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Dean
NC State University College of Design
Spring 2025
Mark Hoversten PhD, FASLA, AICP
Editor Christine Klocke
Designers
Lizzie Edwards
Sophia Milligan ‘25
Jimmy Ramirez Jaco ‘25
Caitlin Soboslay
Penelli Yang
Faculty Design
Advisor Jarrett Fuller
Contributing
Photography
Contributing Writers
Max Cohen
Miriam Antelis
Max Cohen
Delaney Colant
Ashley Davis
Sam Gunnells
H’Rina DeTroy
Direct comments or questions to:
Christine Klocke
Director of Communications and Marketing
NC State College of Design
Campus Box 7701
Raleigh, NC 27695-7701
Connect with the College
Stay connected with the College of Design! Whether you’re analog, digital or somewhere in-between, learn about all of the ways our students Think and Do the Extraordinary.
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Please join us on campus for an upcoming event, lecture or symposium! For a list of upcoming events, visit design.ncsu.edu/events
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Private support provides design students unparalleled opportunities for innovative learning and academic growth while preparing them for a bright future to live the Designlife. Every gift, no matter the size, has an impact on the faculty, staff and students of the College of Design. There are many ways donors can support the college through a gift, whether through annual giving, creating an endowment or the lasting legacy of a planned gift. If you’re interested in giving to the College of Design, visit design.ncsu.edu/give.
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Want to stay connected with the College of Design? We would love to hear about new projects, promotions and awards. Email Christine Klocke at chklocke@ncsu.edu to share your good news with us. Want our newsletter or other publications? Visit go.ncsu.edu/design-news to sign up!
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Contact
NC State College of Design Campus Box 7701 200 Brooks Hall Raleigh, NC 27695-7701
Dean’s Message Designing for Impact
The College of Design continues to design for impact – to positively impact the human experience through the things we touch, to impact the effects of climate on our built and unbuilt environments, or to impact the experiences our students receive as budding designers.
This year, we were fortunate to host the 40th annual National Conference on the Beginning Design Student, a highly-attended, peer-reviewed forum for educators to share best practices in introductory design concepts and issues. Discussions focused around tooling, or how tools and their processes impact how we conceive design problems, generate alternatives, produce solutions, and test results. Presenters and panelists explored the toolboxes that equip students to tackle the challenges of tomorrow.
These conversations are critical as higher education continues to experience monumental shifts in the modes of teaching, the technologies we embrace and the values we hold. Our vision remains unwavering: to pursue excellence in design education, scholarship and engagement to empower a more just, healthy, resilient, flourishing and sustainable future.
As you peruse this issue, I hope our vision is evident on the page. Here, you’ll find stories of individuals who have impacted the lived experiences of others, whether that’s by designing menstrual products that serve unhoused populations, developing and building shade structures for the local skatepark, or reflecting on the impact that programs like Design Camp have had over their 45-year tenure.
You’ll see a new look and feel for this issue as well - working with talented students in our graphic & experience design program under the guidance of Assistant Professor of Graphic & Experience Design Jarrett Fuller, we’re ready to reflect the creative activity of our college in our physical publication, combining a design that’s professional but approachable while emphasizing our storytelling.
Therefore, I invite you to delve into these pages and witness firsthand the remarkable work being done within the College of Design. Your ongoing support, engagement, and belief in our mission are what enable us to cultivate the next generation of designers who will shape our world. We are deeply grateful for your partnership and look forward to continuing this journey of innovation and positive change together.
Warmly,
Mark Elison Hoversten, PhD FASLA, FCELA, AICP Dean, College of Design North Carolina State University
Embracing a New Look Designlife Magazine Visualizes the Art of Making
This year, the Designlife magazine has a bold new look, envisioned by a group of students in the graphic & experience design program. Working with faculty advisor Jarrett Fuller, the students conceptualized and helped execute a creative refresh of the magazine in just 12 short weeks.
“I had just wrapped up an editorial project in my typography class, and I knew it would be fun to work on a longer format project with real content and real stakeholders,” said Penelli Yang.
While the group didn’t know each other well, spanning from sophomore to master’s level students, they jumped in and were able to be collaborative in a productive way.
The students – Lizzie Edwards, Sophia Milligan, Jimmy Ramirez Jaco, Caitlin Soboslay and Penelli Yang– each brought their own experiences and inspirations to the table, but quickly landed on moving forward with two final concepts to refine.
Working from a Figma board, Fuller took on the role of editor, noticing the connections between design styles. “One of the things we talked about early on was this idea – how do we actually show creativity?” Fuller says. “How could the idea of making, the process, be part of it? What if we could see the magazine being made in real time?”
The two concepts – colloquially called “Crafted” and “the Grid” – approached the making element from different ways. Crafted embraced elements of the
sketchbook, with handwritten pieces and a collage feel. The Grid makes the invisible structure of the page visible, with a nod to the idea of building the magazine, element by element.
“For my inspiration, I looked to the archives – old pictures of Brooks Hall, old architecture projects, and even bringing back elements from earlier iterations of the magazine,” said Caitlin Soboslay. “We really wanted to go back to the roots of the college,” added Sophia Milligan. “Especially since it was being sent out to alumni, we wanted to reflect that history.”
Seeing the range of ways in which the College of Design has presented itself over time gave the students and Fuller freedom to pursue something a little outside the NC
State comfort zone. “Finding that balance of connecting to the university and being its own thing – the group spent a lot of time thinking about how to live within those guidelines but also make something that’s their own,” Fuller adds.
Ramirez, who has worked on other branding projects at NC State, noted how different this experience was. “It was fun to come to these meetings every week and say, ‘Ok, I know how to play it safe. So, how do we get weird with it?”
Ultimately, of the five students who concepted the new design, two students – Ramirez and Yang – continued the work full-time to produce the final magazine. Yang even brought her own handwriting into the issue for an authentic feel.
LEFT: Image of the first use of graph paper, a 1:1 grid as the backdrop for overlapping, duotoned images.
Christine Klocke
"We created a system that is fluid, and the photos and copy work within the system,” Ramirez says. “Now we have 32 pages to figure it out. Now it’s plugging and playing, with a lot of playing.”
This group of designers has built a strong foundation that makes continuing the design process in the years to come possible. What this group has created is the beginning of something that will continue to iterate, with different sets of challenges.
The magazine serves as a connector for the college in so many ways - showcasing the events happening, telling stories of
current students and faculty, honoring alumni. Designlife serves as a tool that supports the college in more ways than just as a snapshot in time – it encourages giving, fuels connection and connects with a myriad of audiences.
