UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Gabrielle Harris, a rising fourth-year Penn State graphic design student in the College of Arts and Architecture’s Stuckeman School, earned fourth place in the University and College Designers Association (UCDA) Student Poster Design Initiative for her digital campaign promoting diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).
The theme of this year’s UCDA competition was “Same/Difference: Creating accessible, integrative and inclusive futures,” and challenged students to promote positive thinking through designing an original poster for print or online use.
Harris’s graphic design classmates Sophia Alexander, Paige Bish, Megan Dale and Hannah Fitzgerald earned honorable mentions for their submissions. All of the students developed their designs as part of their GD 302: Applied Communication course with Taylor Shipton, assistant teaching professor of graphic design, during the spring 2023 semester.
"I am so proud of our amazing students for their recognitions in the UCDA competition,” Shipton said. “Their achievements and the opportunity of exposure from such a competition spotlights the importance of incorporating diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives within a classroom. Being able to celebrate the fusion of creative work with DEI initiatives enhances our ability to think like designers while nurturing a deeper understanding and appreciation for the diverse perspectives that make up our world."
A total of 120 entries were received for the UCDA national poster competition with winners and honorable mentions selected by a panel of design educators. The winning posters and honorable mentions were on display at the UCDA Design Education Summit May 22-23 at Bowling Green State University.