ARTD_StudentAwardsProgram_2026

Art & Design 2026

Faculty, Staff, & Student Awards

Chloe White • Welcome to the Show, Risograph

Art Education Awards Outstanding Senior This award is given to a graduating senior for their outstanding achievements.

Sophia Dubravec

Teaching Excellence Award by a Graduate Student This award is given to a graduate student who exhibits teaching effectiveness, impact on students, subject mastery and scholarship, and contributions to the teaching mission of the program. The recipient of this award was selected by the faculty of Art Education.

Natalie Smith

Art History Awards Outstanding Senior This award is given to a graduating senior for their outstanding achievements.

Cecilia Lopez

Teaching Excellence Award by a Graduate Student This award is given to a graduate student who exhibits teaching effectiveness, impact on students, subject mastery and scholarship, and contributions to the teaching mission of the program. The recipient of this award is selected by the Graduate Faculty Committee.

Alex Lyon

Graphic Design Awards Outstanding Senior This award is given to a graduating senior for their outstanding achievements.

Michael Staff

Teaching Excellence Award by a Graduate Student This award is given to a graduate student who exhibits teaching effectiveness, impact on students, subject mastery and scholarship, and contributions to the teaching mission of the program. The recipient of this award is selected by the Graduate Faculty Committee.

Sean Thornton

A. Doyle Moore International Travel Fund in Graphic Design This scholarship, which is awarded by application, supports and supplements the cost of overseas study and travel of students in Graphic Design. Professor Moore retired from the School of Art & Design in 1991 after teaching graphic design for 33 years as well as teaching classes at Japan House on the theory of Japanese aesthetics.

Nomin Ganbold Olivia Green

Roger Holben Priscilla Mendez-Ocampo

Anthony J. Petullo Endowment in Design and Business Fund The Antony J. Petullo fellowship awards at least two fellowships in Art & Design for students in the visual arts or design.

Ethan Cutler

Brooks Davenport

Robynn Willis

Mike Staff • Fighting Illini Wrestling - NCAA Championships Graphics, Social Media Design

Industrial Design Awards Outstanding Senior This award is given to a graduating senior for their outstanding achievements.

Peter Carlsson

Teaching Excellence Award by a Graduate Student This award is given to a graduate student who exhibits teaching effectiveness, impact on students, subject mastery and scholarship, and contributions to the teaching mission of the program. The recipient of this award is selected by the Graduate Faculty Committee.

Jose Cabada, Jr.

Margaret T. Bullock Scholarship in Industrial Design Established in 2020, the Margaret T. Bullock Scholarship in Industrial Design will be awarded to the graduating industrial design student with the highest cumulative grade point average in the senior class.

This award was established and endowed by retired Professor William Bullock in memory of his mother, Margaret T. Bullock. Mrs. Bullock taught kindergarten and primary school for more than 50 years in Tuscumbia, Alabama. She was born in 1908 in Berkley, California, and attended Hollywood High School and the University of California at Berkley. She was married to Henderson Carlisle Bullock, a Georgia Tech Electrical Engineering graduate.

Professor Bullock describes his mother as his first teacher and credits her for inspiring his love of learning and the joy that comes from helping others learn. He describes her as kind to all, a wonderful mother and devoted wife, who was an inspirational teacher and role model.

Professor Bullock also credits her for calling his attention to industrial design as something “he might enjoy,” when a listing in a college course catalog caught her attention. His mom was right.

He has enjoyed it.

William Bullock spent over 50 years in teaching and administration at major research universities including the University of Kansas, Auburn University, Georgia Tech, and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. A UIUC professor of Industrial Design for more than 20 years, he chaired the program during a period when its enrollment and faculty doubled. He retired in June 2020.

With joy in his heart, he established this scholarship in tribute to his mother and to honor her memory.

Kendall Rusch

Jerome Caruso Significant Design Award This award honors an outstanding junior or senior from the Industrial Design program who demonstrates the most ability to produce significant designs to benefit society through improvement of life and sustainability. Jerome Caruso, an award-winning designer, received his BFA in Industrial Design at Illinois in 1959 and has maintained a lifelong passion for design. He has defined his long career by providing significant projects for major clients as a solo designer.

