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Video production program work highlights viability of Wisconsin as film hub

goersab — Wed, 24 Jun 2026 13:00:25 +0000

Video production program work highlights viability of Wisconsin as film hubgoersab June 24, 2026

Students, alums assist in Deming’s unique medical drama ‘Winter Hymns,’ filmed in Menomonie

Los Angeles-based Wisconsin filmmaker Nathan Deming believes that there is an immense, untapped wealth of authentic storytelling in his Midwestern home state, and his goal is to continue highlighting regional characters and communities that audiences instantly recognize.

With his latest film, “Winter Hymns,” Deming also highlighted regional filmmaking talent. His professional crew worked alongside 91��Ƭ Polytechnic video production students and recent graduates: Doran Acero, Braden Borgerding, Parker Cmeyla, Bennett Johnson, Ethan Kulinski, Connor Nelson, Ryan Rumary and Caleb Sander.

“Making movies in the Midwest allows us to capture a genuine, grounded human element that also hasn’t been seen that many times authentically on film before,” said Deming, originally from Tomah.

Bennett Johnson (center left) and Parker Cmeyla (right) on the set of 'Winter Hymns.' / Parker Cmeyla

“Having 91��Ƭ Polytechnic students work alongside a more experienced crew was an incredibly rewarding aspect of this production. The creative energy on set was fantastic because the students brought an immense eagerness to learn, and the professionals involved were incredibly generous with their mentorship,” he said.

“Winter Hymns” was featured at 91��Ƭ Polytechnic’s 4th annual Unspooled Film & Animation Festival, May 9-10. This year’s festival placed a strong spotlight on regional talent and locally produced cinema.

Bringing filmmaking to the Midwest

With his creative roots firmly planted in the Midwest, Deming was at the forefront of the movement for Wisconsin’s new film office, Film Wisconsin. Operated by the Department of Tourism, Film Wisconsin promotes and supports the film and television industry in the state.

The office’s film tax credit makes $5 million available annually to assist the production of feature and short films, scripted and unscripted television shows, documentaries, broadcast advertisements, and production infrastructure in Wisconsin. The tax credit helps drive economic development, builds long-term investment in Wisconsin’s creative community, boosts domestic and global reputation and inspires movie tourism in Wisconsin.

Colleen Madden (left) in a scene from 'Winter Hymns.' / Peggy Trojan

Video production Lecturer Co O’Neill believes filmmaking is on the rise in Wisconsin, as productions decentralize from the coasts. “The passing of the film tax credit was a big deal for Wisconsin. Minnesota, Illinois and Michigan already had state film offices. The opportunity upped the profile of people already making movies here. More people now have a platform and are building a state network of resources for local folks,” he said.

Gabe Roeske, a department assistant in the School of Art & Design and 2019 alum, thinks that with the new tax credit being passed, more potential crew coming out of the university’s video production program, and more independent productions, like “Winter Hymns,” coming to the area, things are starting to move in a positive direction.

“There are already a lot of very passionate and incredibly talented video production people living in Wisconsin,” Roeske said. “They’re people who want to make films just as much as anyone else in the country, and they have the skills to pull it off. Unfortunately, with previous tax laws, lack of film incentives, and just a general lack of productions going on, a lot of people end up moving away in search of video production work.

“Hopefully projects like these, and the work of the video production professors and students, keep the momentum rolling and we can see Wisconsin filmmaking really flourish for the first time,” he said.

Doran Acero assists with sound on the set of 'Winter Hymns.' / Ericka Kreutz

Acero’s “You Must Destroy,” also featured at Unspooled, was filmed in his hometown of Grand Marais, Minnesota. Having graduated in May, he plans to remain in the region, knowing the rich storytelling culture and wanting to represent on film the places he feels most connected to.

“I am so happy to have been a part of the making of ‘Winter Hymns,’ and I want more films like it to be made here in the Midwest. I love the craft of filming and ideally, I can continue to pursue that here; in a place I love with people I love,” he said.

Bringing filmmaking to Wisconsin is something Johnson believes is “incredibly important, especially given the current state of the film industry. As independent filmmaking continues to grow and with the launch of the film tax credit, many young filmmakers in Wisconsin want our voices to be heard and our work to be seen around the world.