“Whatever discipline you’re in, the idea of process is so big. And I really hope the readers are able to see that we care about the process and that they feel seen and connected to NC State,” Milligan says. “This project reaffirmed to me that print design doesn’t get as much attention as it deserves. And I think there’s a lot of power in that.”
abovE: Drafts for the DesignLife Magazine cover and article layouts.
Mindful Design Students Create Shade Structures for Raleigh Skate Park
H'Rina DeTroy
For architecture students in the Design + Build program, completing four shade structures for the Conlon Family Skatepark in just eleven weeks was a triumph.
The second crowning achievement: spray-painted tags appeared soon after the artfully perforated, white panels were hoisted up and secured.
“We specifically chose to make the structures like canvases,” said Shannon Smith, an architecture senior who took Design + Build as an elective in the summer of 2024. “At our ribbon cutting, they were pristine and spotless. When we all went to see it as a final goodbye for class, they were covered in graffiti. It was pretty cool to see.”
For the team of four instructors and 15 students, it meant they had ensured that the design connected culturally with the intended community — a principle that lies at the heart of Design + Build.
Students in the program learned that architectural projects can be made stronger when their design process is part of a collaborative, community dialogue.
The challenge was to create shade at the Conlon Family Skatepark in downtown Raleigh, where the black asphalt on a sunny summer’s day becomes scorchingly hot. The group of undergraduate and graduate students met with the skatepark owners and representatives from the city of Raleigh. The goal was to create structures that both beautified the space and met the needs of people with disabilities.
“We don't think that design occurs in a vacuum,” said David Hill, professor and head of the School of Architecture. “We understand that to do good design, you have to think about people, work with them, and understand their wants and needs. One of the goals of this program is not just to learn new technical skills, but to learn new skills to empathize with and understand the people that you're designing for.”
Smith remembers working with a committee member for accessibility compliance and how important it was to listen and troubleshoot early in the process.
“We had to make sure that there wasn't a platform that you had to step up on,
[which was] in one of the original designs, because that creates an accessibility obstacle,” she said.
CENTER: Design + Build students constructed shade structures in just 11 weeks, learning new skills such as
Getting it right took a lot of problemsolving. But the challenge also gave students like Smith first-hand experience in ensuring structures were accessible to everyone — which was an opportunity to improve the design.
“Getting community feedback was what led to the success of the shade structures with a bench,” Smith said.
Meeting the requirements in form and function, the four-paneled structures are accessible, portable and adjustable. Visible from Capital Boulevard, they look like colorful art installations.
The Design + Build program chooses projects where good design can make meaningful and material improvements in people’s lives. “I think that's the impact,” Hill said. “We're reaching a group of people who can really benefit from our skills as designers.”
Mindful Design With Hands-On Skills
Design + Build is a unique program that sets itself apart by coupling design with the practical skills of construction.
“Typically, schools of architecture do a really good job of teaching students how to draw things, imagine things, build models and provide a vision for the built environment,” Hill said. “But we don't always make that translation into tangible things [and say], ‘Well, you drew it. Now, how do you build it?’”
Design + Build, on the other hand, challenges students to start from a blank sheet of paper and build a usable structure in eleven weeks. Students also learn about budgeting, financing and material procurement.
The Design + Build elective was the reason David Pulliam chose to get his master’s at the School of Architecture. He had prior work experience in construction and appreciated that NC State’s architecture program combined design theory with practical, hands-on skills.
“It was a really great opportunity to take something from inception and schematic designs all the way to construction,” Pulliam said. “You can design something on paper; you can design something on a computer. But when it comes to building it, there's always problem-solving. I think it's a valuable experience to see how your design can evolve.”
Pulliam especially enjoyed seeing the range of skills his teammates possessed — and their willingness to learn and share.
“People with no experience and people with experience all pooled together and taught each other,” he said. Smith, for example, learned to weld — an accomplishment from her Design + Build summer that she’ll never forget.
“Watching people develop these incredibly valuable skills, like making concrete forms, cutting steel or welding — I think that the most rewarding part was how much everybody grew through that experience,” Pulliam said.
LEFT: Students from the School of Architecture Design + Build Program pose in front of shade structures created for the Conlon Family Skate Park.
welding along the way.
Bringing Visualization to Education Designing an Out-of-This-World Museum Experience
Miriam Antelis
Olga Njai, a student in the Master of Graphic & Experience Design program, is an experienced graphic designer. But her first studio in the program presented a challenge unlike any other she’d taken on before. The instructor, Associate Professor Deborah Littlejohn, tasked Njai and her classmates with creating a visual data story on the topic of their choice for the Durham Museum of Life and Science.
The catch? They’d have to design for a platform they’d never had to tackle before — a rotating sphere. Specifically, the Science On a Sphere system: a roomsized interactive globe that displays Earth science data. Developed by researchers at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), it’s installed in 195 museum and science center exhibits around the world — including one in the
Durham Museum of Life and Science.
“This project widened my understanding of what experience design can be,” Njai said. “We weren’t just creating a twodimensional digital experience on an app. We had to take the physical space into account when designing and create a fully immersive experience.”
Contextualizing Data
Science On a Sphere allows museum visitors to tap into NOAA’s 600-plus datasets and see them projected on the giant globe to learn about Earth’s land, oceans and atmosphere.
“The problem with many of NOAA’s datasets, though, is that there's not a lot of contextualization. There isn’t a story behind the data,” Littlejohn said.
Her students’ goal was to help visitors make sense of the data through visual storytelling.
Njai and her classmates split up into four groups and each selected their own content themes. One group researched the importance of honeybees in the pollination of certain crops around the world, another researched the global resources it takes to produce a single T-shirt, while a third group created linguistics maps detailing how world events have influenced the transmission of language.
“The museum was really excited about that one because no one had thought to use Science On a Sphere to tell that kind of a story about language,” Littlejohn said.
Njai’s group wanted to shed light on the enormous amounts of water artificial intelligence data centers use to cool their servers, focusing on ChatGPT. The exact amount depends on how complicated the prompts are and how long the responses are, but even trivial prompts result in water usage.
“My team and I thought if we made our display visually compelling, it might help people understand that a ChatGPT prompt is not the same as a Google search in terms of the environmental cost. It's more than that,” Njai said.
The group focused on making the content appealing and straightforward for middle and high school students. They
LEFT: A student photographs the projection of the earth for use in their studio project.
over time.
