WEST LIBERTY, W.Va., March 1, 2017 — West Liberty University graphic design students left their mark on the Northern Panhandle in the newly designed logo for the Business Development Corporation.

Aleece Abel of Martinsburg, W.Va., Jenny Ball of Woodsfield, Ohio and Alyssa Culp of East Liverpool, Ohio, all students in Professor Jim Haizlett’s graphic design class created the new look that features a red, gray and white circle with buildings in the center, underscored by the text: BDC of the Northern Panhandle.

The assignment was part of Haizlett’s annual outreach to area non-profits offering design work by students at no-cost. It earned the University a donation of $1,000 from the grateful BDC board.

“We are grateful that our students had this chance to work with and for such an important community player as the BDC of our Northern Panhandle. I thank the BDC for the generous gift towards higher education and West Liberty University,” said Dr. Stephen Greiner, WLU president.

“This team of designers was very fortunate to have the opportunity to work with Pat Ford and the BDC. From the first meeting, Mr. Ford treated them as professionals and they rose to the occasion. They worked on dozens, if not hundreds of iterations of the logo design and I think the final outcome perfectly portrays the mission of the BDC. The design is contemporary, with clean lines and bold shapes, casting a vision for the future that new industry can bring to the Ohio Valley,” said Professor Haizlett at the March 1 unveiling of the new brand. 

“I was surprised and impressed with the work of the graphic design students at West Liberty University. I was reluctant to take advantage of the generous offer of Professor Haizlett to allow the students to rebrand our organization — including designing a new logo, street sign, business cards, letterhead, envelopes, and stationary. I was holding out to hire a professional graphic design and advertising firm to carry out this task. Well, now, I am glad I took his advice,” said Patrick Ford, executive director of the BDC, who added that hiring a company to do the work would have been far more costly.

Ford has led the BDC since 2009 and also has served on the WLU Board of Governors since 2014.

“After the first meeting, I felt nothing but positive vibes from Jenny, Aleece, and Alyssa. After the second meeting when I saw their first proposals, I knew the outcome would be special,” he said.

The three young designers call themselves Muse Design and enjoyed the opportunity to create a professional brand and carry it through to completion. The logo work is now part of their professional portfolio.

“These graphic designers are charging into their chosen profession with an edge on others in their field. Their edge is their ability to listen and create. They quickly understood our profession and mission — and recognized the importance of our responsibility in economic development,” Ford said.

“Besides being a joy to work with, these students were poised, confident, energetic, self-motivated and professional. They took on a difficult task, with little direction. The outcome is timeless and forward-looking, yet sensitive to our distinct history,” he added.

“There was a great deal of discussion about whether or not to include the smoke from the stack, but in the end the BDC decided to include the smoke because it is an honest representation of one of the downsides of human industry – pollution. But the overall design is so clean and balanced, that it gives the viewer a sense that the BDC is not only interested in developing industry, but also in being responsible to protect the environment in the process. The entire identity system is strong on every level and I am very proud of the work that our designers put into this project. I think the design will definitely help the BDC compete on a world stage as it seeks investors to revitalize the Ohio Valley,” Haizlett said.

Formed in 1993, the BDC acts as a catalyst to business and job growth in Brooke and Hancock counties and includes a board of directors led by Chairman William D’Alesio. Its new office is located at 324A Penco Road, Weirton and can be reached at 304-748-5041. 

For more information on West Liberty University, please call 1.866.WESTLIB.

CLICK HERE FOR WTOV9 coverage of the BDC logo launch event.