The Challenge
A leading college with a fragmented digital presence.
CHE is one of Cornell’s most dynamic colleges, spanning fields from health and sustainability to design and technology. Yet its online presence failed to capture this richness. The website had become an echo of organizational charts rather than a reflection of its mission, leaving prospective students, faculty, and donors struggling to understand what human ecology is and why it matters.
The challenge was not only to fix navigation and usability, but also to bring clarity to CHE’s story. The new digital experience needed to unify programs and outcomes under a single vision, showing how the College pushes humanity forward while inspiring every audience with a sense of purpose and possibility.
The Insight
Human progress as the unifying thread.
At its core, CHE is about advancing human progress.
Through research and stakeholder conversations, a unifying theme emerged: whether in the lab, the studio, or the community, CHE exists to improve human lives. Students wanted to see career outcomes and opportunities, faculty wanted their mission recognized, and alumni and donors wanted to see tangible impact.
This digital experience redesign represents the opportunity to boldly announce and present a unified brand identity–to create a dynamic digital experience that clarifies and demystifies human ecology, delivering a compelling brand story that gets audiences excited and involved.
The Solution
Designing a digital experience that puts humanity at the center.
The redesigned CHE website became more than a digital catalog—it evolved into a dynamic digital experience powered by Drupal. Built on a flexible CMS framework, the site isn’t just an online presence but a living expression of the College’s ethos. Rather than mirroring internal divisions, the platform organizes content to reveal how disciplines, ideas, and people intersect to address humanity’s greatest challenges.
Through bold design, inclusive storytelling, and intuitive navigation, the site highlights outcomes over courses, themes over structures, and impact over definitions. It celebrates the CHE Gene–a shared spirit of curiosity, empathy, and innovation–and translates it into a platform that inspires visitors to explore, connect, and imagine what’s possible.
The Work
From insight to identity, crafting a foundation for progress.
Our collaboration began with a deep dive into audience needs. Students sought clarity about programs and pathways; faculty wanted more mission and research visibility; alumni and donors wanted proof of change in the world. These insights shaped an information architecture that brings order to complexity and a messaging framework that places human progress at the heart of every page.
The design system emphasizes accessibility and inclusion, ensuring every visitor can see themselves in CHE’s story. Through a CMS-driven content strategy, the College re-centered its narrative on outcomes and impact, highlighting how science, design, and policy converge to improve lives locally and globally.
This was not just a website redesign–it was the creation of a digital identity, one that repositions CHE as a force for progress and a community where advancing humanity is always at the center.
The Results
A platform that communicates purpose and inspires action.
The result is a digital experience that feels as forward-thinking as the College itself. Students now find programs and pathways with clarity and excitement. Faculty and staff have a platform that strengthens internal alignment. Alumni and donors encounter stories that demonstrate impact and invite them to be part of CHE’s future.
For Cornell, the College of Human Ecology now has a distinctive digital identity–one that unifies people, science, and design, and that boldly communicates its mission to improve lives. More than a website, it is a platform for inspiration, connection, and progress.