RighT: The ChatGPT team visualized how much water AI tools use to process prompts, contextualizing it into familiar sizes, like swimming pools.
used tangible examples — five ChatGPT prompts result in using half a liter of water, for instance. They built in features to present the information in a way that would resonate with students, including a messaging interface with animated replies resembling a dialogue between ChatGPT and a user.
“Being able to customize a message in different ways for different people is design’s superpower,” Littlejohn said. “As designers, we are trying to create a bridge between science and the public.”
Bridging Gaps
The students’ projects aren’t on display at the moment — museum exhibits go through a lengthy review process and rounds of user testing before
they’re approved for installation. But collaborations like these showcase NC State’s ability to help bridge gaps in science communication and strengthen education.
“Communicating science is a responsibility for us as a land-grant institution, so it’s important for students to have these types of opportunities,” Littlejohn said. “They’re not just completing projects for their portfolios. They’re accountable to a real-world client and create something meaningful — something that would help improve data and science literacy if it gets installed in the museum later on.”
Njai knew that the Master of Graphic & Experience Design program’s emphasis on research would help her develop the skills
she needs to be competitive in today’s industry. The process of designing a spherical museum display has challenged her and given her a deeper appreciation for the role of design in the world. She's been able to see how it has the potential to touch the next generation, allowing them to understand and engage with the issues facing society.
“When kids see topics in a museum that they may not have learned about in school, I hope it makes them ask more questions and look into things that are beyond their class curriculum,” Njai said. “That’s beneficial for the future because we will need them to help solve the problems we’re discovering.”
LEFT: The Word Wanderers team created visualizations that explore the dispersal of languages across the earth
Global Perspectives in Design
How NC State’s Duda Program Shapes Design Students
Delaney Colant
Partnering with renowned Mexican architect Gabriela Carrillo, architecture and landscape architecture students explored the urban and environmental complexities of a metropolis rich in Indigenous history and modern challenges as part of this year’s Duda Visiting Designer Program.
Students examined Mexico City's historical evolution, land use, density and pressing environmental concerns such as water scarcity and subsidence. They also engaged with cultural and social narratives embedded in the urban fabric, deepening their understanding of how history continues to shape modern infrastructure.
For many students, this experience was eye-opening. “This studio broadened my understanding of urban design and allowed me to meet professionals from both Mexico and the U.S. who are leaders in their fields,” said Andrea Padilla Guerrero. “The studio's focus on the urban scale ignited a passion for urban design, which has already influenced the studios I am choosing to participate in now.”
Similarly, Melissa Dominguez noted how the program reshaped her perspective: “Three prestigious architects and landscape architecture professionals from Mexico challenged us to think differently about design and approach societal challenges with fresh perspectives. It made me a more analytical student.”
Dominguez was particularly struck by Mexico City’s resilience in the face of poverty and high crime rates. Despite its challenges, the city’s strong family
structures have contributed to an incredibly low homeless population compared to the U.S. This reinforced for her the importance of considering cultural context in urban design.
Cameron Johnson highlighted the program’s value in both education and professional practice, which enhanced his critical thinking and expanded his problem-solving approach. Visiting Mexico City firsthand strengthened his passion for
community-centered, responsive design – showing him how architecture interacts with history, urban development and social issues.
María Bellalta, head of the Department of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning, outlined the students’ group projects, focused on tackling critical urban issues. Projects focused on innovation in designing public spaces that could serve as community
abovE: Architecture and landscape architecture students traveled to Mexico City as part of this year’s Duda Visiting Designer Program.
hubs and emergency response zones, creating “green fingers” extending from main avenues to create vibrant, safe neighborhoods, and addressing water scarcity by creating a “museum without walls” to educate communities on sustainable water management.
“Students’ ambitions grow as they tackle significant societal and environmental issues. They develop a deeper sense of their agency as designers,” said David Hill, head of the School of Architecture.
Beyond academic enrichment, the program has profoundly shaped students' career aspirations. “The most valuable aspect for me is that it opened my eyes to the possibility of working in other parts of the world. The skills we are learning at NC State are applicable locally and can make a meaningful impact globally,” said Dominguez.
“I now focus with increased passion on the ability of architecture to be both a
poetic and practical response to what the environment and society is calling on it to be. It gave me a clear outline of what practice I wish to practice — a practice that is deeply based on context and the human experience, and sustainability,” Johnson added.
This exceptional program, supported by NC State alumnus Turan Duda and his wife, Linda, expands students’ academic and professional horizons while fostering global perspectives in design. “Turan wanted our students to have similar opportunities to gain a global perspective on design and to work alongside top-tier professionals,” said Hill.
Looking ahead, department heads Hill and Bellalta envision an even greater emphasis on interdisciplinary collaboration and extended project
timelines to allow students to delve deeper into their work.
The Duda Visiting Designer Program is more than an academic initiative—it is a transformative experience that equips students with the skills, knowledge, and global awareness needed to address the pressing challenges of the modern world. As Bellalta concluded, “We’re building a community of designers who not only excel academically and professionally but also understand their role in creating a more inclusive and sustainable world.
Students visited Espacio Escultórico, which means "sculptural space," a UNESCO World Heritage site made from volcanic rock at UNAM.
CENTER: Students visited the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), which incorporates elements of indigenous history into its many buildings.
the city.
LEFT:
abovE: Renowned architect Gabriela Carrillo (center) leads students around
At the Forefront Making a Place in Virtual Production
Sam Gunnells
A giant talking octopus in a lab nestled in the South American jungle. Actors and Hollywood filmmakers working to complete a Sci-Fi short over just four days. Off screen, technicians, camera operators and support staff create the immersive world displayed on the giant LED wall, using 3D printed props, Epic Games’ Unreal Engine and generative AI.
This is just another day in the Virtual Production Lab, where students and educators innovate and learn within this burgeoning field.
“Virtual production is a consolidation of production techniques,” explains Ryan Khan, a filmmaker and the lab manager. “It combines established and emerging workflows — filmmaking, stagecraft, game design, motion tracking and AI — into one real-time workflow to produce efficient, high-quality results.”
Major studios like Disney and Amazon are ditching green screens and other traditional production technologies and choosing virtual production to bring their storytelling worlds to life, from Middleearth to a galaxy far, far away. In the lab, Khan and his colleagues — including assistant professor Topher Maraffi — are building a space where students and faculty can grow their virtual production skills and push boundaries in the field.
