Sea & Sky
An online community built for informing and empowering Hispanic, LatinX, and immigrant students in higher education.
Figma
Photoshop
Problem · Solution · Outcome
Problem
First-generation and international students struggled to find reliable resources (scholarships, legal aid, campus services) scattered across multiple platforms, making it hard to get help or build community.
Solution
I designed Sea & Sky, a mobile concept that centralizes resources, peer groups, and curated media into one intuitive interface—reducing search overhead and enabling supportive connections.
Outcome (Projected)
Prototype reviews showed strong enthusiasm and stated intent to sign up if launched. Testers believed the unified design would significantly cut search time and help them connect with peers. This was a solo product design effort.
Projected Impact
- Validated desirability during prototype reviews; students expressed eagerness to join.
- Projected to reduce resource discovery time by 60%+ by consolidating search into one app.
- Community groups designed to increase peer connections and on-campus support.
- Demonstrated end-to-end design process across research, flows, and UI.
Context
Sea & Sky is an idea that came into fruition by a group of students who identify as immigrant, Latino, and Hispanic. They were unable to find a place where they could connect with other students who could identify similarly to them.
In the following case study, you’ll see the initial design and how it evolved throughout a period of six months.
Who we designed for
Julie
- Age:
- 20
- Location:
- Irvine
- Education:
- Undergraduate
Bio
- Julie was born in Argentina and came to the U.S. as a child.
- Growing up, she wasn’t aware of the burdens of being an immigrant until university.
- At university she struggled to find a group of students who identified similarly.
Goals
- Create a support group where undocumented students can get help.
- Create resources for undocumented students who cannot afford university fees.
- Graduate as an undocumented and first‑generation student.
Behavior
- Works alongside resource groups to provide resources to undocumented students.
- Volunteers for programs that help people who lack resources.
Frustrations
- Wants to create more resource opportunities for students pursuing higher education.
- Struggles to find opportunities catered to undocumented students.
Quote
“When I’ve graduated from university, I want to look back and know that I’ve done something to improve the lives of students who are going through the same struggle of being undocumented as I am.”
What students lacked
Three gaps surfaced: community, resources, and motivating media.
Community
No platform for community building for immigrant, Latino, and Hispanic students within universities.
Resources
Non‑existent singular platform where students can obtain resources such as scholarships, legal aid, and motivation.
Media
Non‑existent media content such as videos and podcasts geared to educate and motivate first‑generation, immigrant, Latino, or Hispanic students pursuing degrees in higher education.
What the app provides
The solution is an app that will foster an online community, provide resources, and create content.
Community will be fostered through the creation of online profiles with .edu emails that allow students to connect with others in the same university or across different universities.
Students can stay up to date with current news through the app; this information is updated based on the student’s location.
The media section creates motivation for students by surfacing motivational and informative content.
Unified hub: resources, groups, and media in one place to cut search time.
Experiences that matter
Community
Profiles and messaging to find peers and stay connected.
Resources
Scholarships, legal aid, and campus services in one place.
Media
Motivational videos and podcasts tailored to students.
Events
Campus and community events surfaced by location.
Onboarding
.edu verification for a trusted student network.
Mobile-first
Designed for quick, daily check-ins on the go.
Low‑fidelity mockups
Onboarding clarifies value props quickly to reduce drop-off.
Mid‑fidelity mockups
High‑fidelity mockups
Bottom-nav patterns support one-hand mobile use.
Crafting Sea & Sky
From research to release.
Research & Discovery
User interviews and scans of existing student communities.
Design & Prototyping
Information architecture and mobile-first flows with clear, calm visuals.
Iteration & Validation
Refined copy, edge cases, and accessibility to improve comprehension.
What I learned
The idea of the Sea & Sky app was created out of necessity: students who identify as undocumented needed a space designed for them.
Coming from a graphic design background with limited UI and UX experience, this was a learning journey. I didn’t fully know the rules of UI/UX, but by taking on the challenge I learned the fundamentals while building the app.
A key challenge was prioritizing the problem over visual polish. At times I focused on aesthetics more than effectiveness. Through iteration, I adjusted the design to solve the underlying problems.
There was a lot of learning from this project—and as the saying goes: you learn and grow from your mistakes. Thanks for reading this case study!
- Designed high-contrast resource cards to ensure readability across light/dark modes.
- Large tap targets and bottom-nav for one-hand mobile use.
- Simple onboarding flow with plain-language copy for ESL/international students.