Yesterday I received a letter in the mail from my undergrad Alma Mater, the University of Mobile. It was special to me because it represented so much, namely, the incredible journey the Lord has taken me on these past few years. Just over two years ago, my wife was pregnant with our first child & I decided to resign from my steady & well-paying job (the one I have 9 years of higher education toward) & pursue two businesses I had recently started (w/ no promise of income), Ben Finch Photography & The Visible Group [Marketing & Design]. Was I crazy? Yeah… possibly, but it was & is worth the risk of failing to pursue my dreams. And have I failed? Geeze… countless times since, but it’s been completely worth it. There are mistakes I made in the beginning that you couldn’t pay me enough to do again. But, I cannot explain the amount of fulfillment & joy that comes from pursuing your dreams even in the midst of difficult circumstances. Since, I’ve had dozens of opportunities to share my story & it’s overwhelming how many people dare not to pursue their dreams, rather choosing stability, comfort, etc. I’m hoping I will have the courage to continue taking the ‘road less traveled’… it makes all the difference.

Back to the matter at hand, The Visible Group, was hired by the University of Mobile to design/develop two websites, provide commercial photography for print/web, & develop a new brandmark & identity material for UMobile. The scope of the project was huge but proved to be an incredible experience. I’m so thankful for a school like University of Mobile; it was the perfect place for me to help foster close relationships with fellow students, teachers, & administration. Choosing to attend UMobile has proved one of the best decisions of my life. I’m so proud of our work that I wanted to pass it on & get your feedback. I’d love to hear your thoughts… this was such a fulfilling project as I was able to give back to my Alma Mater.

This is the main University of Mobile website I designed (& developed by our web development partner, Nvisionative) located at www.umobile.edu. You’ll see my photography work throughout much of the site, primarily in the rotating image areas.

And here is the site located at giving.umobile.edu. I designed this site to appeal to a older demographic, specifically alumni & the business community.
This is the stationery for general office use. The recruiting office has it’s own stationery that is a bit edgier for a younger demographic. They both include the University of Mobile’s new brandmark, aka logo.
If you have friends or family who are looking for a great education & would like to head on down to the beautiful Mobile Bay, check out the University of Mobile. Tell them I sent you!

Let me say this… first, I love the University of Mobile. When I was a senior in high school I was recruited to play football in college & was planning toward that end. Yet, I decided to pursue college soccer & ended up playing at the University of Mobile. It was one of the best decisions of my life. For me, it marks some of the most wonderful times in my life. First, God did such a wonderful work in my life at UMobile. Second, it’s where I met Joy, my wife. But also, I am still inspired by the people of UMobile: staff, students, faculty, etc. I can’t quite explain it, but they’ve got a great thing going on at UMobile. I’m so thankful to still have close ties to my Alma Mater & hold their mission dear to my heart.

If you know a high-school student who is considering college, University of Mobile is certainly worth looking into. And, I’m not getting paid to say that!!