MIAD Innovation Center connects students and MIAD community virtually
MIAD’s courses aren’t the only thing that’s moved online this semester. Each Friday, the MIAD Innovation Center hosts Virtual Meetups to give students a chance to talk and connect with faculty and staff outside the classroom.

Estephanie Mendoza ’21 (Illustration)
“The Friday sessions are a hub for discussion and interaction, which we all really need right now,” says Estephanie Mendoza ’20 (Illustration), who has worked on projects for clients via the MIAD Innovation Center. “For me, the simple act of seeing everyone’s faces and hearing everyone’s voices brings a bit of comfort.”
The MIAD Innovation Center’s virtual meetups focus on a new topic each week, such as how creative innovation comes out of challenging times, tips for getting motivated, and staying positive and creative during isolation. All individuals attending the events have the opportunity to participate and share their experiences.

Olivia Paul ’21 (Industrial Design)
“Seeing all of my teachers’ faces, and hearing the conversations is an instant mood boost and friendly reminder that we’re all in this together,” says Olivia Paul ’21 (Industrial Design), who has attended the virtual meetups for the MIAD Innovation Center, as well as other virtual student events such as MIAD Trivia sessions.
“For a lot of us, it’s been a struggle to get up and create,” Olivia adds. “Being able to share what’s worked for us and ways we’ve felt encouraged to get up and work as normally as possible has been nice.”
News
Meet Mac Bronnson and 2026 Senior Exhibition Project MENd
Mac Bronnson ’26 (Communication Design) is a President’s (Honor) List student from Milwaukee and a recipient of a 2026 Alumni Thesis Award. MENd – No Bro Left Behind is a men’s mental health app that is not designed as a mental health app.
MIAD faculty designs for Brewers Wisconsin Artist Series
Faculty member Ric Stultz, who teaches Illustration at the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design, has designed what is sure to become iconic apparel during the Milwaukee Brewers 2026 season.
Meet Cyrill Reyes and 2026 Senior Exhibition Project NECROZOIC
Cyrill Reyes ’26 (Illustration) is a President’s (Honor) List student from the Greater Chicago area. My thesis is game concept art and visual development of the world of NECROZOIC, a prehistoric fantasy that retells the extinction of the dinosaurs.
Meet Bailey Staerkel and 2026 Senior Exhibition Project Stitched Together
Bailey Staerkel ’26 (Fashion and Apparel Design) is a Dean’s List student from Vancouver, Wash., and a recipient of a 2026 Alumni Thesis Award. My thesis, Stitched Together, is an exploration of Gothic horror through fashion, taking classic horror archetypes and reinterpreting them into a collection of fully realized couture looks.
MIAD faculty Yi receives Wisconsin Academy Fellows Award
Multidisciplinary artist, curator, mentor and Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD) professor Jason S. Yi has been named a 2026 Fellow of the prestigious Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts & Letters. Yi is one of “16 extraordinary Wisconsinites who have demonstrated a lifelong commitment to intellectual discourse and public service,” the Academy said in its awards announcement.