Herman Miller, Sub-Zero, and Motorola are among his clients. With more than 95 design and utility patents, Jerome is endlessly fascinated by invention and the inventive use of materials.

Lorenzo Ranallo

Niveditha Iyengar • Crown, 3D Print

James G. Hansen Scholarship This merit-based scholarship is awarded each academic year to a sophomore in Industrial Design.

Mr. Hansen received both his BFA and MFA in Industrial Design at the University of Illinois.

Samantha Yankay Cho

Dr. Bryce G. Rutter Scholarship Awarded to a junior or senior pursuing a degree in the Industrial Design program, this honor recognizes student excellence in the design of ergonomic products that possess strong aesthetic appeal to consumers. Industrial Design faculty members determine the awardee. Dr. Bryce Rutter received his PhD and MFA in design ergonomics and kinesiology between 1984 and 1987 from the University of Illinois and is now a leading expert in the research, ergonomics, and design of medical products and a worldwide specialist in hand-intensive products and packaging. He has more than 120 international design excellence awards and has been granted 117 patents.

Connor Grady

Industrial Design Society of America (IDSA) Merit Awards The Student Merit Award (SMA) program at IDSA provides industrial design students with opportunities to showcase their talent and achievements at their schools, to their local professional communities, and at the district and national levels. The SMA program also allows schools with ID programs to gain acclaim and visibility among similar institutions. Further, it provides an ample platform for design managers and other talent acquisition professionals to see the industrial design geniuses of the future up close and in person.

Undergraduate Merit Award: Peter Carlsson Graduate Merit Award: Not awarded in 2026

Alexander Brown • Tree Sequence (Fortress), Acrylic, Charcoal, and Watercolor on Paper

Jordyn Carton • Geometries Study, Digital Collage

James Avery Scholarship The James Avery Scholarship awards multiple scholarships to Art & Design undergraduate students. Industrial Design majors are eligible to receive funds annually over the four years of their undergraduate education. James Avery, BFA Industrial Design 1946, is a renowned educator and jewelry designer who donated the scholarship funds as a tribute to former Art & Design faculty member James Ross Shipley, a professor fondly remembered as “Coach.” Professor Shipley encouraged artistic innovation and experimentation in his teaching, which is the inspiring principle for these scholarships.

Alina Chie (2024–2028) Veronika Dmitrieva (2024–2028) Niveditha Iyengar (2022–2026)

Matthew Lee (2024–2028) Amber Mies (2022–2026) Zimuzo Ugwuanyi (2022–2026)

James Avery Fellowship The James Avery Fellowship awards multiple scholarships to Art & Design graduate students.

James Avery, BFA Industrial Design 1946, is a renowned educator and jewelry designer who donated the scholarship funds as a tribute to former Art & Design faculty member James Ross Shipley, a professor fondly remembered as “Coach.” Professor Shipley encouraged artistic innovation and experimentation in his teaching, which is the inspiring principle for these fellowships.

Fengzhuo (Ted) Shao

Studio Art Awards (Fashion, New Media, Painting, Photography, Printmaking, Sculpture) Outstanding Senior This award is given to a graduating senior for their outstanding achievements.

Alexander Brown

Teaching Excellence Award by a Graduate Student This award is given to a graduate student who exhibits teaching effectiveness, impact on students, subject mastery and scholarship, and contributions to the teaching mission of the program. The recipient of this award is selected by the Graduate Faculty Committee.

Emily Tomlinson

Rita F. Bass Scholarship in Studio Art Established by Rita F. Bass, this scholarship will be awarded yearly to a student pursuing a degree in studio art. Rita, a recent graduate of the School of Art & Design with a BFA in sculpture, would enjoy seeing this scholarship support fellow sculptors, but is happy to support any student pursuing studio practice.

Mia Latham

Joan Coffey Scholarship in Painting Joan Coffey (née Purcell) was raised in a large family, where from a young age, the importance of saving for and going to college was emphasized. Joan declared her major at the University of Illinois to be Mathematics, but her passion was always art, and she took it on as a minor. Interspersed with various math classes, she could be seen riding her bike across campus to her art classes, with her portfolio precariously clutched under one arm.

