Auburn University School of Industrial and Graphic Design

With SIGD celebrating 80 years of design education this past Fall, we’re taking a look back at SIGD’s legacy with alumni who have gone on to lead the industrial and graphic design industries in various ways. Walk back through SIGD’s history with the tech-savvy alumni from the 2000s.

From accessory products to platform interfaces, Blair Hasty '04 and Ty Wilkins '03 are leading design and SIGD’s and graduates into the technology-forward 21st century.

aub.ie/SIGD2000s

Industrial Design student Mia Spilotro was recently named the Grand Prize winner in the 2026 LEGO Design Student Challenge, a competition that challenges design students to create an original concept using LEGO products.

Spilotro developed “SMART Play Music Studio,” a modular and customizable music system with embedded lights and sounds to prompt adult users to experiment with music.

aub.ie/LegoDesign

As the fall semester kicks off, four faculty members are boasting new titles that recognize the exemplary work they have been doing across their coursework, in their research and in service to the College. Congrats to Professor Courtney Windham of !

CADC is proud to announce that the following faculty members have received promotion and/or tenure, effective Fall 2026:

David Shanks of has been promoted to Associate Professor with tenure.

Wesley Collins of , Il Kim of Architecture and Courtney Windham of have been promoted to Full Professor.

aub.ie/FacultyPT26

For student Campbell Edgeworth, winning the 2026 VEX Robotics World Championship marked the culmination of years of persistence, teamwork and innovation.

In April, Edgeworth and her Auburn University teammates captured the title at the VEX U Robotics Competition in St. Louis, making history as the first collegiate robotics team in Alabama and the only robotics team in the state to win its division at the world championship level. The achievement capped a seven-year robotics journey for Edgeworth, who first joined a robotics club in sixth grade and began competing in VEX Robotics in eighth grade.

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Seven current and former students of Auburn’s School of Industrial and Graphic Design (SIGD) raked in commendations in the 2026 Graphis New Talent Awards.

“Seeing our students recognized on a global stage is one of the greatest honors of my career as an educator,” said Associate Professor Courtney Windham. “This year, we are incredibly proud to have multiple winners in the Graphis New Talent Awards 2026, one of the most prestigious student design competitions in the world.”

aub.ie/Graphis26

Three students earned national recognition with award-winning projects spanning book design, packaging and motion graphics. Their work was featured by Print Magazine as part of the National Student Show and Conference, which highlights top student work from across the country.

Claire Miller received the Best Use of Paper Award for her book jacket design of “Einstein’s Dreams,” a project exploring two contrasting concepts of time through layered materials and typography. Ally Mathis earned Best of Retail—Packaging for “Scraplings,” a toy brand centered around “ugly” stuffed monsters that live in the trash. Finally, recent graduate Ryan Lee ‘26 received both Best of Motion Design and a Judge’s Choice Award for “LEGOLIVE,” a motion graphics concept inspired by video game showcases that could be used as an intro for livestreamed LEGO news event.

aub.ie/PRINTMagAwards

With SIGD celebrating 80 years of design education this past Fall, we’re taking a look back at SIGD’s legacy with alumni who have gone on to lead the industrial and graphic design industries in various ways. Walk back through SIGD’s history with award-winning alumni from the 1990s.

From developing product design for brands like Coca-Cola and Delta Airlines, to designing museum exhibits with Disney Imagineering, the Smithsonian Institution and beyond, Lionel Ferreira ‘91 and John Kelton ’92 have built an impressive portfolio that is a true testament to the excellence of SIGD’s and graduates.

aub.ie/SIGD90s

Elisabeth Doss ‘26, a recent graduate, earned a 2026 Student Merit Award from the Industrial Designers Society of America - IDSA.

Doss was one of five undergraduate winners recognized across the United States in the 2026 IDSA Student Merit Awards, presented at the IDUSA Conference in Atlanta in April. 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, Doss received a one-year membership to IDSA and a profile in INNOVATION magazine.

This spring, SIGD welcomed over 800 students, faculty, staff, alumni and industry partners to campus for the third annual Kaleidoscope: Auburn Design Show.

Over 550 student projects lined the walls for this year’s Kaleidoscope, offering visitors a comprehensive look at the talents of SIGD students. Projects on display spanned a wide variety of disciplines: typography, brand identity, publication design, motion graphics, UI/UX and product and service design.

SIGD Advisory Council members served as jurors, giving out nearly 40 awards. Each juror selected a standout project, with winners receiving custom-designed awards and book prizes chosen by the council.

View winners at aub.ie/Kaleidoscope26.