In 2020, Emily Morgan added a graphic design course to her spring schedule of classes at Marquette. Little did Morgan know, the class would tip over a domino that would change her life forever.
Just four years later, she runs a graphic design business in addition to being a viral social media talent.
Morgan, a 2021 graduate of the College of Communication, has become a popular sports logo designer online, sharing concepts with an audience of nearly 450,000 followers combined across TikTok and Instagram.
“I always was an artistic person. I love drawing, painting and definitely was creative. But I just never thought [to] be a graphic designer,” Morgan said. “I had to take a graphic design course for electives, and immediately, when I started taking it, I’m like, ‘I really, really, really like this.’”
Already years deep into an advertising degree, Morgan opted not to change her major, despite her newfound passion. Instead, she spent time during the COVID-19 pandemic honing her skills in graphic design, watching tutorials on YouTube and sketching computer stickers on her iPad.
In February 2023, she started creating logo concepts for sports teams, combining her lifelong passion for sports with her newer enthusiasm for design. Sharing videos of the logos and design process on her social media platforms, the concepts started to get attention in just a month. Betting on herself, Morgan chose to quit her job in marketing to pursue graphic design full-time.
Morgan’s first taste of internet stardom came with a redesign of the Minnesota Vikings’ logo only a month after fully committing herself to the craft. In April 2023, the newly-released concept came across the feed of ESPN’s SportsCenter account, which reposted her video showing the design process.
“I wanted to cry when that happened. I’m a sports fan at heart, so when I see ESPN in my DMs saying, ‘Hey, can we share your video?’ I want to say, ‘You guys don’t have to ask permission,'” Morgan said. “It feels so rewarding being in communication with sports networks or athletes that I always looked up to.”
Also engaging with the Vikings concept were the Detroit Lions, who left a comment asking for a redesign. Morgan got right to work, trading in the team’s full-body profile of a roaring lion for a headshot with a flowing mane that included “Lions” written within the tufts of fur.
Unlike the designing and editing process, which takes about two weeks, the Lions redesign went viral in an instant— collecting over 20 million combined views on TikTok and Instagram.
“I was so proud to say my daughter did that,” Rae Wynn, Morgan’s mother, said. “I was, as a mom, just overjoyed.”
For Morgan, the Lions logo was an avenue to an internet pedestal, but it also marked social media virality that she had been preparing for since a young age. As a teenager, she posted clips of nail art and hair tutorials to online platforms, giving her and her family a sneak peek into the future.
“This is a continuum of design evolution for Emily,” Steve Ollendick, Morgan’s father, said of her work. “She’s always been super creative and artistic with projects, even as a little kid.”
However, the childlike wonder of creativity was targeted by the eraser tool when all of a sudden, Morgan was faced with expectations as a designer. Holding online popularity, the pressures of running an efficient operation were felt right away.
“I felt pressured to post multiple times a week, so I’d be rushing designs. I definitely felt pressured to keep up with it and keep going, because it’s like, I’m getting engagement now, I’ve got to take advantage of it,” Morgan said. “I kind of just had to tell myself [to] take it day by day. Not everything’s gonna be perfect every time. You’re gonna learn from each project, each client.”
Calley Hostad, multimedia manager for the Diederich College of Communication, shared that Morgan’s attitude in embracing the opportunity was an example of what is needed to thrive on social media.
“I do think it takes a certain amount of creativity and being able to capitalize on a moment,” Hostad said. “She had this moment where ESPN and the Lions were paying attention to something, and so being able to [capture] their attention in another way, it is a tough thing.”
In addition to building her growing reputation online, Morgan is self-employed as a freelance designer, taking on projects for clients ranging from high schools to professional athletes, including Miami Dolphins cornerback Jalen Ramsey.
Breaking away from previous design experience, Morgan’s most recent project was a collaboration with SONY Pictures, designing logos for an animated basketball movie titled “GOAT,” produced by four-time NBA champion Stephen Curry.
“It was so cool working on that, because they showed me how my logos look,” Morgan said. “Seeing your logo in an animated version is so, so different. I’m so used to seeing it static, just on an image or something.”
For Morgan, her work being projected onto the big screen next February, when “GOAT” is slated to reach theaters, will be another milestone in a creative journey that has stretched across her entire life. From testing out outfits before going to school, to posting nail art on social media to finding the perfect polish for a sports logo, her personal horizons continue to expand as time marches forward.
“Just taking it day by day is kind of my motto,” Morgan said. “I have no plan. I had no plan to end up where I am now. So, I’m just gonna stick with that and do what I do.”
This story was written by Lance Schulteis. He can be reached at [email protected].