Joan completed her degree and embarked on a career in actuary work. However, throughout her life she kept up with her interest in art by taking classes. While living in Chicago after graduation, Joan took classes at the Art Institute and the American Academy of Art. Later, after moving to Southern California, she continued to study art, taking extensive classes in both oils and watercolors. Painting was her passion. While living in Southern California, she finally made a switch from having a business career to following her passion of being a full-time artist.

The purpose of this scholarship is twofold. First, her sister Nancy, also an alumna of the University of Illinois, has chosen to commemorate Joan as an enthusiastic and dedicated artist, recognizing that education in art is truly a lifelong developmental and experiential process that doesn’t end with the university. Joan very much valued the education that she received as a student in the School of Art & Design.

Second, this scholarship is to provide recognition and encouragement to talented students who, through their studies at the university, are developing their artistic skills in painting. It is the family’s hope that the scholarship helps the students in some way with the achievement of their artistic goals.

Lucas Riggins

Conrad Fenwick Scholarship in Painting The Fenwick Scholarship is given to a continuing student in the Painting Program.

Faith Pondelicek

Florence M. House Scholarship This scholarship was established in 2003 in honor of Mrs. Florence House Ruess (BALAS 1927) and is awarded each year to a student or students majoring in painting or sculpture.

Cherrie Evans Kiera Oliva VanDeWalle Bianca Olson Jagoda Sobotka

Gordon Hartshorne Scholarship With a lifelong interest in art, nature, and design, Gordon Hartshorne explored woodcut printing for nearly 30 years. He served in the U.S. Navy, received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and spent a summer at the Ox-Bow School of Art. In the early 1950’s, Rand McNally and Company brought him on as an art director for book, map, and atlas design. After 36 years at Rand McNally, Gordon retired to dedicate himself to his art. He became an expert in the Japanese tradition of woodcut printing—hand pressing rice paper over ink-covered hand carved wood plates—that resulted in vibrant, textured, graphic images. He passed away in 2004 at the age of 77 and left behind a legacy of his art for the world to appreciate. He made woodcut prints and paintings inspired by the earth’s beauty and memorable landscapes. The simplicity of nature, depth, and earth hues were fused together to produce his original works of art.

His family has established this scholarship to honor his memory and support the art of printmaking at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Alexander Brown Annelisa Funovits

Helen E. Platt Blake Scholarship This honor is presented each year to a junior or senior in Painting. Helen E. Platt Blake graduated with a BS in Painting from the University of Illinois in 1936. She completed her MFA in 1960.

Ellen Rife

Peggy Purkhosrow Scholarship in Studio Art Peggy Purkhosrow received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Metals from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a Master of Fine Arts in Metalsmithing from Cranbrook Academy in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. She was a studio artist-designer who created sculpture, drawings, and wearable objects. She was living and working in Colorado when she passed away in 2022.

In speaking about her own work, Peggy would share that she produced jewelry featuring handformed wire, hand-cut sheet metal, vintage, antique, and contemporary beads. She created one of a kind, unique designs, and a continued approach to her work—the incorporation of chance, with each bead forming its placement, freely determining the overall design in unexpected ways.

Her mother Nayer Purkhosrow has established this scholarship to honor Peggy’s life and work.

Fatimah Skeets Natalie Brook Sokulski

James Michael Smith Endowed Scholarship in Painting James (Jim to some) knew from the age of five that he would be an artist. An artist he was—there were no limits to his creative endeavors. He received a Bachelor of Fine Art from the University of Kansas followed by a Master of Fine Art from the University of Illinois.

James began his career as a university professor teaching fine art as a graduate student, followed by a series of other prestigious institutions until he departed teaching to focus full-time on creating and selling his artwork. He still receives letters of appreciation from former students.

Painting was his passion. He had an amazing studio, and his dedication to his art, research, and creativity was limitless. His wife Mary C. Smith established this scholarship to provide support for equally creative and dedicated young artists in the School of Art & Design at the University of Illinois.