“Our goal is to help attract more film and television productions to Wisconsin and establish the state as a viable production hub,” he said. “Beyond the economic benefits, I think it’s an opportunity to showcase what Wisconsin truly has to offer. We are more than our accents or the Green Bay Packers – we’re a state with stunning landscapes, unique locations, and diverse, creative people whose stories deserve to be told.”

‘Winter Hymns’ – A golden opportunity

“Winter Hymns,” which was featured on Wisconsin Public Radio, was inspired by Deming’s father, a family physician who practiced palliative care late in his career. The unique drama, set over the course of a single day in a Midwest hospital, follows a dedicated palliative care doctor, played by Colleen Madden, who meets with a series of dying patients and their families.

Ethan Kulinski and Parker Cmeyla on the set of 'Winter Hymns.' / Parker Cmeyla

Working on a small budget, Deming reached out to O’Neill to see if video production students were available to help. O’Neill’s small-town connections also served well in helping Deming secure the lease of an affordable office building near the hospital in Menomonie for filming.

“Nathan learned about Stout’s program and the quality of our students,” said O’Neill, who’s taught video production for more than 20 years. “They’re composed, professional and excited to be on set. Working on the production of ‘Winter Hymns’ helped the university’s and the program’s profile, while giving the students professional experience. It was a symbiotic experience.”

Acero and Johnson joined Deming’s production team to help with lighting the week before principal photography. As second assistant camera, Johnson was responsible for changing lenses, helping build and prep the camera each day alongside Cmeyla, first assistant camera, and assisting with the on-set camera workflow. Acero served as production assistant, assisted the gaffer, operated the c-camera and ran sound.

Parker Cmeyla (right) on the set of 'Winter Hymns.' / Parker Cmeyla

The students also worked with sound recordist Roeske, who handed the main audio dialogue to a professional post-production sound mixer at Warner Bros.

“As the whole film takes place in a single room, we had to figure out how to make the doctor’s office visually appealing and squeeze a lot of visual variety out of this one location,” Acero said. “This short stint on an independent production was golden. I picked up so much new terminology, got to use tools that were a step above what I previously had, and I made professional connections that have already benefited me greatly.”

O’Neill added that watching professionals work, like cameraman Leo Purman, was life-changing for the students. “Watching his methods was an immersive experience for them that they wouldn’t have had in the classroom. In these guided experiences, they build soft skills while gaining knowledge of equipment and processes. They understand more and come back to the classroom changed in ways of professionalism,” he said.

Nathan Deming (right) and cinematographer Leo Purman on the set of 'Winter Hymns.' / Nathan Ouellette

2026 Unspooled Film & Animation Festival

The Unspooled Festival recognized outstanding achievements across multiple categories:

Best Documentary: “Making It” by Benjamin Mohr (M.F.A. design student).
Best of the Midwest: “A Date with Your Family” by Joel Sacramento (Madison)
Best Short Film: “Stay” by Aden Gonzalez (Racine)
Best Student Animation: “Badge of the Dead” directed by Hannah Brown (B.F.A. animation student)
Polytechnic Pioneers: “Delivery Life” directed by El Ovall (B.F.A. animation student)
Best High School: “Everything I Am, Everything I’m Not” by 17-year-old Xavier Alexander (Texas)
Best Student Short: “Seeing Diabetes” by Ryan Rumary (B.S. video production graduate)

The festival hosted animation premieres, including “Closet Combat 3” by alum Augustus Hinton, with support from a Minnesota Arts Grant; and “Glow” produced by Professor Jesse Woodward alongside several 91��Ƭ students.

Beyond screenings, the festival offered educational programming and workshops that provided hands-on industry experience to Wisconsin students, including 91��Ƭ Polytechnic students and secondary students from Eau Claire, Mauston and Milwaukee.

Guest speakers included Deming, who discussed the art of cinema and regional production, drawing on his decade-long “The Year Project” and his upcoming, untitled Wisconsin thriller. Jeff Kennel, an immersive documentary and editorial filmmaker who has documented conflict, post-disaster recovery, and poverty across 11 countries for NGOs like Americares, alongside commercial work for Trek Bikes and NMDP.

