Located in Rome, Italy, John Cabot University is an American liberal arts institution offering a transformative educational experience within an international community. Seeking a digital presence that reflects the vibrancy of studying in Rome, JCU partnered with Beacon to create a modern, mobile-friendly website that enhances design, user experience, SEO, and brand consistency for a competitive edge.
The new site delivers on every goal with a bold, modular design that captures JCU’s energetic academic culture. A mobile-first mega menu streamlines navigation, while custom program pages clearly present degree structures. Updated content and contemporary layouts combine to create a visually engaging, intuitive experience for prospective and current students alike.
Private University
Priorities
Modern UX & design, mobile responsiveness, SEO, brand alignment
Platforms Used
Cascade
Seeking to refresh their brand, JCU collaborated with Beacon to reimagine and expand existing brand elements into bolder and more modern designs. Large features, such as sliders and parallax effects, showcase compelling imagery with interactivity and motion, bringing the website to life while highlighting campus life in Rome.
JCU had several user personas to consider, so Beacon designed a mega menu that facilitates finding information for each type. The interior navigation also takes a modern approach. By moving away from a side menu, the site gained space for fresh content and more imagery with a full-width layout.
JCU can now showcase its outstanding programs while providing prospective students with a clear view of what to expect. A range of components, including galleries, faculty sliders, and more, create well-organized pages and feature more imagery than ever.
Utilizing data from current site traffic and feedback from internal stakeholders, Beacon provided recommendations for the site map, information architecture, menus, and bars to create a user-friendly website structure that helps alumni and students easily find key information.
The combination of edgy brand elements, vibrant colors, and rich imagery of Rome creates a distinctive and memorable design.
The site puts related-page links in a top bar instead of a side menu, making navigation clear while giving the page below more space for creative layouts.
With 24 pages of content developed by Beacon, the site leverages new templates and design components. For example, the Program Listing page went from a simplistic list layout to a more user-friendly tab layout. Now, each degree program has a layout tailored to its specific needs, while also being highly visible to prospective students.