Caroline Dorion Lucas Riggins

School Awards Rita F. Bass Scholarship for Non-Traditional Students Rita F. Bass returned to the University of Illinois and completed her BFA in Sculpture in May of 2021 after more than 50 years from the expected date of completion. She was so grateful and appreciative of the experience and the opportunity that she established the Rita F. Bass Scholarship to encourage and support others whose path to a degree was delayed or disrupted.

This scholarship is renewable for students who remain in good standing and are working toward completing a degree in studio art.

Taylor Knuth (2024–2028)

Amber Mies • TinkerTunes, Toy Product Design

Peter Carlsson • Briss, Industrial Design Capstone

Hyo-In Won • Linelux, Brand Identity & Concept Design

Kenna Phelan • Vincent Van Tan, Oil Painting

Emma Martinez • Copenhagen Jazz Festival, Digital Media

Kayla Netemeyer • Muse, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop

Anne Schmidt • Playscapes, Exhibit Design

Bianca Olson • paranoia session with the girlies, Digital Photograph

Emma Morley • The 33 Shelf, Wood

Jessie Li• Hello kitty, Clo3d

Dung Le • GO EXCEED!, Digital Illustration

Kael Carmona • Square Roots 2024, Web Design

Paula Berlet Trehearne Art & Design Scholarship Ms. Trehearne graduated in 1959 with a BFA in Advertising Design and later obtained a degree in Art Education. She married and moved to Marin, CA, and established herself as a highly sought after interior designer, ultimately ending up working in interior design. She personified the definition of an “independent woman” and led a life of surrounding herself with interesting people who shared her zest for life. She loved the University of Illinois and cherished the lifelong friendships she made while pursuing her undergrad degree. This scholarship will be awarded with a preference given to incoming freshmen and is renewable up to four years for recipients who remain in good standing.

Melina Tessitore (2025–2029)

Professor Glenn R. Bradshaw Scholarship The Bradshaw Scholarship is awarded to a junior each academic year who demonstrates exceptional ability in their chosen field of study. Professor Bradshaw taught at the University of Illinois from 1952 through 1986. He continued to make art until he passed away at age 90, and his family chose to honor his memory by establishing this scholarship.

Kael Carmona (2022–2026)

Kenneth R. Carls Endowment for Student Travel (in honor of Margaret A. Burke) Fund This fund supports international travel experiences for juniors or seniors (with preference given to seniors) in graphic or industrial design with academic merit, outstanding performance, need, special circumstances (which would make foreign travel otherwise difficult), and the quality of the proposed travel experience.

Professor Emeritus Ken Carls established this fund in honor of his friend Margaret, who taught him to “open his eyes and see the world.” Professor Carls earned a BFA in Graphic Design at UIUC and an MA in Graphic Design from Kent State University. During his tenure at UIUC, he headed the Graphic Design program, and before ending his academic career in 2005, he served three years as the school’s interim director and one year as associate director. He values high academic merit and outstanding performance and believes that providing support for students to experience foreign travel is critical to their overall academic experience.

Roger Holben

Clyde P. Davis Scholarship The Clyde P. Davis Scholarship provides four years of full-ride financial support to incoming freshmen from the greater Chicago area who have been accepted into the School of Art & Design.

Mr. Davis received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Advertising Design from the university as a student between 1956 and 1960. While taking classes, he also worked to support his wife and young family, leaving Illinois to seek opportunity in New York City. After years of hard work and initiative, he founded and headed up the award-winning firm Cline, Davis & Mann, Inc., until his retirement in 2002. He chose to give back to his alma mater by establishing this scholarship so that other young, talented students from his home city could attend Illinois without the financial struggle that he experienced, and in hopes of attracting the brightest and most talented students possible to the School of Art & Design at Illinois.

Shreya Li (2025–2029) Brittnee Pasillas (2023–2027)

Susan Wershkoff Edelheit Art Education Scholarship Established by Art Education alumna Susan Wershkoff Edelheit (BFA 1966 and MA 1971, Art Education), this scholarship will support incoming art education majors and will be renewable for up to four years so long as the student remains in good standing in Art Education. Her goal is to alleviate the burden of student debt for those Art & Design Art Education majors who require financial assistance to complete a four-year degree at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Samson Jonen (2025–2029)

Hugh and Allie D. Hughston Enochs Memorial Award This honor is presented each year to a graduating senior in the School of Art & Design and is based on demonstrated ability in the field of art. Faculty in their program nominate students, and the School’s Executive Committee determines the recipient. Mr. Enochs was a 1929 graduate of the University of Illinois and established this scholarship in memory of his wife Allie D. Hughston-Enochs in 1987.