“There’s a reason why Google and Epic Games and all these companies, large and small, are putting their money into this technology — because it’s the future,” Maraffi says.
Empowering Our Students
The lab combines cameras, dynamic lighting, motion tracking, photogrammetry and motion capture, an expansive LED wall and powerful world-building software — Unreal Engine by Epic Games. This setup lets users create realistic virtual worlds populated by interactive characters — called MetaHumans in Unreal Engine — then drop human actors into those worlds to produce compelling visual experiences.
Students pioneered the lab in fall 2024 through a course taught by Debbie Young, adjunct professor, with support from
Maraffi, Khan and their lab colleagues.
“For the first assignment, we gave them a simple prompt: Turn everything on and ensure the actors and props look right against the screen,” Khan recalls. “Instead, each student went beyond to craft and deliver a complete story. Part of our job is to empower that innate human need to tell stories.”
The lab team’s project-based approach not only helps students quickly grasp foundational storytelling techniques — it lets them contribute to research that advances the field.
abovE: Maraffi instructs students on how to use the motion capture suit in front of the LED wall of the Virtual Production Lab.
Maraffi’s ongoing Macbeth Metahuman Theatre project explores the emergent domain of hyper-reality to ask whether virtual production can convincingly depict expressive, improvised exchanges between human and MetaHuman actors in a live performance of Shakespeare’s Macbeth
In a fall 2024 studio course taught by Maraffi, students filmed him performing Macbeth’s famous opening by interacting with MetaHuman witches through a motion-capture suit connected to the digital environment. Students also built their own MetaHumans and virtual scenes for similar applications.
“The students are quickly learning to create these worlds and these transformational experiences,” Maraffi says. “And once they learn that, they can go a variety of ways in their careers; they can go into films, they can go into games, they can go into museums or theater or education.”
Enhancing Our Partnerships
The lab was designed for more than just education and research within the college – it’s built for collaboration with other colleges, industry and community organizations.
One of the lab’s first partners was Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. There, leaders of the Gullah Geechee people organized the first self-governing town of formerly enslaved Africans after
Union forces captured Hilton Head and established Mitchelville early in the Civil War.
Students in Maraffi’s fall studio recorded Gullah Geechee elders and produced interactive tours for the park guided by these elders’ MetaHuman avatars. A new group of students continued the partnership this spring, visiting Mitchelville to record more performances and capture photogrammetry scans of the site.
“There are all kinds of industry applications for the experiences we can create,” Khan says. “For an architectural firm, for example, we could have a presenter move through a 3D building and interact with virtual humans to show how that building might someday be used.”
Collaborators in the Virtual Production Lab will access virtual production tools at a price that beats most professional studios while engaging with learners who will shape tomorrow’s most eye-popping productions. Khan, Maraffi and the rest of their team are eager to share the lab’s capabilities — and share ideas — with potential partners.
LEFT: A digital double of an Ahmad Ward, the executive director of Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park is recreated using Unreal Engine’s MetaHuman Animator for use in an educational display using virtual reality.
abovE: Hollywood filmmaker Ricardo Tobon of Alecardo utilizes the lab to shoot a Sci-Fi short based on a novel from 1906. The group positioned a giant talking octopus on the lab’s LED wall for the actress to interact with.
Partner With Us
Interested in learning more about our capabilities or visiting our space? Contact Ryan Khan at rckhan@ncsu.edu or Topher Maraffi at cmaraff@ncsu.edu.
You can also visit our webpage at go.ncsu.edu/virtualproductionlab and fill out our interest form.
Designing for Life Building an Expectation for Excellence that Endures
Each day, students and faculty at NC State’s College of Design work to develop bold solutions to challenges and problems.
Since our opening in 1948, we have built a reputation as a leading public design school with rigorous, real-world programs that prepare graduates to channel their skills into serving our unique communities. We also have built a tradition of being a unique community of collaborative, creative and critical thinkers.
One key to the college achieving its full potential is the growth of our unrestricted funds, which provide critical discretionary funding that the college’s leadership team can channel to strategic priority areas as needs and opportunities arise.
You can learn more about the current priority pillars for the college, and we hope you’ll join us in this important step toward the college’s future.
1. Learning that prepares students to be design professionals
Our students come to us ready to change the world. With your help, they can. Your support frees students from the burden of worrying about paying for tuition, technology or materials, and from letting postgraduation debt limit their dreams. At the graduate level, support helps more promising students choose NC State.
Private support allows students to more fully embrace their studies – to do more, learn more and achieve more. Study abroad, unpaid internships, design competitions, professional conferences and other opportunities expand education well beyond the classroom and help every student find their place in our Design Pack.
Designlife prioritizes student scholarships, student organizations, equitable access and experiences that deepen learning.
Learning Spotlight
Master of Graphic & Experience Design (MGXD) students partnered with the Laboratory for Analytic Sciences to create user experience (UX) designs aimed at improving the tools used by intelligence analysts.
Through this collaboration, students designed tailored interfaces to help analysts effectively navigate complex data
while ensuring compliance and security. This real-world challenge underscores the role of design in national security and highlights how the college empowers students with impactful opportunities.
958
students enrolled in Fall 2024
67% of students are women
$401,031 awarded in student scholarships for 2023-2024
#9
Best Bachelor's Degree in Creative/Design, College Rank
2. Innovation that defines the future of design, fuels new initiatives and propels research
The College of Design has always aimed to achieve preeminence as a thought leader in emerging fields, such as today’s explosion in Artificial Intelligence. Private support provides seed funding for new academic initiatives and research projects. It ensures that studios and labs can support contemporary work processes tied closely to career readiness and emerging research. Being able to work with cutting-edge technology in a digital fabrication lab, for example, allows students to move beyond theoretical into the practical, helps them explore the future of design and prepares them to step toward careers that don’t even exist yet. Designlife provides access to cuttingedge spaces and technologies that help faculty and students answer the questions that will shape our future.
Innovation Spotlight
In partnership with Eastman, industrial design students reimagined sustainable packaging for luxury cosmetics, focusing on refillable and reusable materials. The designs combined aesthetic appeal, durability and environmental responsibility using Eastman’s innovative materials like Cristal One™.
Students worked closely with Eastman professionals, learning to balance creativity with industry needs. This collaboration advances sustainable solutions and prepares students to make meaningful contributions to global sustainability challenges.
Digital Fabrication Maker Spaces
Multiple spaces in the college house tools that blend software and tools to generate real-world, functional prototypes.
