Second Wind
Timeline
Sept - Dec 2025
Client
Becky Luther
Tony Le
Role
UI Designer
Team
2 Graphic Designers
1 UI Designer
The Problem
The Problem
There are number of barriers that can prevent young adult immigrants from gaining access to higher education. Opening the Door to the American Dream: Increasing Higher Education Access and Success for Immigrants, written by Wendy Erisman and Shannon Looney, examines the systemic barriers that can prevent immigrants from enrolling in college. Those barriers include: work and family responsibilities, limited English proficiency, and lack of knowledge of the higher education system in the US.
Family and work obligations are not only time consuming but essential to someone’s survival. Furthermore, language barriers and being unfamiliar of the US education system can make the process of applying to college challenging. These barriers can discourage young adult immigrants from applying to higher education.
As a result young adult immigrants work in jobs that are not only low paying, but also low skilled and labor inducing.
There are number of barriers that can prevent young adult immigrants from gaining access to higher education. Opening the Door to the American Dream: Increasing Higher Education Access and Success for Immigrants, written by Wendy Erisman and Shannon Looney, examines the systemic barriers that can prevent immigrants from enrolling in college. Those barriers include: work and family responsibilities, limited English proficiency, and lack of knowledge of the higher education system in the US.
Family and work obligations are not only time consuming but essential to someone’s survival. Furthermore, language barriers and being unfamiliar of the US education system can make the process of applying to college challenging. These barriers can discourage young adult immigrants from applying to higher education.
As a result young adult immigrants work in jobs that are not only low paying, but also low skilled and labor inducing.
Constraints
Constraints
Although the project had a team of three with no research budget and a time constraint of eight weeks, I collaborated on a discussion guide to interview two of five candidates.
The interview duration also had to align with the candidate’s schedules, which delayed the design process. Further supporting how the family and work obligations of immigrants can limit their free time.
Despite the small number of interviews, the team gained valuable insight that influenced the website’s designs and features.
Although the project had a team of three with no research budget and a time constraint of eight weeks, I collaborated on a discussion guide to interview two of five candidates.
The interview duration also had to align with the candidate’s schedules, which delayed the design process. Further supporting how the family and work obligations of immigrants can limit their free time.
Despite the small number of interviews, the team gained valuable insight that influenced the website’s designs and features.
Insights
Insights
During the the research process, I conducted several user interviews to identify pain points of immigrant students trying to apply for higher education.
These three insights played a pivotal part in the design process and creating informed solutions. If you'd like to see the full research process, click here:
During the the research process, I conducted several user interviews to identify pain points of immigrant students trying to apply for higher education.
These three insights played a pivotal part in the design process and creating informed solutions. If you'd like to see the full research process, click here:
01
Familial Assistance
During my interviews, I discovered that young adult immigrants would seek out help from family members. Prospective immigrant students need a personal mentor who has recently gone through the process to guide them through their own application journey.
02
Secondary Assistance
Alongside familial assistance, young adult immigrants would also seek out help from individuals like school counselors or advisors. Prospective immigrants also need a comfortable user experience that will guide them through the application process efficiently.
03
Website Struggles
I also found that all students, not just immigrant students, struggle with the maturity gap that occurs during the application process. There is no suggested or direct way of researching schools, thus leading to a convoluted process prior to application.
Design Proposals
Design Proposals
During the design process, I made several design proposals that were informed by the insights I gathered from my interviews
Along with a sign up experience that helps secure a user's personal information, I proposed several logos and names for the website.
During the design process, I made several design proposals that were informed by the insights I gathered from my interviews
Along with a sign up experience that helps secure a user's personal information, I proposed several logos and names for the website.
Outcome
Outcome
Everything culminated into an accessible website to make the process of attending higher education and obtaining resources easier for immigrants.
The website incorporates mentorship, a dashboard for time management, a database for making applying to schools easier, and a page for readily available resources to help with the external struggles of accessing higher ed and navigating a foreign environment.
Everything culminated into an accessible website to make the process of attending higher education and obtaining resources easier for immigrants.
The website incorporates mentorship, a dashboard for time management, a database for making applying to schools easier, and a page for readily available resources to help with the external struggles of accessing higher ed and navigating a foreign environment.
Personalized Mentorship
Personalized Mentorship
A platform for individuals to connect with mentors with post-secondary education experience to help them on their educational journey.
With the added bonus filters, users are able to match with someone who understands them in both language and academics.
A platform for individuals to connect with mentors with post-secondary education experience to help them on their educational journey.
With the added bonus filters, users are able to match with someone who understands them in both language and academics.
Customizable Dashboard
Customizable Dashboard
An organized workspace for application needs.
Users can play around with an expanding collection of widgets to create the perfect dashboard that will help you through your higher education journey.
Some of the widgets include a FAFSA Countdown to remind users when applications are open, a Meet-Up Reminder to help users keep track of their next mentorship meeting, and many more.
An organized workspace for application needs.
Users can play around with an expanding collection of widgets to create the perfect dashboard that will help you through your higher education journey.
Some of the widgets include a FAFSA Countdown to remind users when applications are open, a Meet-Up Reminder to help users keep track of their next mentorship meeting, and many more.
Resource Hub
Resource Hub
A collection of external resources to help with a variety of needs. All resources are valued partners of our platform and are guaranteed to be trustworthy.
This page is constantly being updated to have the best resources for all individuals.
A collection of external resources to help with a variety of needs. All resources are valued partners of our platform and are guaranteed to be trustworthy.
This page is constantly being updated to have the best resources for all individuals.
Granting others their Second Wind
Here's how everything came together:
Reflection
Reflection
Throughout this project development, I gained a greater insight into the higher education process for immigrants. Prior to this project, I only had a mild understanding of the difficulties that marginalized communities faced in regards to post-secondary schooling.
Only after the interview process, did I start to understand the complexities and challenges that existed in the current education system. The insights gathered from these interviews allowed me to make informed based solutions when it came to site design and core features.
While a lot of the struggles of accessing higher education came from outside factors out of the control of these interviewees, the website design of Second Wind reflected those pain points.
Throughout this project development, I gained a greater insight into the higher education process for immigrants. Prior to this project, I only had a mild understanding of the difficulties that marginalized communities faced in regards to post-secondary schooling.
Only after the interview process, did I start to understand the complexities and challenges that existed in the current education system. The insights gathered from these interviews allowed me to make informed based solutions when it came to site design and core features.
While a lot of the struggles of accessing higher education came from outside factors out of the control of these interviewees, the website design of Second Wind reflected those pain points.
Did we just become friends?
Let's talk up some new ideas, collaborate, or try out all these restaurants that I have bookmarked! Hit me up through here:
Did we just become friends?
Let's talk up some new ideas, collaborate, or try out all these restaurants that I have bookmarked! Hit me up through here:
