Graphic design student leaves his mark on new Oso Café through OU Eats internship

When Oakland University's new Oso Café opens later this summer, students won't just discover a new place to grab coffee. They'll also experience the creativity of one of their own.

Graphic design student Kadin Price, an intern with OU Eats, illustrated the graphics and helped create the visual identity for Oso Café, a new campus coffee shop opening in the Oakland Center. From its woodland-inspired artwork and bear mascot to its warm, welcoming aesthetic, the project gave Price the opportunity to apply what he has learned in the classroom to a permanent campus space.

The experience reflects Oakland University's commitment to student success through experiential learning. Through the OU Pledge, every undergraduate student is guaranteed opportunities to gain hands-on experience through internships, research, leadership and other high-impact practices that prepare them for success after graduation.

For Price, creating the Oso brand was more than a design project.

"This project gave me the opportunity not only to show what I was capable of, but to contribute to the culture of Oakland University, Chartwells and OU Eats, and the students and faculty on campus," he said.

Price's journey to Oakland University began with the Center for Multicultural Initiatives, which awarded him a full-tuition scholarship during his senior year of high school.

"CMI offered me a full-tuition scholarship," he said. "I took the money and never looked back."

An artist for as long as he can remember, Price said he always enjoyed drawing, even before he understood the broader world of art and design. Encouragement from his family, along with watching a cousin succeed in graphic design, inspired him to pursue the field professionally.

"I have always been an artist ever since my baby hands were strong enough to hold pencils and crayons," he said. "Despite not knowing much about art history, knowing many artists or being aware of creative spaces, I still stuck with it somehow.”

He ultimately found a discipline that combined creativity with communication.

"I recognized graphic design as something in between artistic expression, impactful communication and business culture," he said.

Price's connection to OU Eats also grew over time. He first joined the campus dining team as a store associate at Tilly's after hearing about the opportunity from the daughter of a family friend. He spent nearly three years in that role before becoming a student leader.

When an opening for a graphic design internship became available, he saw the chance to combine his campus employment with his academic interests.

The internship quickly became his favorite campus job.

When OU Eats began developing Oso Café, Marketing Manager Seth Schafer entrusted Price with creating much of the café's visual identity, giving him the opportunity to take on a professional branding project from concept to completion.

"My marketing manager, Seth, is constantly moving with ambition and purpose," Price said. "Of the many tasks he was given to tackle, he was given the task of designing and branding a new café. He then handed the task off to me with the purpose of giving me the opportunity to create a massive portfolio piece."

Rather than simply designing a logo, Price set out to create a brand that felt authentic to Oakland University.

"I really wanted to go for something that felt natural, like it should have been here before," he said. "A name that rolls off the tongue, colors that say 'warm welcome' and graphics that make you feel good."

Kadin Price developed original illustrations for the Oso Café.

Inspired by woodland themes and Oakland University's Golden Grizzly identity, he developed original illustrations featuring a bear motif, warm colors and hand-drawn elements that welcome visitors into the space.

His creative process included filling sketchbooks with ideas, studying café branding, experimenting with typography, creating word lists and exploring different languages. He even spent time studying bear paws and facial expressions before bringing everything together into a cohesive visual identity.

"I created word lists, observed the branding of cafés, stared at bear paws and faces, played with letters and abstract ideas, explored different languages and put it all together," he said.

Price draws inspiration from a wide variety of artistic influences, from cartoons such as "Adventure Time," "Looney Tunes" and "Pink Panther" to video games, graffiti and Detroit's vibrant mural scene.

"I believe the constant consumption of art allowed me to stay interested and passionate," he said.

While seeing his work become part of a permanent campus destination is rewarding, Price said the experience also gave him confidence in his abilities.

Along with serving as a graphic design intern, he has also been a CMI scholar and an orientation group leader. Together, those experiences have reassured him that he is on the right path.

"Experiences like designing this coffee shop and being a CMI scholar and being an orientation group leader gave me the confidence and reassurance that I was taking the right steps and to continue to trust myself and what I've been taught," Price said. "Giving me the opportunity to show myself up and prove how much I've worked and how much I truly deserve it."

He said each new challenge has strengthened his determination.

"Determination is easier with every tall task you climb over," he said. "So I keep climbing."

When Oso Café welcomes its first customers, they'll be surrounded by artwork created by a fellow Golden Grizzly — a reminder that some of the most meaningful learning experiences happen outside the classroom.

For Price, the project represents more than a portfolio piece. It is a lasting contribution to campus and an example of how Oakland University empowers students to turn classroom knowledge into real-world experience with a visible impact on the university community.