Conestoga IT Innovation and Design student Michael Pantaleon was part of an industry team recently recognized for its work on a community website. The project was Pantaleon’s first client job through a co-op placement at eConverse Media.
IT Innovation and Design student Michael Pantaleon was part of an industry team recently recognized for its work on a community website.
Working as a designer on his second co-op work term, Pantaleon helped build a site for Nicsa, a non-profit trade association headquartered in Boston connecting the global asset management community. The website was awarded Best Community Site Design by HigherLogic at their annual Super Forum conference.
“Nicsa was looking to upgrade and rebrand their website with a platform that is intuitive for their members to use,” said Pantaleon. “I was responsible for the design phase. I met with the client to discuss their needs, received a content brief and set out to wireframe, prototype and mock-up the design before passing it on to the development team to make it come alive.”
eConverse Media specializes in the strategy, design, launch and management of association websites and communities. The company helps member-based organizations like Nicsa increase engagement and retention by enabling members to connect, share and learn. Nicsa’s new community site is part of a technology ecosystem upgrade as it works towards rich engagement and a more user-friendly experience for its members. The site features discussion boards, upcoming events and resources as well as the integration of association and learning management systems.
“It’s great to have my work recognized by industry,” Pantaleon continued. “It sets a foundation to keep me motivated as I look to expand my creativity and build my skills.”
HigherLogic is an industry-leading engagement platform delivering online communities and communication tools that serve over 3,000 customers with a combined 50 million users across 21 countries. The company’s annual Super Forum conference draws industry professionals looking to drive engagement and build loyalty for customers, members and employees. The awards program celebrates the achievements of its customer community.
After completing his co-op work terms, Pantaleon was hired as a designer at eConverse Media and is currently working part-time as he finishes his final year at Conestoga. The company has a long-standing partnership with HigherLogic. In addition to working with clients, eConverse Media provides customizable design solutions for the HigherLogic community platform. Several theme designs created by Pantaleon during his co-op and part-time role have been included.
The IT Innovation and Design advanced diploma program at Conestoga prepares graduates to help companies effectively compete on a global scale by developing skills in graphic design, content creation, user experience, software development, and marketing to design new and competitive software applications. The program’s optional co-op stream includes four consecutive four-month work terms.