Phoebe Sothern, a fourth-year art studio major with a passion for illustration and curiosity for what goes into a great cup of black coffee, is the creative mind behind three new coffee bean bag designs hitting the shelves at UC Davis Stores this November.

Sothern took two chemical engineering courses at the University of California, Davis: Design of Coffee (ECH 001Y) and Coffee Tasting Practicum (ECH 198). Then, she went on to work as a graphic designer for the UC Davis Coffee Center in the College of Engineering, designing the new bags. The beans inside are roasted on campus and come in three distinct blends: Aggie Blend Medium Roast, Aggie Bright Light Roast, and Aggie Bold Dark Roast.

For National Coffee Day on September 29, 2025, we caught up with Sothern to learn about her experience with the Coffee Center, her creative process and, of course, her go-to coffee order.

The following Q&A has been edited for length and clarity.

How did you first hear about coffee classes, and what made you want to take them as a non-engineering major?

Design of Coffee was one of my first classes at UC Davis! I was thrilled that I could fulfill my science and engineering general education requirements with a class about coffee. I took my second coffee course, the Coffee Tasting Practicum, in my sophomore year. I learned about it while interviewing to be a graphic designer for the Coffee Center, and I signed up so I could use my peers as a sounding board for my designs. We had a diverse range of majors in the group, and they all gave great feedback!

What has surprised you most about learning about coffee?

It surprised and amused me how similar coffee cupping is to wine tasting. I grew up in Napa, and most of my family is in the wine industry. In my time at the Coffee Center, we’ve done a few coffee cuppings where we taste different coffees and evaluate aspects of their quality and flavor. I never realized how formalized coffee tasting and evaluation is, and it was immediately familiar. I loved learning about the idiosyncrasies and rituals of coffee cupping, especially the ongoing competition over who can make the loudest slurp!

Did the classes change the way you think about coffee in your daily life?

Nothing could change my dedication to my daily cup, or three, of hot black coffee. I will say, though, that my daily pot has improved significantly in my time working with the Coffee Center. I now grind my own quality beans every morning. I’m even learning how to do latte art!

I’m no good at it.

How did you approach designing the new coffee bean bag labels?

My background as an artist is in illustration and animation, and I approached the labels with an illustrator’s sensibility. I planned a series of connected but distinct illustrations to represent each blend. I was conscious that I was creating a visual identity for the Coffee Center beans, and I considered the story and identity of the university and the Coffee Center itself.

My first bag was Aggie Blend, featuring an old double-decker London bus. I incorporated iconic elements of UC Davis imagery and focused on the colors and shapes in my art. Aggie Blend leans into classic UC Davis colors with a warm golden hour glow. Aggie Bright features light, warm colors. Aggie Bold centers on black and dark blue.

I chose a graphic, lineless illustrative style so the designs could be easily scalable. These elements make the bags look good both on a tiny label in a store and blown up to a large poster size!

What inspired the look, colors or themes of your designs?

I referenced the look of the iconic WPA National Parks posters of the 1930s and 1940s. The nostalgic lineless illustrations and striking limited color palettes of the posters inspired the visual style and colors I used for the bags. We also chose to feature a few iconic UC Davis animals, which were a lot of fun to draw and fit right in with the spirit of UC Davis and our brilliant agriculture program.

How does it feel to see your artwork on a product that will be sold at UC Davis Stores?

These coffee bags have been about a year in the making, and I’m so proud to finally see the complete line-up. I’m studying abroad right now, but seeing the coffee bags for sale in person for the first time is one of the things I’m most looking forward to when I get home.

What’s your go-to coffee order? Do you have a favorite place on campus to grab a cup of coffee?

I’m a big black coffee person, but I also appreciate an oat milk cappuccino more than is financially responsible. My favorite place to go for coffee is, of course, the Coffee Center! But when I’m not at or near work, the Silo Peet’s is my favorite campus spot.

Is there anything else you’d like to share about your experience with the UC Davis Coffee Center?

The Coffee Center is a very special place, and I can’t wait to see it grow from here. I can’t believe my luck to be involved in creating its look and identity! The Coffee Center beans are amazing, and I highly recommend supporting this wonderful part of UC Davis.