Graphic design alum finishes first ‘season’ with NHL team

A 2018 graduate of Pennsylvania College of Technology’s graphic design major is putting his creative talents to work in the National Hockey League. Austin L. Fulton, originally from Montoursville, is a graphic designer for the Florida Panthers.

Fulton earned his Bachelor of Science degree in graphic design from Penn College in August 2018 and began his job with the hockey team one month later. With the NHL season running October through April, he recently completed his first full season on the Panthers’ marketing team.A 2018 graduate of Pennsylvania College of Technology’s graphic design major is putting his creative talents to work in the National Hockey League. Austin L. Fulton, originally from Montoursville, is a graphic designer for the Florida Panthers.

Fulton earned his Bachelor of Science degree in graphic design from Penn College in August 2018 and began his job with the hockey team one month later. With the NHL season running October through April, he recently completed his first full season on the Panthers’ marketing team.

Although the NHL season has concluded, marketing activities continue in preparation for next season and for the team’s home venue, the BB&T Center in Sunrise, Florida, a suburb of Fort Lauderdale.

“The first season was great!” Fulton enthused. “It was so cool to see from start to finish how a full NHL season works behind the scenes from a creative perspective. It was rewarding to see how my work changed over time as the season went along. I took on mostly smaller projects to begin, but by the halfway point of the season, I was taking on bigger tasks. As a graphic design and marketing team, we were really strong this year, and we took a lot of big steps in promoting the Panthers brand throughout South Florida, so we’re excited for the next season already!”

One creative project that stands out for Fulton was helping to design the BB&T Center’s new concession stands, where an enhanced array of food options is offered to guests.

In addition to large-scale projects like murals and signage throughout the hockey arena, Fulton designs a wide range of digital and print media promoting the Florida Panthers brand. The workload extends to promotional materials for concerts and events held in the BB&T Center.

Fulton credits his Penn College education and an internship at Little League International with helping him land his job in Florida.

“Penn College helped put me on the path to succeed and land this first job,” he said. “The graphic design program has built a great reputation over the years, with many students producing award-winning design work. It’s a real testament to the faculty here in the program. At the end of the day, their goal is the same as yours: to help you get a job.

“I also believe that having Little League on my resume helped me land where I am today. Growing up in the Williamsport area, you know that the Little League Baseball World Series is the biggest event that takes place every year. To be able to say I was there and helped create design work for the series is special.”

In another honor from his Penn College days, the logo he designed for the Community Arts Center’s 25th anniversary won a student pitch competition and was used throughout the center’s 2018-19 season.

Also as a college student, Fulton’s work captured a gold in the Student American Advertising Awards sponsored by the American Advertising Federation of Northeast Pennsylvania and a merit award in the Flux Student Design Competition sponsored by AIGA Blue Ridge, a chapter of the national AIGA organization.

The skills he learned as a Penn College graphic design student are put to use every day, as are the life skills he attained.

“There are also skills that helped me prepare for the real world, like problem-solving and communication,” Fulton said. “In our work field, sometimes we are ‘put on the spot’ to come up with a design solution quickly. As graphic designers, we also have to learn how to communicate with different audiences, both verbally and nonverbally.

“But outside of graphic design, Penn College helped me to see a bigger world than I grew up in. Coming from rural central Pennsylvania, I didn’t think Penn College would be as diverse as a major university, but I was proven wrong. I met a lot of different people and heard a lot of different stories of why people came to Williamsport to earn their college degree. So, Penn College helped me see a world that was outside of my normal realm. It helped me not only become a better graphic designer, but a better person, too.”

A graduate of Montoursville Area High School, he is the son of Carl and Denise Fulton, of Montoursville.

To learn more about Penn College’s graphic design and art majors, call the School of Sciences, Humanities & Visual Communications at 570-327-4521.

For more about Penn College, a national leader in applied technology education, email the Admissions Office or call toll-free at 800-367-9222.