Notion Invests in Future of Design Community, Next Generation of the Creative Industry

Webster University graphic design students during a studio tour hosted by Notion in summer 2023.

It all started with two couples catching up over dinner.  
 
John and Ruko Senseney, both part of the leadership team at Notion, a creative design agency, were having dinner with Noriko Yuasa, chair of Webster University’s Department of Art, Design, and Art History (DADAH) and her spouse. In 2021, the effects of the pandemic still had a major impact on day-to-day life. While conversing about work, Yuasa expressed how the pandemic was putting a damper on the success of her students. She spoke about her worries in regard to students being able to complete their coursework because of hardships they were facing – financial, access to technological resources or employment opportunities – that were magnified by the pandemic.

John Senseney, who serves as an executive creative director at Notion, was inspired to ask what they could do to help. He had dedicated a large part of his career to mentoring: regularly offering feedback to young designers as they built their portfolios, attending design reviews and had even established a decade-wide internship program at a former organization. Now, as one of three business partners leading Notion (two of which had formerly interned for him in a previous organization), he felt compelled to support the students exploring a career in design.  
 
“Agencies benefit from good talent entering the market,” said John Senseney. “At the time, I knew my partners would support helping the students in some manner because we share similar values and believe in giving back, especially to the future of our industry.” 
 
Soon after, the Notion team connected with Yuasa’s colleagues at Webster University. Notion outlined a variety of ways they could support students – including scholarships for tuition and supplies, internship opportunities for real-world experience, networking opportunities with current professionals for industry exposure – and more.  
 
In 2021, Notion established the Notion Graphic Design Endowment Fund, which supports the next generation of graphic design students studying at Webster University. Over the past three years, Notion has also provided a yearly gift to support students immediately, resulting in over $46,000 in endowed and annual support for Webster University graphic design students to date.

Their impact hasn’t stopped there. In 2022, Notion’s internship program gave design, marketing and communications students the opportunity to gain firsthand experience at their craft in a professional agency setting. They hosted a studio tour for DADAH students in 2023, and the agency has served as reviewers at DADAH’s annual graphic design showcase.  

Webster University graphic design students explore Notion’s office during a summer studio tour.

Webster University’s mission is to meet unmet needs. Specifically, the University connects young students with the knowledge they need to succeed in their careers, which opens doors that were previously closed. Notion’s partnership with Webster makes this goal even more tangible by connecting young designers with industry experience, networking opportunities and scholarship support. 
 
“We try to be helpful to our community and are inspired to discover new talent,” said Ruko Senseney, chief strategy officer at Notion. “Our partnership with Webster is a great opportunity to build a bridge to our industry and hopefully give the next generation a boost.” 
 
“College is a precious time to grow, explore and incubate artistic ideas with the support of those around you,” Yuasa explained. “Recently, students haven’t had the space or time to incubate ideas since their focus is divided between their coursework and the cost of it. Notion’s endowment fund and annual scholarship gifts have played a significant role in helping our graphic design students afford their education. The element of industry exposure, such as studio tours, internships or feedback on portfolios is equally significant. Through this partnership, graphic design students are given the opportunity to develop a greater awareness of the career possibilities after graduation and can begin to envision their futures.” 
 
The two-year old partnership is already making an impact on both Webster students and Notion. Nisha Margrum, BFA ‘23, was the first recipient of Notion’s annual scholarship. After finishing her graphic design degree in spring 2023, Margrum went on to intern at Notion – which led to a full-time position upon the conclusion of her internship. 
 
“I learned a lot during my time as an intern with Notion - including that I wanted to continue learning from the amazing designers who work there,” said Margrum. “The company culture and internal events were also a big part of what drew me in. I am very grateful to both Notion and Webster University for the opportunities that have been provided to me. This partnership plays a huge part in having the chance to do what I love for a living, which is a rare thing to be able to say.” 
 
Margrum isn’t the only Webster alumna at Notion: seven members of Notion’s staff call Webster University their alma mater. Janet Tran, BFA ‘20, has been part of the Notion team since 2021. She attested this correlation to the shared attitude and goal between the institutions – saying that only justifies their partnership further.  
 
“Notion and Webster share a similar characteristic; they have the backbone of people who are supportive and compassionate,” Tran shared. “They both strive to contribute to communities and future generations. Webster and Notion have both been safe and comfortable spaces for me to grow. I never thought I would be a designer until I went to Webster. Notion continues to support me as I mature in my career and creative skills.” 

Notion employees who are Webster alumni gathered for a picture with Notion’s founding partners. From left to right: Ben Sullivan, Jake Thebeau, Felicia Acton, Janet Tran, Louis Kokenis (founding partner), Tricia Williams, John Senseney (founding partner), Matt Frauenhoffer (founding partner), Nisha Margrum, Ryan Smith. 

Driven by their shared vision of creating opportunity for students, Webster and Notion’s partnership won’t be ending anytime soon. Notion plans to continue its legacy of helping young designers enter the creative industry. 
 
“Notion’s goal is to support our community and design talent in our region, because we care,” said Ruko Senseney. “We live by our ‘how can we help’ values and hope that our growing scholarship program allows students to complete their education and pursue their creative calling. We enjoy being mentors and are always happy to host studio tours, share information about the agency/industry and support career development.” 
 
ABOUT NOTION  
Notion is an independently owned full-service creative agency based in St. Louis, MO. Focused on strong collaboration, trusted client partnership and strategic design, the creative minds at Notion turn ideas into reality. Notion supports B2B marketers and communications teams in six key areas: Brand Identity, Corporate Communications, Product Marketing, Sales Enablement, Thought Leadership and Data Visualization. Learn more at www.notionpartners.com.