Sponsored Studios
Students have worked on projects for Bosch, Caterpillar, REI, Eastman, Coca-Cola, Hanes, IBM, Lowe’s, SAS and Under Armour, to name a few.
14
Research initiatives and labs in the college conduct practical, hands-on research that solves problems, explores new ideas and benefits our communities.
3. Faculty who shape the design profession and the future of the students they lead
Outstanding faculty stand at the heart of any great college. Private support can be vital to recruiting and retaining them.
Investing in faculty is investing in the generation of knowledge, collaboration among disciplines and with national and international partners, advancement of contemporary professional practice in the classroom and engagement of students in cutting-edge design. From endowed professorships to realigned faculty workloads that make space for research that enriches real-world academic and practical experiences for students at all levels, your gifts can help ensure that the best teachers thrive here.
Designlife supports our faculty’s ability to present research and findings in professional settings as well as their research activities themselves.
140%
Increase in research awards over the past four years
8 Books by faculty in 2023-2024
$5.2M In research awards for FY24
$3.6M In research awards to design faculty as PIs
Faculty Spotlight
By combining the fields of archaeology and 3D design, Assistant Professor of Archaeology Julie K. Wesp and Assistant Professor of Media Arts, Design and Technology Justin Johnson are working together to bring a centuries-old church back to life.
The two created a 3D environment to allow people to completely immerse themselves in the church to learn about the art, architecture and its people. Photogrammetry was combined with archaeology to create realistic avatars for users to interact with and learn from.
4. Engagement that builds community within the college and profession
To fulfill our role as a 21st-century land-grant university, we must be active beyond the borders of our campus. Designers work within communities, with stakeholders and with membership-based industry councils to design solutions to real needs.
Private support can enhance opportunities for public dialogue like lectures or conferences, partnerships and impactful events that carry our work farther into the communities we impact. Private support, too, can bring other experts to our students and faculty.
Designlife furthers our ability to connect with communities and form partnerships that enhance where we live and work.
Engagement Spotlight
Students in Freedom by Design worked with the Governor Morehead School to create a new Outdoor Learning Center focused on accessibility for students with visual impairments.
The previous playground was inaccessible to the students, with only a slide, a small swing set and some monkey bars. The
new design specifically accounts for the visual impairment of the students at GMS, with high-contrast surface materials, a tactile sensory wall, a series of auditory chimes, a whisper tube, a bench swing, a spin station, a track with a banked curve, an edible garden and much-needed shade and resting space.
13
Active student organizations in the College of Design
30
Students attended the ASLA National Conference in 2024
12
Partnered lectures from the School of Architecture for 2024
If you are interested in making a gift to the College of Design, please contact a member of our development team at go.ncsu.edu/design-der.
$120,000
Supported new Outdoor Learning Center at Governor Morehead School
Celebrating 45 Years of Creative Awakening at Design Camp
For 45 years, the NC State College of Design’s Design Camp has been inspiring generations of middle and high school students to explore their creative potential and imagine a future in design. What began as a bold initiative by Professor Charles Joyner in 1980 has grown into a transformative experience that has touched the lives of nearly 12,000 precollege students and educators. This milestone anniversary offers a moment to reflect on the profound impact Design Camp has had on individuals and the broader design community.
A Vision Rooted in Inclusion
At a time when access to creative fields was often limited by racial and socioeconomic inequities, Joyner sought to provide immersive, hands-on learning experiences. Over the years, this vision has evolved to embrace a broader mission of inclusivity, ensuring all students have access to transformative design education. Initially, the camp was an extension of outreach road trips to high schools in Eastern North Carolina, where design students shared their work and invited interested teens to participate in a
Ashley Davis
summer “Design Boot Camp.” As former Design Camp instructor Percy Hooper ‘78 recalls, “It consisted of one design experience after another — sketching, planning, building, testing and critique. Students learned about the cumulative power of thoughtful trial and error.”
Over time, the program evolved to include more disciplinary focus on the college’s majors. Today, the camp also cultivates foundational skills in problemsolving, innovation and collaboration through engaging projects like designing sustainable communities, prototyping everyday products and mobile app development. Reflecting on the camp’s early days, Hooper shares, “The vision of Charles Joyner continues to stimulate design thinking and offer expanded educational horizons for the pre-college students of North Carolina and beyond.”
Transformative Experiences
The impact of Design Camp is perhaps best expressed through the voices of those who have participated. As former camper and staffer Betsy Peters Rascoe ‘11 shares, “The one immersive week as a camper absolutely blew me away.
I began to understand how design could be a career path. It changed my trajectory and goals for college applications. Later, once a student at the college, I wanted to give back to my experience as a camper by applying to be a camp counselor. One year later, I was part of the lead staff.”
For many staff members, Design Camp has been a platform for growth and discovery. Raja Manikam ‘23 credits the camp with giving him the confidence to embrace teaching: “Who said Design Lab benefits only the campers? It has had a profound effect on me as well. Throughout my journey at the College of Design, I couldn't help but reflect on the pivotal role that Design Lab has played in shaping my academic, professional and personal growth. The exposure to diverse social circles and the opportunity to inspire students through teaching have been truly transformative. I am immensely grateful to the Design Lab for taking the risk and providing me with the role of an instructor. This opportunity made me discover that I am capable of something... teaching. Which I wouldn't have found out without being a part of Design Lab's team.”
For others, the camp’s collaborative environment has sparked lifelong friendships. PhD graduate, former camp instructor, and current college faculty member Andrés Téllez ‘17 reflects, “Beyond the curriculum and the projects, Design Camp offered me an incredible community of colleagues and friends. It was a place where I learned to be comfortable as a teacher in a new country and culture. The friendships I built at Design Camp extended beyond
professional connections; they became a support network that made me feel at home. I am proud to be working alongside such talented individuals, whose insights on organization, pedagogy and educational approaches have greatly influenced my role as an educator.”
A Lasting Legacy
One of Design Camp’s greatest achievements is its ability to inspire young people to pursue design education and careers. Former lead staff and industrial design graduate Jecori Owens-Shuler ‘19 says: “If you find your calling, Design Camp can be the starting point of your lifelong creative journey. My time taught me valuable multitasking and time management skills. I learned to cook under pressure, a skill that has proven invaluable in various situations. I also developed the ability to make quick, informed decisions, even under tight deadlines.” Roughly 20% of incoming NC State College of Design students have participated in Design Lab programming, with many citing their camp experience as pivotal in their decision to apply.
