INDD Alum Wins IDSA Student Merit Award

Futuristic white exhibition booth with curved glass walls, teal floor accents, and silhouettes of people inside and nearby.

Miles Pelton ‘25, a recent graduate of the School of Industrial and Graphic Design (SIGD), earned a 2025 Student Merit Award from the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA).

A man with dark hair, wearing a light-colored button-up shirt, stands outdoors with his arms crossed and smiles at the camera.
Miles Pelton ‘25

Pelton was one of five undergraduate winners recognized across the United States in the 2025 IDSA Student Merit Awards. One of IDSA’s longest-running programs, the Student Merit Awards highlight creativity, problem-solving and design brilliance among emerging design talent. As the winner of the South District, Pelton received a one-year membership to IDSA and a profile in INNOVATION magazine.

“Each of these students represents the creativity, purpose and leadership that define the future of industrial design,” Donte Shannon, the CEO of IDSA, said. “We’re proud to recognize their talent and commitment to shaping a better world through design.”

Pelton has been pursuing product design since he was 12 years old, following a passion for skateboards, sneakers and invention that led him to SIGD’s Industrial Design (INDD) program.

To be considered for the award, Pelton submitted three projects that best represented his research, design process, creative problem-solving skills and contributions to the design profession. His work included a simple, hand-held device for cleaning up while camping, a hammer-like tool used in mass timber construction and a running brand called ROHE that creates a sense of community for athletes.

Three men stand near a display table with a poster about a timber multi-tool; two people are talking at another table in the background.
Pelton demonstrated the mass timber multi-tool at the Studio+Build Fall 2024 exhibition.

Honored by the award and grateful for his Auburn experience, Pelton believes the award reflects how much the INDD faculty invested in his education.

A modern black and blue axe with a sleek, angular design and a pointed end opposite the blade, shown against a plain white background.
As part of the Studio+Build collaboration, Pelton designed a multi-tool prototype that draws pieces of mass timber together during installation.
A small cleaning brush and a blue cloth rest on a wooden surface next to a dirty cast iron skillet.
Easy to slip in a pocket or hook on a keychain, the Clean Camp Scrubber helps outdoorspeople enjoy a tidier camping experience with fewer tools to pack.

“All of the professors go above and beyond to set students up for success, whether that means taking us camping or out to construction sites to study and uncover real problems,” he said. “They’re always accessible and eager to offer advice or critique when needed.”

A glass award trophy with the text: IDSA 2025 Student Merit Award, Miles Pelton, South District Undergraduate.
Each year, an undergraduate and graduate winner is selected from each District for this prestigious distinction.
A group of people sitting in front of a large screen.
Pelton accepted the award at the 2025 IDSA International Design Conference & Education Symposium (IDC).

Now an associate industrial designer at BOTE in Florida, Pelton relies on his Auburn-formed skills—particularly the program’s emphasis on user-centered design—in his burgeoning career.

“The industrial design program provided a strong foundation in design principles and offered opportunities to engage with industry professionals,” he said. “Each class, whether focused on manufacturing processes or personal finance for designers, felt genuinely designed to help us build the skills needed after graduation.”

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Alumni, Alumni Recognition, Industry Recognition