Supporting De Smet’s Story, Year After Year
Ask enough people in St. Louis where they went to high school and certain names come up again and again. (I went to Lutheran South for those wondering.)
De Smet Jesuit is a name you’ll hear time and time again, not just because of its history, but because of the continued accomplishments and the community that keeps it moving forward.
We’ve designed De Smet Jesuit High School’s annual magazine, Odyssey Magazine, for a couple of years, so when their team asked if we could also tackle the annual report, we were ready. The Report of Gratitude shares the school’s story through the lens of faith, brotherhood and the lasting impact of a De Smet education.
De Smet brought the substance: the stories, photography and moments that reflect its mission and community. Our role was to interpret that content with intention, shaping it to resonate with students, parents, alumni, donors and faculty.
The design takes inspiration from Swiss Style, where grids provide a framework and typography, imagery and scale introduce emotion and voice.
From there, our team built a structure that could support years of future reports. That repeatable grid design creates a sense of order, establishes rhythm and fosters a familiar flow without feeling stiff or boxy.
That underlying structure also guides the reader. Clear relationships between headlines, body copy, imagery and captions establish hierarchy and pacing, allowing more complex stories to unfold naturally instead of competing for attention.
The Report of Gratitude serves a specific role within the De Smet community. It’s designed to honor the generosity that makes the school’s mission possible and support continuous fundraising.
As De Smet looks toward continued growth by expanding its brotherhood, its impact, even its facilities, these publications serve a larger purpose. They reflect a community deeply invested in the future of its students and the shared commitment that makes that future possible. Through generosity and dedication De Smet’s story continues to take shape.
The goal of this work was simple: to bring clarity and cohesion to how that story is told. To create publications that feel familiar yet thoughtful, grounded yet forward-looking. To honor the community behind them and leave room for what’s next for De Smet.