The program’s reach continues to expand, thanks to donor contributions, grant funding and the dedication of the Design Lab team and interns. Recent years have seen the introduction of new initiatives, including a new week-long, nocost summer program for students called Design Connections, ensuring that Design Camp remains committed to the goals Charles Joyner set 45 years ago.
Looking Ahead
As Design Camp celebrates its 45th anniversary, it remains dedicated to fostering creativity, inclusion and lifelong learning. The camp’s emphasis on adaptability, collaboration and critical thinking equips participants with skills that extend far beyond the studio.
Reflecting on the camp’s enduring significance, longtime instructor Hal Meeks ‘11 says, “Design Camp is a rare opportunity to work as a designer in multiple disciplines. You don’t know fully what you’re capable of until you try new things. Don’t self-edit your life when opportunities await.”
Through its rich history and forwardlooking vision, Design Camp continues to challenge students and staff to question preconceived notions about what design is and who designers are, and cultivates an environment where creativity thrives. Here’s to the next 45 years of empowering creative thinkers and shaping the future of design.
Top: Students from Design Camp 2024 celebrate another year of successful programming. Campers are pictured in white t-shirts, while support staff wear black in the first row.
boTTom: A photo from 1997 shows campers creating in much the same way they do today — at studio tables in a collaborative environment.
A Slice of Life
The College of Design in Photos
College of Design in Photos
Demarcus Williams ‘03 Creates Scholarship in Kermit Bailey’s Honor
Christine Klocke
Demarcus Williams [BGD ’03] embodies the NC State spirit of think and do – driven, passionate and committed to giving back. His journey from an undergraduate student navigating college life to a successful professional was supported by a host of faculty, particularly Kermit Bailey. Now, Williams is establishing a scholarship in Bailey’s name, hoping to provide the same support he received to future generations of designers.
Williams’s time at the College of Design wasn’t always laser-focused. He readily admits to wanting the full college experience, including Greek life and sports, but the demanding curriculum of the design program required a shift in priorities. “It took me a little while to buy in,” Williams confesses. “Once I did, I really fell in love with the idea of being a designer.”
That transformation was fueled by the dedication of the College of Design faculty, including Kermit Bailey. “To see a faculty member that looks like me, who
is teaching, instructing, critiquing and challenging all students to be successful – he demanded excellence of all his students. And that has followed me throughout my career.”
Bailey reflects on his role as a connector. “I’ve come to a greater appreciation of being that bridge for people, the positive representation,” he says. He equates it to a coaching role, where the players have to be receptive to being coached. “Demarcus allowed me to teach him,” Bailey adds.
While Williams’ career path has shifted from hands-on design to marketing and communication, the foundation he built at the College of Design remains invaluable. “My foundation of being able to tell stories, whether visually or now through writing, being able to solve problems, critically find solutions, explain the process – all of those things I carry with me,” he explains. He credits not only Bailey, but also others in the college like Meredith Davis, Tony Brock, Maura Dillon, Denise Gonzalez Crisp and Marva Motley, for their instrumental roles in shaping his design education. Bailey is proud of the work Williams is doing, both professionally and in connections through his church to mentor other young people. “It’s one of the biggest compliments to any faculty member – to see that person be a major contributor to society, in a leadership role.” Bailey adds.
Williams’ decision to create a
scholarship in Bailey’s honor stems from a desire to give back to the institution that shaped him and to acknowledge the professor who played such a significant role in his journey. He also hopes to inspire students who, like him, may need a little time to find their footing.
Williams set up an immediate impact scholarship to provide critical support to students within the next academic year. Scholarships like these help promising future designers pursue their degrees, afford their education and alleviate the burden of student loans. “This scholarship program that NC State has is a great way for alumni of all income brackets to still make a meaningful contribution to their
area of passion,” Williams explains.
Bailey hopes that the model will inspire other alumni to give. “It’s very meaningful for the students when they see the place that they’ve committed four years of their time is committed to them,” he says. “The positive thing is that we always have qualified students. And this is just one more thing that says ‘keep going, see it through.’”
LEFT: Demarcus Williams is a leader through Saint Augustine’s University, NCICU, at the NC State Alumni Association and through Leadership North Carolina.
College of Design Student Body
NC State received over 44,113 first-year applications and admitted 41.7% of the fall 2024 applicant pool.
• Total enrollment: 38,400
• Undergraduate enrollment: 24,442
• Graduate enrollment: 10,042
• 44,113 first-year applications received
• 41.7% acceptance rate
• 4,983 transfer applications received
• 46.6% acceptance rate
• 7,438 total incoming students
Designing Dignity
Jabria Oliver’s Fight Against Period Poverty
Max Cohen
Period poverty, defined as the lack of access to menstrual hygiene products, safe facilities and adequate education, is a global issue affecting millions of people. For women experiencing homelessness, this often-overlooked challenge exacerbates an already precarious situation, forcing them to make impossible choices between basic needs.
In an industry crowded with consumer electronics, automobiles and medical devices, Jabria Oliver, a recent graduate of the Master of Industrial Design program, is working to create a prominent space designing for social impact.
Oliver’s connection to this issue is deeply personal. From ages five to seven, she and her mother were what she describes as “hidden homeless,” moving between relatives’ and friends’ homes before spending three months in a Chapel Hill shelter. “That experience stuck with me,” Oliver explains. “It inspired me to help others as we were helped.”
Her early experiences in other people’s homes and the shelter planted the seeds for a lifelong passion for helping vulnerable communities.
Oliver’s artistic background of drawing, painting and creating throughout her childhood eventually led her to industrial design, where she saw an opportunity to pair creativity with advocacy. “Industrial design isn’t just about aesthetics or products; it’s about solving problems and improving lives in ways that are thoughtful and inclusive,” she says.
Exploring the Complexities of Homelessness
Oliver’s research focuses on the intersection of homelessness and menstrual hygiene, an area she identifies as underexplored yet deeply impactful. “Homelessness is a massive issue with many layers,” she notes. “But the female experience is often overlooked, especially around menopause, pregnancy and menstruation.”
The complexities of period poverty go beyond the lack of products. Oliver’s work highlights the cascading challenges: limited access to restrooms and private spaces to clean or change, the stigma attached to menstruation and the unsafe conditions many women face.
“It’s not safe for a woman to be homeless,” says Oliver. “Being in a menstrual cycle makes them even more vulnerable to assault and exploitation.”
