Meet Michael Hicks ’06 ’09: SIGD Advisory Council Member

Hicks, who earned both his bachelor’s and master’s in Industrial Design from Auburn’s School of Industrial and Graphic Design in 2006 and 2009 respectively, is senior designer at Altium Packaging in Atlanta, Georgia. Altium is a leading provider of plastic and recycled resin packaging solutions for the food, beverage and health industries.

In his role as senior designer, Hicks collaborates with client companies to develop brand-focused packaging across such diverse markets as dairy, water and other beverages, foods, nutrition, household and specialty chemicals, automotive and personal care. He has worked for Altium since joining the company as a contract design engineer in 2011.

Looking back on his time at Auburn, Hicks says the camaraderie and teamwork of many late nights in the studio has served him well over the years.

“The bond that you develop with your classmates offers the opportunity to develop unique relationships,” he remembered.

“Auburn has some amazing professors, but some of my greatest lessons came in those late nights learning from my peers and sharing my knowledge with them as well,” he said. “The work could be intense, but recalling the joy of growing with great people still brings a smile to my face.”

According to Hicks, something else that makes him smile is mentoring young designers and using his skillset to help businesses and entrepreneurs to bring their ideas to fruition. For that reason, he is particularly excited about serving on the SIGD Advisory Council, where he said his hope is to help bridge the gap between professionals and students by providing mentorship opportunities and assisting professors.

As a minority designer, Hicks also wants to serve as a role model for other minority students.

“My goal is also to be an advocate for inclusivity in design at Auburn and to show students that it is possible to see someone that looks like you and has a similar background to you and to know you too can be successful in this field.”