IU Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture + Design

Last year, Assistant Professor of Architecture Leticia Pardo was awarded the Sistema Nacional de Creadores de Arte grant by the Secretaría de Cultura in Mexico. Considered the most significant recognition in Mexico for artists, the grant recognizes 200 artists from various visual art disciplines for their contributions to Mexican cultural and artistic identity. Leticia was one of six architectural awardees. 

Leticia has used the support from the grant to expand her project “Greetings from Chicagoacán” into the greater Midwest. The project documents how a sense of belonging and community is created in neighborhoods shaped by the Mexican diaspora. In “Greetings from Chicagoacán,” Leticia examines how architectural elements found in Mexico are added into the style of Midwestern architecture in Chicago’s Mexican communities. 

Leticia’s research focuses on how place making, migration, and borders influence built environments. Her work has been included in prestigious exhibitions around the world, including The São Paulo Architecture Biennial, the Chicago Architecture Biennial, and the FotoMuseo Cuatro Caminos in Mexico City. 

Read more about Leticia’s work here: https://eskenazi.indiana.edu/news/2025/2025-11-20-leticia-mexico-award.html

Courtesy Photo: José de Sancristobal

IU Miller M.Arch
IU College of Arts + Sciences
Indiana University

Recent Eskenazi grads Alison Leigh Cofrancesco (MFA, '26, painting) and Hannah Toepp (MFA, '26, photography) are exhibiting their work at the Sheldon Concert Hall and Galleries in St. Louis this summer. Cofrancesco and Toepp were selected from 40 studio visits with third-year MFA candidates across four universities, conducted by the Sheldon’s Gallery Director Paula Lincoln. The exhibitions run from June 12-August 8.

In her paintings, Cofrancesco explores the ethical dilemma of our culture of overconsumption and Toepp translates abstract images captured by a pinhole camera into soft sculptures to soothe anxiety.

Details about the exhibition are available at https://www.thesheldon.org/sheldon-galleries/current-past-future-exhibitions

Indiana University Alumni Association
IU College of Arts and Sciences
Indiana University
IU Arts and Humanities Council

Sasha Harris (BS ‘10, Merchandising) has been making headlines in women’s health and wellness. In 2025, Harris was recognized as Top Woman in Health Wellness & Beauty for Business Excellence by Drug Store News for her leadership as the Director of Women’s Health at CVS Health. In that role, Harris developed the company’s “first period box” for CVS stores to “help prep a young person for their menstrual milestone,” as noted The New York Times Wirecutter, which named CVS’s the Best First Period Kit of 2024. Harris was also recognized on the College of Arts + Sciences’ 2026 20 Under 40 List of young alumni who “reflect the depth and breadth of an arts and sciences education.”

Harris is deeply involved in the IU and Eskenazi community by offering support to current students interested in retail merchandising careers. She is currently a part of the Center for Innovative Merchandising Advisory Council. CIM is a partnership between the Eskenazi School and the retail merchandising industry. As a member of the advisory council, Harris aids in the enrichment of the Merchandising program and offers student mentorship and support.

Merchandising @ Indiana University
IU College of Arts + Sciences
Indiana University

📸 Courtesy photo from IU College

Ellie Prisbrey’s (M.F.A. ‘27) spending the summer as an intern at the legendary Hatch Show Print in Nashville, Tennessee. It’s an opportunity for which her experience in the MFA Graphic Design program has provided a strong foundation, she says. Combining traditional printing methods and commercial production, Hatch Show Print is a letterpress print studio that creates iconic posters for a wide range of clients, such as major touring artists and local organizations.

At Hatch, Ellie has been a part of the entire printing process. Her work begins with conceiving the design and ends with creating the final production on the letter press. She has worked on designing and printing posters for a variety of clients and events, from touring musicians to local retirement celebrations.

Ellie says working in Eskenazi’s letterpress studio and the MFA program as a whole have prepared her well for the internship. “The program has helped me develop both the technical skills and creative thinking necessary to thrive in a professional print shop setting,” says Ellie.

Learn more about Ellie’s art on her website:
🔗https://www.ellieprisbrey.com/

📸 Courtesy photo: Ellie Prisbrey

IU Walter Center for Career Achievement
IU College of Arts + Sciences
Indiana University

In the tradition of mathematical art from Leonardo da Vinci to Sol LeWitt, Associate Professor of Interior Design Jiangmei Wu explores the intersection of art, math, science, and engineering. Recently, the interdisciplinary scholar has focused on the interplay between geometry, surface texture, computational algorithms, and fabrication techniques in the art and science of paper folding. Her origami-inspired artworks, designs, and large-scale installations have been exhibited in museums and galleries in the US and around the world, including the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum in New York.

