Auburn Students Featured in Graphic Design USA Magazine

A leading industry magazine, Graphic Design USA (GDUSA), has named two Auburn students as “2022 Students to Watch.” Seniors Lane Mullins and Alex Crowe, from Auburn’s School of Industrial and Graphic Design (SIGD), were recently featured in the magazine’s annual listing. Both Mullins and Crowe will graduate in May with bachelor of fine arts degrees in graphic design.

Originally from Alabaster, Alabama, Mullins spent time during high school living in the African country of Eswatini. It was while working at a community center there that he found he had a knack for graphic design, and his interest only grew once he started classes in Auburn’s College of Architecture, Design and Construction (CADC). He has won several awards in SIGD’s Juried Student Show, including first place in the Identity Design and Publication Design categories, and was named as one of GDUSA’s Package Design Winners in both 2021 and 2022. He also won second place in the Auburn University Office of Writing’s ePortfolio competition and is a recipient of the 2022 President’s Award. He enjoys exploring interactive design, like apps and websites, as well as storytelling through typography. One of his favorite things about his time at Auburn has been the small, close-knit structure of his cohort and the ability to develop friendships with his peers who both encourage and challenge him. “I felt honored, surprised and humbled to be included alongside my classmate and friend, Alex,” Mullins said of this most recent honor. “I am incredibly thankful to the graphic design faculty members for their support and encouragement.” He plans to move to Birmingham after graduation to gain experience working for a branding or design agency.

Crowe, a Birmingham native, has been very involved on campus during her time at Auburn. She is currently a CADC Ambassador, chapter president of the American Institute of Graphic Arts and a CADC Student Advisory Council member. She is also a former member of the Auburn University Marching Band danceline and was selected as 2021 Outstanding Undergraduate by the graphic design faculty. She was a finalist for the Communication Arts 2022 Typography Competition and has received awards from SIGD’s Juried Student Show as well as a 2022 Package Design Award from GDUSA. Crowe says that her third year studios sparked her interest in motion graphics. “We used an augmented reality app, called Artivive, to connect a printed piece with an animation,” she explained. “This is where I really began to fall in love with the kinds of opportunities motion design creates in our world, and it reinforced the importance of both static and dynamic design.” After graduation, Crowe hopes to do some traveling before settling into a full-time job. She interned with Luckie & Co., a marketing agency in Birmingham, and continues to complete projects there in addition to her work for the Alabama Prison Arts Project. Crowe says she was excited to be named to GDUSA’s list and is grateful to both her parents and her professors who have helped her to chase her dreams. “The icing on the cake was being able to share this with one of my best friends,” she stated. “We’ll even be printed on the same spread of the magazine!”