Otis College’s Website Named One of 10 Best College and University Websites
Otis.edu shares this accolade with higher ed institutions such as Johns Hopkins University and MIT.
Otis College’s recently redesigned website, Otis.edu, has been included in Volt’s list of the 10 best college and university websites this year. The annual spotlight by the higher ed marketing and communications resource celebrates institutions that have elevated their digital presence through design innovation, accessibility, and storytelling—qualities Otis College’s website exemplifies with clarity and purpose. Other institutions whose websites made the top 10 list include MIT, Johns Hopkins University, and the Rhode Island School of Design.
In today’s landscape of declining college enrollment and increased skepticism around the value of higher education, a school’s website is no longer just a marketing tool—it’s a vital strategic asset. As Volt emphasized, college websites must go beyond aesthetics to serve as dynamic platforms that engage prospective students, guide families, connect alumni, and communicate institutional impact.
A 2023 study by Modern Campus revealed that 93% of high school students consulted college websites during their application process, with 87% finding them helpful. However, many were turned off by poor navigation, confusing admissions information, and outdated designs—a missed opportunity for many institutions.
Otis.edu: A Website That Reflects Creative Excellence
Otis College’s redesigned website, launched in 2024 by the Communications and Marketing team in collaboration with departments across the campus, was crafted to address these very challenges. The new site is bold, modern, and user- and mobile-centric, reflecting the energy and creativity of the Otis community.
Rather than relying on a static homepage image, Otis’s website invites users to explore
an array of interactive student artworks, each unlocking deeper stories about the
creators and their creative processes. The intuitive card-style design allows visitors
to shuffle through student work, echoing the interactive, experimental ethos of Otis
itself.
We wanted our digital front door to reflect the vibrancy, diversity, and innovation that define Otis College."
“We wanted our digital front door to reflect the vibrancy, diversity, and innovation
that define Otis College,” says Lawrence Aldava, Vice-President of Communications
and Marketing. “The new site is a testament to the collaboration of departments across
campus and our shared commitment to elevating Otis’s impact.”
Navigation is purpose-built, allowing users to filter by degree, interests, and career goals. Clear calls-to-action and impactful data on alumni career success help prospective students and families understand the real-world outcomes of an Otis education.
The redesign focused not only on aesthetics but also on functionality, inclusivity, and storytelling. From prospective students and parents to alumni and faculty, every visitor encounters a site that is both inspiring and easy to navigate.
“We had ambitions to create a website that tells Otis’s story as a creative powerhouse of art and design in a visually immersive and interactive way,” says Voltaire Santos Miran, Executive Vice President of Creative + Web at Carnegie, who partnered with Otis’s Communications and Marketing department on the Otis.edu redesign. “We wanted to create a sense of place and community, amplify Otis’s L.A. location and industry partnerships, and showcase the work of Otis students. And we also wanted the site to be highly intuitive to navigate for site visitors. One of the great challenges of designing for creative institutions is striking that fine balance between lasting visual impact and functional usability. We couldn’t be prouder of the result and of this recognition from Volt.”
Explore Otis College’s newly recognized website at otis.edu—key areas include Otis Now, Virtual Annual Exhibition, and the Social Hub—and experience firsthand why it’s setting a new standard for digital storytelling in higher education.
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