A Plainfield native,
Andrew Kulihin began his tenure with the Rutgers University Department of Athletics in 2014 and currently serves as assistant athletic director of Brand Advancement. In his role, Kulihin oversees the creative services team and interns in Brand Advancement. He also serves as the main contact to University trademark and licensing as Brand Manager to implement proper usage of the Athletics marks, approve all artwork and work with Collegiate Licensing Company. Kulihin works with vendors to ensure all merchandise includes approved branding, and finds solutions to any pending licensing issues or sponsorship items.
Kulihin is also the main contact for Merchandise for Athletic department for both gameday and non-gameday events, managing the marketing calendar, and working with various vendors on hot market items and ideas while setting strategy and solutions in collaboration with Dyehard/Follet, the official apparel provider of Rutgers Athletics. He works with Dyehard/Follet on designing merchandise, promotional graphics, and social media collaboration.
In 2022, Kulihin joined the Rutgers NIL task force, working in ideation and strategy to maximize the R Edge program content and branding for student-athletes. Additionally, he provides personal brand development and digital media training for student-athletes as part of R Edge and Scarlet Knights for Life.
Kulihin's role includes oversight of the uniform and apparel design process for all teams, working with the facilities department on branded items, and helping administration and student-athletes with professional development in the sports creative field.
In 2020, Andrew’s creative vision helped engagements on Rutgers Athletics social media platforms grow by 68%, a top-15, year-over-year increase in the nation. On the men's basketball side, Kulihin helped the program's social media platforms increase engagement by 146% in 2020 while having his work featured nationally several times during the season.
During Kulihin's tenure, Rutgers earned a spot on the 2018 SkullSparks Visual Communication Top 25 after a nationwide vote. A 2017 NACMA “Best Of" Awards People's Choice Top 5 poster finalist, the Rutgers Football poster was ranked No. 2 nationally by posterswag.com in both 2016 and 2015, while the men’s basketball poster also placed second nationally in 2015. In addition, Rutgers design was recognized among the Top 25 in visual communications in college athletics by smssports and ranked the No. 11 college sports design team and a top 25 college football creative team in 2015 by inthetrenches30.com.
Kulihin is a contributing blogger for Jeremy Darlow, brand consultant to athletes, coaches and NCAA Programs. He has also had work featured in "The Why of Sports Design" design principles in
Sports Marketing.
A 2013 Rutgers graduate with a degree in Information Technology and Informatics, Kulihin was raised a Scarlet Knights’ fan by his father Victor, himself an alum. Kulihin and his wife, Danny, reside in Somerset, New Jersey.
