Thirty seniors receive MIAD Alumni Senior Thesis Awards

Thanks to the generosity of alumni, faculty, staff and friends of the college, the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design will award $7,086 to an unprecedented 30 seniors to directly support the fabrication and installation of their Senior Exhibition capstone projects. Through the application process, students submit plans and sketches for their final project, as well as a budget for materials. Winners were selected by a panel of 21 MIAD alumni with experience in fine art and design career fields.

MIAD invites the Milwaukee community to view the seniors’ award-winning work from April 21 – May 6, 2023 during the MIAD 2023 Senior Exhibition, hosted in MIAD’s main building at 273 E Erie St. Nearly 190 students will be present on Friday, April 21 from 5 – 9 p.m. to discuss their projects in person. This event is open to the public.

A mock-up of a book spread. Text says "What is imaginative and narrative play?"

Nita Flowers_CD_Solo A Portal Into Playful Learning

Nita Flowers, Communication Design, Solo: A Portal Into Playful Learning

installation of large fleshlike boulder shaped sculpture hanging from the ceiling

MargaretGriffin_NSP_Industrial-Bodies

Margaret Griffin, NSP: Fine Arts, Industrial Bodies

Reference images of an outdoor space with a sheep, buildings and plants. Text says "The Outbackyard: Renovation proposal for the Kansas City Zoo."

Jenna Sedovic_IAD_Outbackyard

Jenna Sedovic, Industrial Architecture and Design, The Outbackyard

Mock-up images of a tic tack toe board with images of users testing the game

Dominick Streff_PD_See:Saw

Dominick Streff, Product Design, See/Saw: A board game that builds confidence in people with vision loss

A patterned print on a grey background. Circular shapes in orange, green and yellow with light green leaf-shaped objects.

Annalise-Rauchenberger_IL_Scandinave

Annalise Rauchenberger, Illustration, Scandinave in Bloom

An illustrated pattern of reddish orange poppy-like flowers against a tan background

sofia-briej_IL_untitled

sofia briej, Illustration, Untitled

3D rendered installation mock-up of a glowing blue circle on the ceiling. A small pyramid sits underneath. Text says "Necks Craned Skyward"

Alex Niemann (New Studio Practice: Fine Arts) Necks Craned Skyward

Alex Niemann, NSP: Fine Arts, Necks Craned Skyward

The 2023 MIAD Alumni Senior Thesis Award recipients (in alphabetical order) and the titles of their works are:

Abi Bean (New Studio Practice: Fine Arts), Waking Life
sophia briej (Illustration), Untitled
Ladasia Bryant (Communication Design), Bout That Life
Andrea Cabrera Manuel (New Studio Practice: Fine Arts), Estragos: An eager embrace of coded grief
Allye Erickson (Illustration), Kids Adventure Packs
Adam Fehring (Illustration), Fairy Fort
Nita Flowers (Communication Design), Sozo
Madison Fox (Illustration), The Myths & Legends of America’s National Parks
Abbey Freimark (Communication Design), Festie Bestie
Ellie Garry (New Studio Practice: Fine Arts), Twirled Hurled
Margaret Griffin (New Studio Practice: Fine Arts), Industrial Bodies
Thea Huffman (Communication Design), Little Larva
Ryan Kane (New Studio Practice: Fine Arts), Untitled
Sonia Koehler (Communication Design), Dearly
Alecia McBride (New Studio Practice: Fine Arts), Abstraction of the Bird Landscape
Annie Miller (New Studio Practice: Fine Arts), Digital Noise
Alex Niemann (New Studio Practice: Fine Arts), Necks Craned Skyward
Melanie Orozco (Illustration), Florea Vests
Emma Rarick (Illustration), Learn to Love: Love Language Kits
Annalise Rauchenberger (Illustration), Scandinave in Bloom
Jenna Sedovic (Interior Architecture and Design), The Outbackyard
Ty Shirley (Illustration), Alien & Eve
Erika Sjoblom (Illustration), Biodiversity Habitat Puzzles
Emma Southard (Illustration), I Heart Earth Friends, Collectible Art Toys
Ezra Stonyte (New Studio Practice: Fine Arts), the anthology of being a good boy : biting the hand that feeds me
Dominick Streff (Product Design), See/Saw: A board game that builds confidence in people with vision loss
Seth Ter Harr (New Studio Practice: Fine Arts), Tabernacle and Ark Of My Covenant
Brandom Terres-Sanchez (New Studio Practice: Fine Arts), El Hogar
Robin Wegner (Illustration), Comic adaptation of The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
Jo Willis (New Studio Practice: Fine Arts), VOID_FORGE/MOTHER OF ALL VESSELS

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.

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