GDES Students, Faculty Honored in 2025 UCDA Awards
Graphic Design (GDES) students, alumni and faculty members in Auburn’s School of Industrial and Graphic Design have been nationally recognized by the University & College Designers Association (UCDA).
UCDA’s annual awards program honors exceptional design work by communications professionals in the field of education, with awards given in four main categories: print and digital, illustration, photography and student work.
Carly DeSimone was awarded a Silver Award and Judge’s Choice in the digital category for her app design. Overseen by Assistant Professor Devon Ward, the “Haven App” helps identify, track and reduce noise pollution.
Aaliyah Williams also received an Excellence Award for her design of a tourism app for San Jose de Ocoa in the Dominican Republic. Williams’ design, “Univa Tourism App,” was advised by Associate Professor Courtney Windham.
“Receiving a UCDA Award is such an encouragement, because it reminds me that the work I create can resonate beyond the classroom,” Williams said. “This recognition motivates me to keep growing as a designer who creates work that connects with people and makes a difference.”
Mekhi Kalil was given an Honorable Mention for his booklet entitled “Tadao Ando: Concrete Poetry,” which was overseen by Herbert and Windham.
GDES alumna Caroline Webster ‘25 was honored with an Excellence Award for her identity design for One Shelf Library, a gathering space for all individuals with bright colors, friendly typography and bold graphics.
Completed as her senior design project, Webster’s design was overseen by Associate Professor Samantha Herbert and Assistant Professors Mario Bocanegra and Ward. Two faculty members were also recognized in an inaugural faculty research category.
“The UCDA review and awards process, unlike industry reviews, has been conducted by academics and educators, those at the pinnacle of design discourse,” lecturer Meg Dreyer said. “Recognition is conferred in the context of design thinking, problem-solving and contribution to the discourse.”
Robert Finkel, GDES Program Chair and Professor, received a Silver Award for his book design “Selma Is Now,” and Dreyer was awarded an Excellence Award for her poster diptych “Cicada: Dual Emergence.”
“Having my work recognized in juried competitions affirms the value of the partnerships, creative processes and outcomes that come together to create meaningful design,” Finkel said.
A panel of 20 design professionals evaluated nearly 800 entries before naming winners in each of the four competitions. Winning work will be exhibited at UCDA’s 55th annual conference in Pasadena, California this fall.