Take this design to the next level

*** Update -- please see detailed description ***

We are looking for someone to help us take this design (http://i42.tinypic.com/5v635v.jpg) to the next level. The team likes the general concept - but wants to make it a "wow" website. We are looking for ideas to improve the front page (as linked above) as well as a generic general page.

The Drupal Guys

*** Update: the team appreciates the work that you have done. They would like to remove the restriction of closely following the prototype that we referenced. The only requirements that are hard and fast are: for the home page -- three content areas for information targeted at students, faculty and business; and the use of purple as the base color. Everything else is open to your creative talents *** Thank you for looking at our design contest! This design is for a non-profit center that focuses on corporate social responsibility and leadership. Social responsibility includes a wide variety of topics - as covered by this center - including: green initiatives, fair use of labor in other countries, sustainability, community involvement, etc. A good place to look for information regarding social responsibility is http://www.srwire.com. We have been working with the center (a non profit group housed at a large university) to implement a new website on Drupal and have created the conceptual design as listed in the summary (http://i42.tinypic.com/5v635v.jpg). While the group likes this design - we wish to take it to the next level by improving upon what we have already created. The group likes the general layout of the front page - but wants to improve upon attributes such as the banner area (too much white, too plain, logo doesn't jump out), horizontal navigation need something that makes it stand out. It doesn't necessarily have to go all the way across, and whatever else you can think of to jazz up the design and make it stand out. We're open to designs that clean up what we've designed as well as new designs that follow the same general layout of the home page (two rows - top row has a rotating slide show on the left, limelight stories on the right; bottom row has 3 boxes with content targeted at students, faculty, and business). The intended audience of this site is rather diverse and needs to appeal to that diverse population -- including; corporations (e.g., Microsoft, Starbucks), students (undergrad and graduate), prospective students, faculty and the general community. Just to reiterate -- things the group doesn't like about the provided prototype include:
- The logo is floating in a big white area -- and they want the Millgard portion to stand out more (preferrably on of the logo instead of at the bottom). They want the logo to stand out more and for there not to be this big white area at the top
- They want a horizontal navigation bar - but want something that stand out as compared to the plain old horizontal nav that's displayed on the prototype
- They like the rounded corners and 3D effects (drop shadows, etc) - but are looking for a wow factor in the main content area
- The like the use of purple (that's their branded color) - but would like additional colors that are complimentary to the purple in the design
- The picture in the top left of the main content area will actually be a slideshow of relevant articles that include a picture - rather than just a pictureWe hope to end this design contest early should we find a design that pops out and the executive team likes it. So enter early as it may end early!

- Something that leverages the general concept as provided in the link in the summary
- Something that is leading edge
- Something that will appeal to a variety of audiences
- A layered PSD of the final results
- Creativity! If you can think of a design that will work better please post it! The design concept is just that -- a concept that appealed to the group
- Quick results -- we would like to end the contest as soon as possible

- A design that looks like it came from Template Monster or any of the other template websites out there