Eau Claire-based filmmaker Tim Schwagel joined the festival to share his invaluable expertise on the art of the short film. Guest speaker Hinton offered audiences an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at his creative process. Bowling Green State University animation instructor Rachel Immel, Sacramento, and alum Reed Theship-Rosales led hands-on mentorship sessions for students.

The 2026 Unspooled Film and Animation Festival was supported by a $10,000 grant from the Mellon Foundation and the Modern Language Association.

91��Ƭ Polytechnic’s School of Art & Design offers bachelor’s degrees in animation and digital media; game design and development-art; graphic design and interactive media; illustration; industrial and product design; interior design; studio art; arts administration and entrepreneurship; fashion design and development; and video production, and an M.F.A. in design.

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Students, alums assist in Deming’s unique medical drama ‘Winter Hymns,’ filmed in Menomonie Video production, Winter Hymns, directed by Nathan Deming

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Search Keywords: video production degreeWinter HymnsNathan DemingUnspooled Film and Animation Festival

Hero Caption: Nathan Deming (center left) directs Colleen Madden (center right) in a scene from 'Winter Hymns.' Photo by Nathan Ouellette.

Keif Oss

Keif has an M.S. in Career and Technical Education and an MFA in Digital Filmmaking. He is an Assistant Professor of video production and serving as Program Director for the B.S. Video Production degree. Keif teaches a variety of courses in video production and photography with both narrative and commercial aspects.

Keif has worked on a range of professional and commercial video projects as a senior video producer and owner/independent contractor of A Creative Advocate, LLC. His work includes television/web advertising, documentary, motion graphics and a variety of marketing-oriented materials. Keif’s expertise and creative contributions include work for 100+ clients including Mayo Clinic, Seventh Generation, State Farm Insurance, Royal Credit Union and others.

Keif has also worked on short and feature film projects in various capacities including writing, producing, directing, camera operation and post-production/VFX.

Full Name: Keif T. Oss

Job Title: Assistant Professor / Program Director

Include in Directory: Yes

Area of Expertise: Video Production Cinema Production Photography Graphic Communications Cross-Media Graphics Technologies

College: College of Arts & Human Sciences

Department: School of Art & Design Design Department

Program

All Degree Programs

B.S. Video Production

Curriculum Vitae: Keif T. Oss CV (408.56 KB)

Education:

Degree: M.F.A. Digital Filmmaking

University: Anaheim University Akira Kurosawa School of Filmmaking

Degree: M.S. Career & Technical Education

University: University of Wisconsin-Stout

Degree: B.S. Graphic Communications Management

University: University of Wisconsin-Stout

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Game design programs named among best in Midwest, nation in 2026 Animation Career Review rankings

giffeyt — Thu, 14 May 2026 14:13:23 +0000

Game design programs named among best in Midwest, nation in 2026 Animation Career Review rankingsgiffeyt May 14, 2026

Parallel B.F.A., B.S. programs produce career-ready grads who create award-winning games

Tom Giffey

91��Ƭ’s game design programs continue to climb in the rankings among their peers around the nation, rising to No. 6 in the Midwest and No. 17 among all public universities in the United States, according to the latest figures published by Animation Career Review.

91��Ƭ held steady on another Animation Career Review leaderboard, but that’s only because it couldn’t climb any higher: The game design programs were ranked No. 1 in Wisconsin for the eighth consecutive year. 91��Ƭ also placed No. 11 nationwide among universities offering game design-related B.F.A. degrees.

"Our program has matured beyond its ‘startup’ phase and is consistently producing industry-standard work, as evidenced by how many of our senior capstone games go on to be published on the Steam and Epic Games platforms,” said Associate Professor Kim Loken, program director for B.F.A. game design and development - art.

Loken said 91��Ƭ’s multiple game-design related degree programs – which also include a B.S. computer science with a game design and development concentration and a B.S. game and media studies – set Wisconsin’s Polytechnic University apart from its peers.

“Because we offer game dev-focused B.F.A. and B.S. degrees in parallel, our students achieve depth in their roles to maximize effective collaborations in the five semesters in which they take courses in which they make games together in ever-larger team structures,” Loken said.

Stout Game Expo attendees play Gator Hucker, one of the student-designed games.

