WWU Design students win 2025 Creative Quarterly awards
A group of recent graduates from Western Washington University’s Design program have earned national recognition in the 2025 Creative Quarterly awards, a respected competition and publication that highlights emerging and established voices in the visual arts.
Jade Blue, Duncan Bennett, Taylor Truong, Zoe Malee, and Cam Gibb were all selected as award winners, while Chloe Unflat and Dawson Gyllehammer received runner-up honors.
The awarded projects were developed in a Senior Seminar course with Professor Cristina de Almeida, where students were tasked with creating campaign systems for a product and/or event. One project, Mode 25, was produced in collaboration with a real client, with event organizer and Design Professor Kacey Morrow providing feedback throughout the design process.
Creative Quarterly is widely regarded as a significant platform for showcasing contemporary work across graphic design, illustration, photography, and fine art. In this year’s competition, 178 winners were selected from 3,312 entries, with submissions judged on criteria including conceptual originality, visual design, functionality, relevance to theme, and innovation in message delivery.
Notably, all of the recognized WWU designers have since graduated, marking this achievement as an early milestone in their professional careers. Their recognition underscores the strength of Western’s Design program and its emphasis on producing thoughtful, concept-driven work that resonates beyond the classroom.
