an esteemed alumnus recognized as a 40 Under 40 honoree by the Fort Worth Business Press, serves as president of the TCU alumni board and offers support to the Graphic Design Advisory Board.
“Graphic design students find working with business entrepreneurs to be a natural fit, given that their study of visual problem-solving integrates a business perspective into real-world design applications,” said Ballard. “Design is a way of thinking: a creative process that is driven to better understand and meet consumer needs. Design works hand in hand with business.”