Her research revealed startling statistics, such as a study from the University of St. Louis where nearly 50% of homeless women reported having to choose between food and menstrual products.1
abovE: Oliver and her mom, photographed at
“That’s a ridiculous choice no one should have to face,” Oliver emphasizes. “It made me realize how critical it is to address this issue with empathy and urgency.”
Designing for Impact
Oliver’s project takes a human-centered approach involving interviews, surveys and extensive secondary research to inform her designs. She connected with the same Chapel Hill shelter she lived in as a child to better understand the lived experiences of unhoused women. “The best design comes from collaboration,” she explains. “Listening directly to people’s stories ensures that solutions are practical and effective.”
Her potential solutions range from creating more affordable and sustainable menstrual products to imagining portable, female-friendly spaces to practice menstrual hygiene.
She also considers systemic changes, such as distributing free products through widespread networks similar to newspaper stands or addressing the high costs of menstrual products exacerbated by the
tampon tax, the sales tax rate that a state, county and/or city government collects on the retail purchase of menstrual products. Menstrual products are seen as extras because of stigma,” Oliver says. “But they’re a necessity, not a luxury.” Oliver acknowledges the broader implications of her work. “Period poverty is just one facet of homelessness,” she says. “It’s tied to systemic poverty, inequality and policies that fail to address basic human needs.”
By focusing her designs on alleviating this burden, she hopes to spark broader conversations and inspire action.
Empathy at the Core
Looking ahead, Oliver envisions her work transcending homelessness to benefit women of all economic backgrounds.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, many women resorted to the same makeshift solutions as those living on the streets due to supply shortages. “It’s ironic that their struggles mirrored those of unhoused women,” notes Oliver. “It demonstrates just how universal these challenges can be.”
Her ultimate goal is to create solutions that break down barriers and address systemic inequities. “I want my designs to truly listen to people’s cries, desires and needs,” Oliver explains. “It's about creating something that solves problems and positively impacts lives, not something that ends up in a landfill.”
Oliver’s work exemplifies the transformative potential of industrial design. By combining creativity with compassion, she is not only addressing period poverty but also inspiring others to approach social challenges with empathy and understanding. “Design has the power to change lives,” she says. “It has the ability to make ‘invisible’ groups visible and create solutions that drive meaningful change for people, communities, nations, and ultimately impacts the world.”
Through her research and advocacy, Oliver offers a powerful reminder that design, at its best, is a force for dignity and equity.
abovE: Jabria Oliver shares the focus of her research as a Master of Industrial Design student: a lack of menstrual hygiene for unhoused populations, a human-centered approach to a design problem.
[1] Sebert Kuhlmann, Anne PhD, MPH; Peters Bergquist, Eleanor MA, MSPH; Danjoint, Djenie MPH; Wall, L. Lewis MD, DPhil. Unmet Menstrual Hygiene Needs Among Low-Income Women. Obstetrics & Gynecology 133(2):p 238-244, February 2019. | DOI: 10.1097/ AOG.0000000000003060
Scaling with Empathy AI Solutions for Urban Planning
As cities and towns incorporate the use of artificial intelligence (AI) into urban planning, Lee Cherry is asking an important question: how can they best ensure AI is used fairly and ethically?
The concept is at the heart of Cherry’s research as he pursues his Doctor of Design from NC State’s College of Design.
Cherry currently serves as lead manager of Digital Fabrication, Emerging Technology and Innovation for the College of Design, and received two degrees from NC State — a bachelor’s in industrial design from the College of Design in 1996 and an MBA from the Poole College of Management in 2005.
His current research stems from a lecture about generative AI and computational design that he presented on campus. Looking at a technology platform used by the City of Raleigh led him to question how AI-based technology can best be implemented responsibly.
“It was clear to me that they were introducing these tools and platforms with very little safeguards for the humancentric side of things,” he says.
Cherry examined how AI can serve communities while keeping in mind important factors such as privacy, equal access and transparency about how decisions are made. For example, he noted that if AI systems make decisions without providing reasoning, it can be difficult for users to trust those decisions.
And, when it comes to equal access, he found a divide between urban and rural
areas. Larger cities are more likely to have the resources to implement AI technology, whereas rural communities may lack the resources and access.
“I’m writing my dissertation and research findings in a way where I can look at how AI-based civic technology for large cities can be scaled up or down, and possibly help rural communities in the future,” he says.
A unique part of Cherry’s research focuses on how cultural differences impact approaches to the use of AI technologies. As AI systems are implemented around the world, he notes that how societies view topics like
privacy and fairness can impact how AI governance is developed.
Ultimately, Cherry’s research will help cities scale their AI solutions with four considerations in mind: fairness, empathy, accessibility and responsibility, he says.
He plans to bring what he’s learned back to the classroom as well. As the use of AI continues to quickly evolve, it’s important the next generation is well-informed.
“Young professionals will need to understand how to mitigate the challenges of using these tools and integrate them into their daily workflow and production pipelines,” he says.
Lea Hart
College of Design Honors Matt Checkowski ‘98
The College of Design is proud to recognize Matt Checkowski [BGD ‘98] as this year’s distinguished alumnus.
The Distinguished Alumni Award recognizes the significant achievements of a talented and deeply committed group of individuals. Recipients of this award are design professionals representing the disciplines of the college. They are individuals who have made significant contributions to new insights, fostering original ideas and searching for added knowledge.
Matt Checkowski’s work explores the intersections of design, narrative and technology, working across boundaries to elevate and expand storytelling.
His work includes Glyph, an A.I. artwork in the Dallas Museum of Art’s permanent collection, the iconic dream sequences in Minority Report, and media content for a sci-fi opera with M.I.T. As the founder and principal of The Department of the 4th Dimension, a brand innovation agency, he has partnered with Sephora, Monday Night Football and the University of California System.
An accomplished filmmaker and storyteller, Matt directed the feature film, Lies & Alibis, starring Steve Coogan and Rebecca Romijn, and proudly serves on the board of Young Storytellers, an arts nonprofit that equips young people to be the driving force in their own narratives.
Matt arrived at NC State as a first generation college student, hoping to pursue a creative career that made his
parents nervous. He found a home in the College of Design that “not only validated those crazy ideas but gave me what I needed to step into this world and build a career paving my own path and doing what I always dreamed of doing.”
His time as a student was one of rapid innovation and transformation, where students were just beginning to use computers in studio. “So much was in flux - I’d be getting torn apart in a critique by my professor for my poor typography skills, while at the same time being hired by grad students to code and build their interactive thesis projects,” he says.
