Editor's Note: This story originally appeared in AlumnInsider, the Penn State Alumni Association's monthly member e-newsletter. You can click here for information on becoming a member, and can follow the Alumni Association on Facebook and Twitter for more stories and updates on events.
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The 13th annual Lift For Life, the showcase event for the Penn State Uplifting Athletes chapter that raises money and awareness for kidney cancer research, will take place Saturday, July 11, at the Penn State Lacrosse Field. Penn State alumnus Mark Mihalik shares his perspective as the marketing and branding manager for Uplifting Athletes, the national organization that started at Penn State in 2003.
Penn State Alumni Association: As the marketing and branding manager of Uplifting Athletes, you created the official logo of the national organization. How and when did you become connected with Uplifting Athletes? Mihalik: In 2004, I played club baseball at Penn State with Scott Shirley, the founder of Uplifting Athletes. We became good friends, and after learning what his family was going through with his father’s kidney cancer treatment, my teammates and I tried to support Scott as much as possible. I initially helped out by volunteering at events and creating advertising graphics. When Scott decided to launch Uplifting Athletes on a national stage, he asked me to get involved on the branding side.
Penn State Alumni Association: Sounds like you have a design background. Did you become interested in that field at Penn State, or even earlier? Mihalik: I was actually an engineering student for a number of years, but I’ve always been a little more creatively inclined, so I switched to an integrative arts degree to focus on graphic design and branding with the hopes of eventually working in sports. After Penn State, I worked for Majestic Athletic for four and a half years, developing their Major League Baseball apparel line, and I’ve been with Uplifting Athletes for over a year now.
Penn State Alumni Association: During the past two annual Blue-White scrimmages, the football team wore the Uplifting Athletes logo as a patch. What did it mean to you to see that?Mihalik: Being a Penn State graduate and a football fan, it’s always special seeing the guys on the team wearing the logo at Uplifting Athletes events, but on the actual uniform in Beaver Stadium? That took it to a new level. As a designer, that was really special for me. More importantly though, it’s special for our organization. Our brand getting that kind of exposure has definitely helped elevate our presence and further establish Uplifting Athletes as a leader in the rare disease community.
Penn State Alumni Association: What was your mindset in creating the logo, and what messages did you want to symbolize?Mihalik: We wanted something that looked at home in the world of college football. Our program is built on leveraging sports for a good cause, so it needed to be strong, athletic, and have some football elements and a bold collegiate style. College football has changed a lot since Uplifting Athletes started, but thankfully the logo has held up really well and still fits.