Innovation Center designs branded wall for M3 Insurance

Sarah Madden, “M3 Insurance concepts,” 2024.
Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design student Sarah Madden ’24 and Candice Roth, director of workplace experience & corporate administration at M3 Insurance, agree that collaboration was key to the success of M3’s branded wall project with MIAD’s Lubar Innovation Center. The finished graphic mural was placed in M3 Insurance’s new headquarters in downtown Milwaukee.
Roth began her experience at MIAD with a tour of the center. “After touring MIAD’s space and seeing all that they offer, I was really excited to work with Sarah [then a MIAD student], to have her bring some fresh new ideas for a wall mural that we put in our lobby,” says Roth. “The whole team was great to work with. Sarah had a lot of great ideas and was very open to feedback and incorporating it into the final product. We are very pleased with how things turned out!”
“Working with M3 was a great experience,” says Madden. “They had a collaborative approach and valued open communication, which made it easy to bounce around ideas and get feedback. I especially liked designing with the office space in mind and finding a concept that was true to their brand. It was really exciting to see my ideas come to life by the end!”
The Lubar Innovation Center connects MIAD students with companies to work on paid creative projects while providing support and guidance. For Madden, this was not her first project with the Innovation Center.
“Before M3, I also collaborated with the Innovation Center on a branding and advertising project for the Pettit National Ice Center,” she says.
“The Innovation Center was vital to my time at MIAD,” Madden adds. “I was able to get experience, make connections and grow as a designer in ways that prepared me for real-world challenges.”
Now a MIAD graduate, Madden says she “just wrapped up her time interning at Anthropologie on the digital design team creating social media, site and app content. I am now focused on pursuing full-time design opportunities in Chicago!”
Read more about becoming involved with the Innovation Center as a partner or student and about MIAD’s award-winning Illustration major and Animation track.
News
La Mère Brazier: Phoebe Nelson Senior Exhibition 2025
Phoebe Nelson ’25 (Illustration) came to the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD) to study children’s book illustration. Now at the end of her senior year, she is writing and illustrating a children’s book about Eugénie Brazier, the first person to get six Michelin stars, for her Senior Exhibition project.
MIAD Independent Inquiry Program launches with three student grants
Galilea Cerdea ’26, Tina Voith ’26 and Madi Weglarz ’25 are the first three Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design students selected to receive Independent Inquiry Program stipends to investigate new technologies and their applicability to art and design education. As first-time applicants, each receives a stipend of $1,200 for a six-week Mini Inquiry this summer.
Grilled Cheese grants propel MIAD seniors
Funds from the annual Grilled Cheese Grant helped Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD) awardees Siren Harris, Yo Yo collective and Madi Weglarz complete their 2025 Senior Exhibition projects and future work. All the MIAD awardees are Fine Art + New Studio Practice seniors.
Sebastian Penn: Senior Exhibition 2025
Sebastian Penn ’25 (Animation Track in Illustration), “From Home to Legacy: Black and Queer Bars in Milwaukee.” Sebastian is a President’s (Honor) List student from Holman, Wis.
McKenna Martin: Senior Exhibition 2025
McKenna Martin ’25 (Product Design), “Hyacinth.” McKenna received first place for her design for the 2023 Delta design project/competition at MIAD, is on the Dean’s List and is from Fond du Lac, Wis.