Rinell Borges

Mary C. McLellan Art Fellowship The McLellan Fellowship was established in 1939 to support fellowships throughout the School of Art & Design.

Victoria Schiodtz

Alan T. Mette Award This scholarship award will be presented each year to a graduating senior in the School of Art & Design. Selection is based on demonstrated excellence in the student’s chosen field of study.

Faculty in their program nominate qualified students and based on those nominations, the final selection will be made by the school’s Executive Committee.

Mr. Mette received his MA in Art Education in 1978 from the University of Illinois, and after receiving an MFA in Studio Art from Michigan State University in 1980, he returned to Illinois as a faculty member in 1983. He retired from his role as director of the school in 2024. His legacy of dedication to the School of Art & Design lives on with this scholarship recognizing excellence in our students.

Alexander Brown

Fatimah Skeets • Intro: Bintou, Digital Image (Clo3D)

Julianne Heuel Oberlin Art Education Scholarship Julianne Heuel Oberlin was a University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign BFA student from 2010–2014. While in the program, she majored in Art Education and minored in Art History.

Capable in many mediums, but with special talents in drawing and photography, Julianne had a passion for music, art, and literature that she was proud to showcase through her own work.

Post-graduation, Julianne had many personal and professional accomplishments. She taught art for two years at Roberto Clemente High School in Chicago and then taught two years of middle school art within Bensenville School District #2 and during the last year of her life, she became a Media Archivist which allowed her to use both her photography skills and knowledge of archival practices to preserve institutional history. Art gave Julianne purpose and was the greatest outlet in her life. It was the root of all her interests and ideas. To be able to share her art, as well as the art that she admired, with other people was to connect with them on the deepest levels. She left this life, all too soon, on April 17, 2020. Her years at UIUC were formidable and allowed her to pursue her passions, discover new ideas and interests, and build connection within the university and Champaign-Urbana communities. Her sister Jessica Koehring, along with a multitude of family and friends, established and funded this scholarship in Julianne’s name to honor her accomplishments in life and to support art education majors in the School of Art & Design. Scholarship preference will be given to an incoming freshman.

Nicole Hanak

Stephanie Ognar Memorial Scholarship for the School of Art & Design The Ognar Memorial Scholarship is awarded to students enrolled in the School of Art & Design and provides a sustained four-year scholarship. Scholarships will be awarded to an incoming freshman in the fall of 2018 and again in the fall of 2022. Stephanie was an artist and information professional who received a BFA in Art Education in 1996, an MFA in Art and Design in 1999, and an MS in Library and Information Science in 2002 from the University of Illinois. Her family established this scholarship to honor her memory and to highlight her love of art and being an artist.

Not awarded in 2026

Anthony J. Petullo School of Art and Design Scholarship and Fellowship Endowment Fund This scholarship was established in 2023 by Tony Petullo, arts advocate, community volunteer, and mentor. A graduate of the University of Illinois, Petullo served as a United States Navy officer, worked as a corporate marketing manager, and is well known for his leadership and entrepreneurial success. Tony is a firm believer in embracing change and is confident that supporting students in the School of Art & Design is a sound investment in future change makers.

