Graphic Design Senior Receives 2022 President’s Award

Fourth year graphic design student Lane Mullins is the College of Architecture, Design and Construction’s 2022 recipient of the prestigious Auburn University President’s Award. The President’s Award recognizes one student in each Auburn University school or college who has completed at least three semesters with a minimum grade-point average of 3.40 and who possesses outstanding qualities of leadership, citizenship, character and promise of professional ability. Nominated for the award by faculty at the School of Industrial and Graphic Design (SIGD), Mullins will graduate in May with a bachelor of fine arts in graphic design.

Mullins has won multiple awards in SIGD’s Juried Student Show. In 2021 he was the winner of the Identity Design category and received a merit award in the Introduction to Design category. This year, he was the winner in Publication Design and received a merit award in Motion Design. He was recently named to Graphic Design USA’s 2022 list of “Students to Watch,” and the organization also honored him as one of their 2021 Package Design Winners. In 2021, he won second place in the Auburn University Office of Writing’s ePortfolio competition.

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 grew once he started classes at Auburn. He enjoys exploring design with interactive components like websites and apps, but also appreciates the non-technical foundations of graphic design. “The idea of designing an experience for a user or visitor is an interesting challenge to me,” he explained. “But I also enjoy exploring typography as a way to tell a story, whether through choice of typeface or via manipulation or abstraction.”

Assistant Professor Lee Clark calls Mullins a hard worker, a natural born leader and “a design thinking force to be reckoned with.” Clark noted that he has heard other students in casual conversation speaking about Mullins’ impact on them. “When Lane isn’t busy creating something brilliant, he’s helping his peers solve problems or giving them feedback to improve their work,” he stated. “The help and influence Lane offers them reaches far beyond the classes he is enrolled in.”

Mullins has completed several internships during his time in the program with companies ranging from nonprofits to design agencies, and he currently works part-time doing freelance graphic and web design work for a variety of clients. After graduation, he will move to Birmingham with plans to work for a branding or design agency. Congratulations Lane!