When campus units work together, amazing things happen. A recent collaboration between Information and Educational Technology (IET) and the College of Letters and Science (L&S) proved this when their joint project secured a prestigious industry award.

Armando Arbizo, a graphic designer for Enterprise Infrastructure Services, partnered with the college to build the award-winning website for the new Letters and Science Magazine. According to Shawn DeArmond, IET Web Architect, the project was a "multi-month effort pushing the limits of custom design on SiteFarm."

The resulting site features a clean design, compelling images, and bold text. Armando focused on the user perspective, aiming for a look that felt "clean and intuitive." 

"I focused on simplicity and making the content easy to navigate," Armando explained, noting that he drew inspiration from major publications like The New Yorker and The New York Times.

Armando worked closely with Ed Kiggins, Director of Strategic Communications, L&S Dean’s Office, to build the website using SiteFarm blocks and custom CSS. The goal of the site was to increase the audience for their content and demonstrate the scope of the college. Ed says Armando’s creation brought their creative vision to life.

“Armando immediately understood our vision,” Ed enthused. “By using the samples and specs we shared, he quickly built a model that exceeded our expectations.”

The Results: Recognition and Reach

The Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) took notice. In November 2025, the site earned a 2025 “Best of District VII” CASE award, along with 35 other UC Davis projects. Every year, CASE recognizes best practices in advancement, awarding the best of the best.

Armando said he was surprised to hear the site won a CASE award – he wasn’t aware it had been entered for consideration. 

“I had a meeting with Ed to go over edits to the site, and he casually mentioned it won a CASE award! I was like "excuse me what?!?!" You know in the movies when someone is taking a sip of coffee, and they hear something they weren't expecting to hear and spit it out everywhere? That would have been me,” Armando exclaimed. “Seriously though, it feels good to know that your work is being recognized.”

In addition to the award for the web design, the Letters and Science Magazine and its writers won several other CASE awards, validating their hard work. 

“It was no small thing to make this magazine happen at all and there are so many people to recognize for their roles, including (especially!) Armando for his leadership, patience, and expertise in making this come to life,” Ed said. 

Campus response to the Letters and Science Magazine website has also surpassed expectations. Ed said they’ve seen a significant increase in web traffic and readership. 

Between the awards and reader boost, it’s safe to say campus collaboration, especially pairing compelling content and user-centered web design, are a winning combination!