UA Little Rock Students and Emerging Analytics Center Create Snapchat Filter to Celebrate Career Fair
Students and employees from UA Little Rock’s Emerging Analytics Center (EAC) teamed up with Career Services to develop a Snapchat filter that captures the excitement of career fairs on campus.
The project began in August 2024 when Brittany Straw, director of University Career Services, toured the EAC lab to explore potential collaborations. Inspired by the EAC’s innovative projects, she proposed the idea of a custom Snapchat filter that would engage students and highlight the excitement of networking with industry professionals.
“I wanted the campus to have a career fair filter to show students that Career Services aren’t always formal and boring,” Straw said. “Networking can be fun, informative, and fruitful. Many students are anxious about career fairs. Using this filter is a great way to engage them.”
Development of the filter officially began in February 2025, with undergraduate student James McMath leading the programming, assisted by Colin McNerny.
Graduate student Carlos Ochoa, undergraduate student Trelan Washington, and lead artist Jason Zak worked alongside Charla Tozer, a senior graphic design major, to design the graphics and user interface elements.
“I think this project is a great opportunity for me to contribute to the university,” Tozer said. “For my part in the project, I updated the original Trojan Man design by giving him a suit to align with the Career Fair theme, which was then used as an art element in the filter. I’m excited for people to use the Snapchat filter and see my take on the design!”
The team was guided by key faculty and staff, including Dr. Jan Springer, EAC director, Thomas Coffin, senior visualization manager, and Dusty Higgins, an assistant professor in digital arts and illustration.
The Career Fair Snapchat filter is now live and accessible on the EAC website. Users can also find it by searching “EAC UALR” on Snapchat, where it joins a collection of more than 25 filters created by the EAC.
The filter offers a fun and interactive way for students to celebrate career fairs while sharing their experiences on social media. The EAC and Career Services hope the project will not only enhance student participation but also demonstrate the growing role of technology in career development and university engagement.