Industrial design students from The Ohio State University presented their work to an audience of 120+ Columbus area design community members during the 2024 installment of the annual Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA) Student Merit Awards (SMA) event. Nolan Green, Sarah Kocher, and Easton Nguyen (pictured left to right, below) seized their opportunity to showcase their industrial design work and compete against other talented students from the region. As they prepare to enter the workforce upon graduation in May, the IDSA SMAs offer regional and national exposure to top design students.

Held February 29, 2024, the IDSA event brought together students from Ohio State, the International Center for Creativity(ICC), and the Columbus College of Art & Design (CCAD) – a tradition among Columbus area design schools to showcase emerging design talent from across the region.

Sarah Kocher (pictured, below) took home top honors at the event for Ohio State; her outstanding work impressed a panel of three judges from professional practice. Sara will represent Ohio State in the upcoming IDSA Central District competition.

Between student presentations, Erin Shaw (pictured, below), President of the student chapter of IDSA at Ohio State, emceed trivia for a crowd of 120+, who laughed and gasped as they competed for “the ultimate prize” – one of the best chocolate chip cookies, baked by Ohio State’s own Mark Celestina, a 3rd-year industrial design student and Vice President of IDSA at Ohio State. 

The student chapter of IDSA at Ohio State designed and built trophies for student presenters. 

Thanks to Assistant Professor William Nickley, IDSA Columbus, IDSA Ohio State, and Blaine Nicodemus for event organization and support. For more information about the 2023 IDSA Student Merit Award competition, please visit: https://www.idsa.org/awards-recognitions/student-merit-awards/

Photo credits: Harrison Dodd and Brian Bjelovuk