MIAD alumni chosen for County Parks’ Maptacular project
Several MIAD alumni have been chosen for Milwaukee County Parks’ Maptacular project.
In the project, illustrators and artists create a new map for a Milwaukee County Park in their own distinct, artistic style. The newest crop of posters is on sale now, with proceeds benefiting the parks fund at the Greater Milwaukee Foundation. Read more.
Chosen alumni include:
Charity Ekpo ’15, Greenfield Park
Barderies Hampton ’17, Scout Lake Park
Zac Jacobson ’11, Jackson Park
Melissa Lee Johnson ’16, Estabrook Park
Monique Machut ’18, Cathedral Square Park
Jordan Pintar ’14, Brown Deer Park
Dominique Viverette ’18, Mitchell Park
as well as MIAD faculty member Susan Kwas, Lake Park.
News
MIAD faculty, alumni shine at WI Visual Art Achievement Awards
Professor Leslie Fedorchuk and alumni of the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD) received four of the eight individual 2026 Wisconsin Visual Art Achievement Awards for “their significant contributions to the state’s creative culture.”
National Society of Illustrators honors 13 MIAD students
First-place winner Sophia Simonson ’28 created Refractions as part of her MIAD studies in Interior Architecture and Design. She is one of 20 students studying at MIAD through a cross-registration program with Concordia University. MIAD students Kaitlyn Powers ’26 (Illustration) and Natalie Spetell ’27 (Product Design), both of whom have minors in Communication Design, received Honorable Mentions.
Pallas Textiles competition provides real-world experience
First-place winner Sophia Simonson ’28 created Refractions as part of her MIAD studies in Interior Architecture and Design. She is one of 20 students studying at MIAD through a cross-registration program with Concordia University. MIAD students Kaitlyn Powers ’26 (Illustration) and Natalie Spetell ’27 (Product Design), both of whom have minors in Communication Design, received Honorable Mentions.
2026 First-Year Exhibition showcases professional growth
An annual tradition at the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design from late March through September, the juried First-Year Experience Exhibition celebrates students’ yearlong personal and professional growth.
Meet Carmen Briones and 2026 Senior Exhibition Project Echo
Carmen Briones ‘26 (Product Design) is a President’s (Honor) List student from Cambria, Wis., president of the MIAD IDSA student chapter and an intern at SI Jacobson Manufacturing. Briones designed a device called “Echo” that removes ovarian cysts without surgery.