Scholarship: Julia Brandt (2024–2028) Augusten Ladd (2024–2028) Ioelle Lee (2024–2028) Nina Young (2025–2029) Fellowship: Jennie Maydew

John and Antoinette Rojc Scholarship The John and Antoinette Rojc Scholarship provides four-year financial support to incoming freshmen in the School of Art & Design. The first scholarship was awarded in the fall of 2017. The scholarship was established to honor Mr. and Mrs. Rojc’s dedication to the education of their five children, who all graduated from the University of Illinois between 1976 and 1984, and the proud realization of their American dream. John and Antoinette Rojc immigrated to Chicago from Central Europe: John from Slovenia in 1930 and Antoinette from the Moravian region of the Czech Republic in 1938. Mr. Rojc became a designer at Motorola during the earliest stages of the cell phone. His career spanned 35 years, during which he was recognized with multiple patents. Mrs. Rojc raised their five children in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, with devotion to the importance of education. She was honored as a finalist for the University of Illinois Mom of the Year award in 1981. The Rojc’s perseverance was rewarded upon the graduation of each of their five children from the University of Illinois: Karl, BFA ’76, FAA; Kenneth, BA ’77, LAS; Kathleen, BFA ’78, FAA; Karen, BS ’82, COM; and Keith, BFA ’84, FAA. The Rojc Scholarship was established in 2016 in memory of Mr. and Mrs. Rojc by Kathleen Rojc Twardock and David Twardock, BS ’79, COE, and Kenneth Rojc.

Satee Panchal (2025–2029)

Tessa Wilebski (2023–2027)

James R. and Dorothy E. Shipley Award This honor is presented each year to one or more graduating seniors in the School of Art & Design and is awarded based on excellence. Faculty in their program nominate students, and the school’s Executive Committee determines the recipients. James Shipley served as Director of Art & Design from 1956 to 1978. In his memory, his wife and children established the James R. Shipley Scholarship, and the title was later amended by his children to also honor the memory of their mother.

Sophia Dubravec

Norah Harson

Liam Dee • Chess, Aluminum & Silicone

Amber Mies

Skoog Dunagan Family Student Support Fund Melissa Skoog, Art History alumna (BFA 1995) and founder of Skoog Productions in Chicago, has a profound appreciation of the support she received from her family during her time at the University of Illinois and as she went out into the world armed with her creative talent and big dreams.

Realizing the power of that kind of support, she and her husband Chris Dunagan created this fund to support undergraduate experiential learning that expands beyond the classroom and adds value to students’ classwork, research, and aspirations. Grants will be awarded each academic year based on student applications reviewed by a faculty committee.

Sol Antunez Jessie Li

William Stumpf Student Research Fund Bill Stumpf, who earned his BFA in Industrial Design at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, is arguably one of the most accomplished design graduates in the history of the School of Art & Design. He worked at Herman Miller, Inc., from 1970 until his death in 2006. Bill was described as a “key figure in the company’s transformation into a research-based, problem-solving innovator.” He was awarded the nation’s highest design honor, the 2006 National Design Award for product design, presented posthumously by the Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum. Bill’s products have collectively generated more revenue for Herman Miller than any other designer's work in the company’s storied history of design. His distinguished legacy should stand as a source of inspiration to the students of his alma mater. The School of Art & Design is grateful to alumna Gretchen Gscheidle (BFA ID 1991) and a colleague of Bill’s at Herman Miller, for being the lead donor that made it possible to establish this endowment and support the research of ID students in the School of Art & Design and A&D students of any discipline working collaboratively on projects based in the Siebel Center for Design.

Shuoning Shi Leo Wang Haochen Yang

Richard Tuttle and Lois Marie Orr Scholarship Established in 1999 in honor of Lois Marie Orr, the Orr Scholarship is awarded to undergraduate students in varying amounts with a preference given to incoming freshmen.

Emily Biala Brenda Brown Josephine Bundy Peter Carlsson Karen Chen Annie Chu Ivy Del Real Angela Dong Lucas Dotson Madison Edwards Chloe Estepp Cherrie Evans Eeshaan Goel Tarun Gopinath Rachel Grebe

Olivia Green Sophia Gutierrez Renee Hildreth Remy Hilpp Xinyue Hu Aditi Khandelwal Madelyn Lee Lux Lin Kayla Lorenz Andrea Marquez Emma Morley Rita Ni Kiera Oliva VanDeWalle Bianca Olson Kymira Parker

Lorenzo Ranallo Gracie Rawlinson Brianna Regione Alexandra Stec Leo Tang Zimuzo Ugwuanyi Coe Walberg Yuheng Leo Wang Jensen Weedman Chloe White Lena Yao Brooke Zhang

Alexis Wernsing Innovation Scholarship The Alexis Wernsing Innovation Scholarship, established by her parents, Big Ed and Patty Wernsing of Litchfield, IL, and supported by many friends and family members, recognizes deserving students at the University of Illinois who have channeled their experience of living with a disability, or observing those who do, into positive change by creating new products, environments, or protocols that enhance the quality of life. The annual scholarship is intended to inspire others and keep Alexis Wernsing’s “can do, never quit” attitude alive and to help the physically disabled tackle their day-to-day challenges.

