OVERVIEW
ROLE
UX Designer
Branding
TIME
2 months
Fall 2023
TEAM
Self + 1 colleague
WHY - THE PROBLEM
Students on campus face food insecurity and social isolation around it.
Nearly 40% of Canadian university students report food insecurity, feeling forced to choose between tuition or housing and meals. At my university, many students found off-campus food services too far or inconvenient. Existing support services lacked peer connection, shared space, or trust.
WHAT - THE SOLUTION
Affordable Nutrition — By Students, For Students
I designed a dual-interface service connecting schools and parents to ensure allergy care is timely, reliable, and never overlooked.
KEY DETAILS OF SERVICE
Biweekly Meal Service
Free snacks & frozen meals provided on campus, ensuring no student goes hungry.
Weekly Market For Produce
Low-cost “fit-in-a-box” groceries that students pay-by-weight, so it’s affordable.
Entirely Student-Run
Operated entirely by students to build trust, reduce stigma, and create a safe, welcoming space.
Evening Service
Open 6–8 PM on campus, scheduled around student life so meals are accessible after classes and work.
BRANDING DETAILS
HOW - THE PROCESS
Research & Ideation — Mapping Out The Service
From conducting research to validate the problem space, to ideating and iterating prototypes with constant feedback from all the concerned user groups.
Web Design - Features & UI Details
While the final web UI was executed by my colleague, I focused on finalising flows, and ensuring the service model translated seamlessly into digital touch points.
Donation Page: Showcasing the number of students benefiting from donors’ support.
Student Page: Caters to student community and provides updates on core services.
Volunteer Page: Volunteering opportunities for students to encourage collaboration and initiative.
TAKEAWAYS
Designing for the System, Not Just the User.
This project was one of my most meaningful design experiences — blending research, systems thinking, and product design. It taught me how to balance user needs with institutional realities.
Bridging service design artifacts with a usable MVP.
Building a solution that was functional and emotionally supportive.
Stigma remains a cultural barrier despite design efforts.
Sustainability depends on stronger supplier and university partnerships.
Pilot UniFresh on campus → collect live feedback from students + volunteers.
Deepen supplier partnerships to sustain the service long-term.