Students build award-winning games

Game design courses culminate in the senior capstone, which simulates an industry environment as students create games in teams. These games are on display each semester at the Stout Game Expo (SGX), western Wisconsin’s largest game developer exhibition, which was held May 7.

Among the award-winning games at SGX was Gator Hucker, in which players brawl as alien alligators with wacky abilities. The game, which won the Audience Award, grew out of a running joke in class about a game in which gorillas threw alligators in space, explained senior Space Goettl. A game design and development - art major with a computer science minor, Goettl wore many hats during the game’s development, including leading the character art team, serving as a technical animator and heading marketing efforts.

“One really important thing the program does is that all of the interdisciplinary game design classes put you on a team where you basically function as your own indie studio, so by the time you graduate you’ve already independently published three video games,” Goettl said. “Because you’re always doing group work (and group work with people outside your individual areas of expertise, no less), you develop really important soft skills through the process that can apply to any job, not just the games industry.”

Esquelito was one of the award-winning games on display at the Stout Game Expo on May 7.

The award for Best Production at SGX went to Esquelito, a colorful, musical game set in the Mexican underworld. Players become Esquelito, a little skeleton who spreads joy through music, moving through levels while staying on beat.

The game was inspired in part by Mexican Day of the Dead traditions as well as the Disney film “Coco,” said senior Alex Colmenares, a B.F.A. game design and development - art major who served as game designer, VFX artist and illustrator for Esquelito.

“A big challenge that the team faced was ensuring that the game was not disrespectful in the way it represented Mexican culture,” said Colmenares, whose own heritage includes Mexican roots. “Another challenge was proper game balance. We wanted to market our game to children, so to that end we wanted to design a game that would be easier for kids. But sometimes things would come out to be way too difficult or way too easy! It was a lot of work to properly tune the game’s difficulty.”

Another big hit at SGX was Aeromancy, a virtual reality game in which players take the role of wizards who must land airplanes on the correct runway using magic gauntlets. At SGX, Aeromancy won the Audience Award for games created in the junior-level Exploratory Game Design course.

“The use of virtual reality enhances the chaotic, frantic nature of the game and allows the player to access that child-like headspace of playing with toy airplanes,” said Assistant Professor Michael Tetzlaff. Aeromancy is the third VR game exhibited at 91��Ƭ in recent years, and the first developed entirely by junior-level undergraduates.

One of the games at SGX, Driven to Madness, featured a game controller designed to look like an engine.

Junior-level students in the Exploratory Game Design course also showcased a two-player racing game called Driven to Madness, which featured a monstrous motorcycle engine as one of the game controllers. Professor Andrew Williams explained that one player drives a motorcycle on a racetrack while calling out to the other player, a mechanic, who must make adjustments to the engine to avoid obstacles.

“The game focuses on communication as each player has access to different types of information and needs to share it to play. This was an ambitious, high-risk project because it has very complex problems to solve and the team needed to learn a lot of skills independently,” said Williams, who added that the game won the Most Innovative Gameplay award at SGX.

A scene from the student-designed virtual reality game, Aeromancy.

Game design programs among top in nation

Overall, 91��Ƭ had a banner year in the Animation Career Review rankings, placing at No. 36 among all public and private universities in the United States. The rankings are driven by academic peer assessments, graduate employment outcomes, and metrics of program scale and institutional performance, including faculty size, retention rates, and graduation rates.

Games created by 91��Ƭ students have made an impression far beyond campus. Last November, a student-built submarine game called Dread Not was honored as best student entry at M+DEV, the largest game industry conference in the Midwest, which drew 1,500 attendees to Madison.

And the graduates who created these games are finding careers in their chosen field: According to 91��Ƭ’s most recent survey, 97% of game design and development - art graduates were employed or continuing their education within six months of graduating. Recent game design alumni have landed jobs with the likes of Activision, Raven Software, Fantasy Flight Games, Pixel Farm and Trek Bikes.

The game design and development - art program is part of the School of Art and Design, one of the largest public art schools in the Midwest. The School of Art and Design also offers bachelor’s degrees in animation and digital media; game and media studies; graphic design and interactive media; illustration; industrial and product design; interior design; studio art; arts administration and entrepreneurship; fashion design and development; and video production, and an M.F.A. in design.