Her mathematical approach to art stems from her fascination with paper folding during her childhood. Growing up in 1970s China, resources were scarce and paper was not cheap. Jiangmei created origami out of old newspapers, magazines, and used notebooks. She was captivated by the transformation from a simple piece of paper into a complex work of art. 

As a 2025–26 IU Presidential Arts and Humanities Fellow, Jiangmei is developing an exhibition and catalogue to redefine the practice of mathematical art so that it is more accessible and influential within the art and design world at the national level.

Learn more about Jiangmei’s research and work:
🔗 https://www.jiangmeiwu.com/

Interior Design at Indiana University
IU College of Arts + Sciences
Indiana University

Danielle Orchard’s (BFA ‘09) figurative paintings belong to the nation’s premier collections, including the Whitney Museum of American Art and the Phillips Collection. Orchard’s work has been shown in major solo exhibitions in New York, Los Angeles, Tokyo, Seoul, and Shanghai and featured in news outlets from Vogue to The New York Times and Harper’s Bazaar.

Orchard draws inspiration from modern art greats, such as Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse, displaying traits of analytic cubism and saturated colors. Painting through a psychological lens, Orchard paints scenes of everyday life centering around the female body and explores themes of motherhood and the emotional lives of women.

Orchard was awarded the 2026 Eskenazi School Alumni Excellence Award in May for her achievements, leadership, and creativity in figurative art. Marking the Eskenazi School’s first decade, the award recognizes the extent to which the accomplishments of its alumni shape industries, enrich communities, and influence cultural conversations around the world. To learn more about the award and nominate an alum, go to https://eskenazi.indiana.edu/alumni-giving/alumni-awards/index.html

Learn more about Orchard and her artwork at Perrotin.
https://www.perrotin.com/en/artists/danielle-orchard-1049

Vogue’s coverage of Orchard:
https://eskenazi.indiana.edu/news/2023/2023-05-17-orchard-vogue.html

📸 Courtesy photo from Perrotin.

IU College of Arts + Sciences
Indiana University

NEW: Ryan White was a Hoosier who dreamed of attending Indiana University. His life was tragically cut short after being diagnosed with AIDS following a blood transfusion at 13.

Ryan's story became a spark for AIDS awareness and education. Now, a bronze statue of Ryan will stand on IU's campus. The place he always dreamed of one day standing himself.

Details: https://fox59.com/indiana-news/indiana-university-reveals-statue-memorializing-hiv-aids-activist-ryan-white/

As an Eskenazi Student Ambassador, rising senior Bailey Scott (BS ‘27) helps with recruiting events both on and off IU’s campus. Bailey is currently studying Merchandising with concentrations in both Product Development and Digital Merchandising, along with a minor in Marketing through the Kelley School of Business.

Last year, Bailey decided to become an Eskenazi Student Ambassador to share her experiences in class, discuss projects she has worked on, give curious visitors tours of the school’s facilities, and answer prospective students’ questions. “Being an Eskenazi Student Ambassador is incredibly rewarding and has set me up to succeed beyond the classroom,” she says.

Bailey shares that her time in the Merchandising program has given her the opportunity to explore her interests, to gain real world experiences through class projects, and to go on field trips around the Midwest to learn about career opportunities in apparel industries.

Do you want to be an Eskenazi Student Ambassador? Learn more about the program by visiting our website:

🔗 https://eskenazi.indiana.edu/current-students/student-resources/ambassadors.html

📸 Courtesy photo from Bailey Scott

Merchandising @ Indiana University
IU College of Arts + Sciences
Indiana University

Looking for the perfect summer accessory? Today, the brand Todd Snyder New York released a series of silk scarves printed with balmy scenes painted by New York-based Eskenazi alum Logan T. Sibrel (BFA '09). Proceeds from the collab benefit Visual AIDS, a contemporary arts organization committed to raising AIDS awareness and assisting artists living with HIV/AIDS. The brand has been pairing with artists every other year to raise funds for the organization.

The paintings for the scarves nod to travel and leisure, a frequent theme and inspiration for Sibrel, who has been showing with Auxier Kline in New York, Galeric Thomas Fuchs in Stuttgart, Eleftheria Tseliou Gallery in Athens, and Monti8 in Rome. Explore his work at https://logantsibrel.com

Pictured: Scarves by Todd Snyder NY featuring paintings by Logan T. Sibrel: "Swimming Hole," "Morning Routine," and "Poolside."

IU College of Arts and Sciences