Alexis passed in 2015 at age 40, but her indomitable spirit lives on through this scholarship held by the College of Fine and Applied Arts at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Students at every level and from any discipline are to be considered. A graduate or undergraduate recipient will be identified as the Alexis Wernsing Innovation Scholar based on the recognition of innovative design work that benefits persons living with a disability.

As one who helped pave the way for the physically challenged, Alexis will be remembered for facing life’s challenges with dignity and grace. And while her work helping others with disabilities lives on through the innovative device that she helped invent, it is her quiet voice that still resonates deep in the hearts and minds of all those she touched.

Connor Grady (Industrial Design)

BFA Catalog Designers The designers are responsible for the coordination and design of the 2019 BFA Exhibition Catalog.

Rinnell Borges Natalie Mora

Caroline Dorion • 1764, Black Charcoal, White Chalk, Brown Drawing Ink on White Paper

School of Art & Design Faculty Award for Excellence This award is presented each year to a faculty member for their contributions and accomplishments in either research, teaching, or service.

Laura Hetrick

School of Art & Design Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching The Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching recognizes a faculty member who has demonstrated consistent excellent performance in teaching, has made a demonstrable positive impact on students in the classroom and through advising and mentoring, has used innovative approaches in teaching, and has made significant contributions to the development of the curriculum.

Somi Lee

School of Art & Design Staff Excellence This award is presented each year to an academic professional or civil service staff member(s) for their contributions and accomplishments to the school.

Michael Foellmer

College Awards Art & Design James Scholars Since the 1950s, the University of Illinois has encouraged outstanding undergraduate students by offering participation in the Edmund James Scholar Program. Each college has a James Scholar undergraduate honors program. The programs are named for the fourth president of the University of Illinois, Edmund J. James. He believed scholarship and research are fundamental to human progress, and in the years of his presidency (1904–1920), he brought world-class scholars and researchers to campus, developed many new graduate programs, and fostered a sense of community among faculty and students. His achievements helped to transform the University of Illinois into a campus of international importance.

Rinnell Borges Katrina Boyce Alexander Brown Peter Carlsson Kael Carmona Audrey Chang Scarlett Chavez

Reiss Christensen Amira Clemmons Caroline Dorion Kyle Hampton Niveditha Iyengar Sylvie Leyerle Jean Lin

Amber Mies Kayla Netemeyer Rita Ni Zoe Niezyniecki Kiera Oliva VanDeWalle Olivia Rees Dhanvi Puttur

FAA Faculty Award for Excellence in Research The Faculty Award for Excellence in Research recognizes a faculty member who has amassed a distinguished record of research and creative work, as demonstrated through publications, performances, or exhibitions; distinguished fellowships; successful grant applications; and invited presentations or performances.

Cristóbal Bianchi Laura Hetrick

Natalie Mora • Creating Under Capitalism: A Zine, Print

Campus Awards Bronze Tablet This honor is bestowed upon undergraduates who have demonstrated sustained academic achievement and are ranked in the top three percent of their graduating class.

Kael Carmona Romina Lara Greco

Sophia Kim Kendall Rusch

Chancellor’s Honors Dylan KJ Fu Sarai Hurst

Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education Art Award Each year, the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education selects up to three artworks by Art & Design majors for display in the office of the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education, located in the Swanlund Administration Building. Selected artists receive a generous cash award, and their work will be displayed for one year.

Mia Coco Heinzel, Art Education Faith Pondelicek, Graphic Design Natalie Brook Sokulski, Studio Art

Front: Connor Grady • Halo, Industrial Design Back: Annelise Funovits • Untitled, Relief Print on Paper