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Parallel B.F.A., B.S. programs produce career-ready grads who create award-winning games Two players at 91��Ƭ SGX spring 2026

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Hero Caption: Audience members test student-designed games at the Stout Game Expo (SGX) on May 7, 2026.

Kim Loken

Kim Loken's industry experience spans civic, commercial, and residential projects. Her approach to each is further informed by a storytelling mindset cultivated in work for film and theater. In her prior architecture practice, she helmed a variety of adaptive reuse, historic preservation and new construction projects. More recent work focuses on the use of games as systems for analyzing complex problems, particularly those related to environmental issues. Teaching invigorates her practice and provides the opportunity to mentor young designers in a variety of disciplines.

Teaching Interests: Design thinking, interdisciplinary design, large-scale collaborative projects

Research Interests: Phenomenology, narrative-driven design

Professional Interests: Place-making, critical regionalism, cultural history and adaptive re-use

Full Name: Kim Loken

Job Title: Professor / Program Director / Minor Advisor

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Area of Expertise: Architecture Systems Design

College: College of Arts & Human Sciences

Department: School of Art & Design Design Department

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All Degree Programs

Curriculum Vitae: Kimberly Loken CV (97.64 KB)

Education:

Degree: M.Arch.

University: University of Texas at Austin

Degree: Licensed Architect

Degree: LEED-Accredited Professional

University: U.S. Green Building Council

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Seth Berrier

Seth earned his Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota in 2012 where he worked with Professor Meyer in the disciplines of computer graphics and visualization. He also holds a B.A. in Music from the Jordan College of Fine Arts at Butler University in Indianapolis. He is a classically trained tenor and an active participant in community theater in and around the Chippewa Valley.

Teaching Interests: Introductory programming courses, data structures and algorithms, software engineering, and computer graphics.

Research Interests: Seth is interested in using the visual power of graphics and visualization to bridge the pure technical disciplines of math and computer science with design and the arts. He has interests in design disciplines ranging from architecture to fashion and game design and seeks to develop new tools that enable the creative processes in these fields. He is also interested in advancing the primitive world of music visualization through the disciplines of formal music theory and form and analysis. In computer science, he is most interested in image based rendering and light field acquisition, photogrammetry and light fields for digital heritage, real-time photo-realistic rendering with graphics hardware and high-level shading languages.

Full Name: Dr. Seth F. Berrier

Job Title: Professor / Program Director

Include in Directory: Yes

Area of Expertise: Computer Graphics Real-Time 3D Rendering Game Design Design Process Photogrammetry Light-Field Rendering Web Programming Software Engineering

College: College of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics & Management

Department: Mathematics, Statistics & Computer Science Department

Program

All Degree Programs

B.S. Computer Science

Curriculum Vitae: Dr. Seth F. Berrier CV (259.43 KB)

Education:

Degree: Ph.D. Computer Science

University: University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

Degree: M.S. Computer Science

University: University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

Degree: B.A. Music

University: Butler University

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Oshkosh Corporation will host Design Wisconsin, annual industry design event

giffeyt — Thu, 07 May 2026 15:25:40 +0000

Oshkosh Corporation will host Design Wisconsin, annual industry design eventgiffeyt May 7, 2026

Professionals, students will gather May 29-30 for a showcase of the cultural and commercial impact of design

Tom Giffey

Oshkosh Corporation, a leading innovator of purpose-built vehicles and a Wisconsin-based Fortune 500 company, will host the Fifth Annual Design Wisconsin event May 29-30 at its Global Headquarters in Oshkosh.

Design Wisconsin, presented by 91��Ƭ, is a showcase of the impacts of industrial design and fashion design on Wisconsin’s culture, commerce, community and brand. The event typically draws several hundred design professionals and students annually. Admission is free, but organizers request that attendees register in advance.

In addition to serving as host, Oshkosh Corporation will be among the many Wisconsin and Minnesota companies that will display their designs and products at the event, which is held each spring at a different site. In the past, Design Wisconsin has taken place at Milwaukee Tool in Milwaukee, Trek in Waterloo, DELVE in Madison, and on the 91��Ƭ campus in Menomonie.

