From Oxy’s History to MiddLab’s Future
We’re thrilled to be working with Occidental College this summer - planning for a web redesign this fall, but also doing some preliminary research and branding to prepare for their upcoming 125th anniversary.
While combing their archives, I found a letter written by Dr. Remsen Bird - a well-loved Oxy president for over 25 years, who was very active during WWII helping Japanese-American students who were being interred and relocated. 
The letter is beautiful and kind, and written to the President of another current client we love - Colorado College.
I’ve watched my own alma mater struggle to convey to me the importance of a new college president, and this letter showed so much of the grace and humanity that comes with such a position. It inspired me to look up more about Remsen Bird - and lo and behold - he retired from Oxy, and in 1955, started the Monterey Institute.
Chuckling to myself, I visited the MIIS site that launched over 18 months ago. We like to keep tabs on all of our redesigns, and I realized I hadn’t seen what they were up to in a few months. Sure enough, the first drop-down that I come to has a great tie-in to a research project in MiddLab - our all-encompassing, international research space, built for Middlebury College and its affiliates.
Somehow, this letter, written in 1942, on behalf of one student - allowed me the chance to tour 4 of our most favorite jobs.
Most of us here at WW have spent some time in that “ad agency” world - selling sneakers, or cheeseburgers, or permanent markers - that’s where we got our stripes! But it makes me proud, and humbled, and always, always excited to work for institutions that have so much to offer - to one student, and to many, in wartime, peacetime, and for years to come.
- Janie