Three members of Ohio State’s Visual Communication Design community were recognized in the inaugural Midwestern Graphic Design Biennial, a juried exhibition and competition hosted by Iowa State University celebrating outstanding student design from across the Midwest.

 

Natalie Kittle, a VCD senior, received Best of Motion Design for Aurora Borealis, a motion design project created in Design Media I/Motion Design with instructor Liz Hejny.

 

Grace Draeger, a VCD junior, was selected for the exhibition for The Hard Truth about Farming, created in Autumn 2025 in Design Media 2 with Liz Hejny.

 

Elizabeth Howes, a 2026 VCD alumna, had her work selected for the exhibition in the Identity Design category, developed under the advising of Peter Chan.

 

The inaugural Biennial received 231 submissions from across the region, with a jury selecting 83 works representing 13 colleges and universities. The exhibition was presented September 17–October 1, 2026, at Iowa State University’s College of Design.

 

Congratulations to Natalie, Grace, and Elizabeth on this recognition, and to Liz Hejny and Peter Chan for their mentorship and support of the students’ work.