One moment that stood out to him was a mid-semester meeting with Andrew Blauvelt. “About ten minutes into the meeting, he grabbed my sketchbook, flipped through it, and laughed — there weren’t any drawings or designs in it,” Matt recalls. “He said ‘only an NC State Design student would have a sketchbook full of only written ideas.’ We both kind of liked that.”
As this year’s recipient of the Distinguished Alumnus Award, Matt feels it’s an opportunity to come back to a place that meant so much to him. “It’s a chance to say thank you. Thank you for making all of this possible,” he says.
Today, he’s excited by the work that brings people into spaces between different perspectives and experiences.
is meaningful and essential for me as someone who is curious and on my own journey with and through my work, trying to figure out this crazy world,” he says. He finds meaning in helping people realize new possibilities and come together into a new understanding.
When asked to share a message with students, he gave two simple phrases: “Don’t wait for permission,” and “Use your powers for good.”
abovE: Matt Checkowski in conversation with Professor Emeritus Meredith Davis during a fall lecture at the College of Design.
"Sometimes that’s launching over the horizon towards possible futures, other times it’s a tiny step forward. That process
Christine Klocke
In Memoriam
Frederick Murphey Taylor Jr.
1929-2024, B.Arch. ‘53
Frederick Murphey Taylor, age 95, passed away on October 30, 2024. With a scholarship, he entered the first class of the School of Design in 1948. In 1955, he joined architect I.M. Pei's office and remained there until he joined NC State's College of Design faculty. There, he enjoyed his teaching as well as his collaboration on architectural projects with George Matsumoto.
In 1963, he joined the office of Eduardo Catalano in Cambridge, MA. For the next three years he was involved with the design of the Juilliard School at Lincoln Center in New York City. His thirty years with Catalano involved other projects ranging from libraries, schools, embassies, hotels, courthouses and office buildings to civic centers.
Fred, together with his partner, Tom Stofer, enjoyed a deep appreciation of the arts, especially music. During his remarkable life, he remained humble and was moved by simple acts of kindness and the accomplishments of others.
Adapted from The Charlotte News & Observer.
Joseph Costanza........................B.Arch. '53
Fred Taylor...................................B.Arch. '53
Harold Smyre...............................B.Arch. '55
William Whisnant........................B.Arch. '56
William Edwards...............................BLA '58
Matilda Kirby-Smith
1946-2024, MPD '72
Matilda Kirby-Smith passed away on December 9, 2024. She held a master’s degree in product design from NC State. After moving to Greensboro in 1970, Matilda worked as a graphic designer for a local firm before establishing her own design business and beginning her teaching career, first at UNC Greensboro and later at Guilford Technical Community College. In 1981, she met her husband, Alex Forsyth. Later, they opened ForsythKirby-Smith Designs.
Matilda was a gifted graphic designer, photographer, watercolorist, ceramicist and poet. After retiring from teaching, she took up watercolor painting and exhibited her work at local galleries such as Revolution Mill, The Artery Gallery and Pennybyrn. She also won awards with her design business and produced many outstanding photographs and ceramics. She was a strong, determined person who fought and won against cancer, producing a photography series for the Cone Health Cancer Center. Matilda's friends and family cherished her for her generosity, sense of fun and adventure and her unique, humorous perspective.
Marley Carroll passed away on November 20, 2024. He was a gifted, persistent designer, a mentor, a collaborator and friend. Marley championed modern architecture in Charlotte for the better part of five decades. His passion, his beautiful sketches and his skills led him to early prominence and success, continuing through his career as a partner at Wolf Associates, working at Odell Associates and as vice president of design at Clark Nexsen. In 2013, he joined C Design as creative director and later moved into the role of design advocate, mentoring young architects.
At the age of 30, he was elevated to an AIA Fellow, received the Kamphoefner Prize in 1994 and the F. Carter Williams Gold Medal in 2000 from AIA North Carolina. Marley's work included many prominent buildings that continue to enhance the quality of the built environment in North Carolina. His projects earned national AIA Honor design awards.
Adapted from an announcement through AIA Charlotte.
John Haynes...............BEDA '73, B.Arch. '78
Bruce Wilhelm................................BEDA '74
Charles Barkley..............................BEDV '76
James Wise....................................BEDV '76
Roberta Webb.................................BEDV '77
Vincent Foote 1933-2025
Vincent M. Foote, FIDSA passed away on April 25, 2025. Foote was a longtime member of the College of Design’s industrial design faculty, influencing countless students over his forty-year teaching career.
For his work influencing decades of design professionals, Foote received numerous awards from NC State, including the Outstanding Teacher Award, the Alumni Distinguished Undergraduate Professor Award, the Board of Governors’ Award for Teaching Excellence and the Alexander Quarles Holladay Medal for Excellence, the university’s highest honor bestowed upon teaching faculty.
He was made a fellow in the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA) in 1981 and a member of the IDSA Academy of Distinguished Industrial Design Educators in 1993. He was also steadfast in his core belief: Everyone is uniquely capable of self-excellence and should pursue it throughout their lives. We are sure he is wishing his family, friends, and neighbors “NAMASTE,” his favorite all-caps salutation.
Michael Behringer..........................BEDA '78
Jan Eason.......................................MLA ' 79
Elizabeth Barnard........................B.Arch. '98
Margaret Fentress...........................MLA '01
Campus Box 7701
Raleigh, NC 27695-7701
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Things We Like
Art2Wear: Revive
Art2Wear: Revive took over the Gregg Museum of Art & Design with a living, breathing, performative exhibit. This year’s showcase once again proved that fashion and storytelling go hand in hand. Student designers pushed the boundaries of material, movement and meaning — creating collections that felt as bold as they were personal.
Spirit of the Bee(hive)
In a studio buzzing with creativity, Assistant Professor Shawn Protz led students in designing habitats for some of nature’s hardest-working architects: bees. Divided into teams focused on bumblebees, carpenter bees, honey bees and wild bees, students explored new forms using 3D-printed ceramics and experimental structures both above and below ground. Whether these designs will pass the bees' inspection remains to be seen — but the innovation is undeniable.
U.S.
Women in the Shop takes flight
Founded in fall 2024, Women in the Shop (WITS) is a student-led group built to empower women working in the College of Design’s Materials Lab and maker spaces. Through mentorship, workshops and hands-on projects, WITS is making technical skills more accessible — and confidence standard issue. Their goal? Boost visibility, support growth and make sure more women thrive in every corner of design and fabrication.