“We have an exciting lineup of speakers, workshops and exhibitors the embody this year’s theme, ‘Innovation by Design,’” said Professor Jennifer Astwood, director of the industrial and product design program at 91��Ƭ, who is organizing the event with 91��Ƭ’s Continuing Education & Conferences office.

Headquartered in Oshkosh, Oshkosh Corporation employs more than 18,000 people worldwide. Formerly known as Oshkosh Truck Corporation, the company makes vehicles for defense, fire and emergency, commercial, and other market segments. Its products can be found in more than 150 countries under brands such JLG®, Pierce®, MAXIMETAL, Oshkosh® S-Series™, McNeilus®, IMT®, Jerr-Dan®, Frontline™ Communications, Oshkosh® Airport Products, Oshkosh AeroTech™, Oshkosh® Defense and Pratt Miller.

91��Ƭ Chancellor Katherine Frank speaks at the 2024 Design Wisconsin event hosted by Milwaukee Tool.

Designers and executives from Oshkosh Corporation will be among the featured speakers sharing frontline expertise that is actively reshaping how the world around us is designed, built and experienced. Design Wisconsin speakers will include:

Austen Angell, founder and CEO of Modern Edge Inc., a design and development firm at the leading edge of health technology and user research, and CEO of Epira.AI, which harnesses artificial intelligence to modernize how governments and citizens interact. Angell served as chair of the Industrial Designers Society of America and was inducted as a Fellow.
Chad Smith, senior director of engineering at Oshkosh Corporation, leads advanced technology development across autonomy, active safety, electrification and innovation by combining deep engineering expertise with emerging technology leadership.
Jason Sadler, a 1994 91��Ƭ industrial design graduate, is a visual development artist with more than 30 years of experience in the animation industry. His clients include Apple, Netflix, Disney, Blue Sky Studios and Locksmith Animation.
Rob Wurm, senior industrial designer at KI Furniture, has spent the past decade designing commercial contract furniture. Over his career, he has developed products and design strategies for companies such as Michelin, Hershey, Kimberly-Clark, and Kohler, and has designed power yachts for Cruisers Yachts and Palmer Johnson.
Nyko de Peyer is product expert team lead at Vizcom, an AI-powered design platform. A trained car designer, he worked at Local Motors on projects including the Rally Fighter, the world’s first co-created vehicle, and the Strati, the world’s first fully 3D-printed car.
Mark Charniak, director of engineering at Oshkosh Corporation, where he leads efforts that bring early-stage innovation to life through cross-functional collaboration.
Jesse Gander, industrial design tech fellow at Oshkosh Corporation, specializes in user experience across high-performance, mission-driven vehicles.

An exhibitor speaks to attendees at Design Wisconsin in 2024.

In addition to these featured speakers, Design Wisconsin will include product showcases, panel discussions, networking opportunities, student portfolio review sessions and workshops.

While participating organizations are still being confirmed, organizations that have taken part in Design Wisconsin in the past include Ashley Furniture Industries, DSG Outerwear, Emerson, Fiskars, Generac, Gulf Stream, Harley-Davidson, Kohler, Mercury Marine, Milwaukee Tool, Polaris Industries, National Presto Industries, Room & Board, Sherwin-Williams, Spectrum Industries, Trek and more.

Complete information on Design Wisconsin, including registration details, the event schedule, and accommodations, can be found on the Design Wisconsin website.

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Design professionals from around Wisconsin representing some of the state’s biggest and best-known brands gathered May 18 for the third annual Design Wisconsin.

Professionals, students will gather May 29-30 for a showcase of the cultural and commercial impact of design Audience at 2025 Design Wisconsin event at 91��Ƭ

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Jennifer Astwood

Teaching Interests: DES 331 – ID3: Product Interface Design (2 sections) DES 231 – ID2: Ergonomics DES 205 – Design Drawing and Concept Visualization ART 256 – Slip-Casting for Designers and Artists DES 231 – ID1: Product Form and Visualization DES 333 – Professional Practice DES 405 – Advanced Presentation Techniques DES 431 – System, Environment, and Context DES 432 – Theory, Society, and Application DES 712 – Sustainable Design Practice SUST 432/632 – Global Sustainability Experience in Design & Manufacturing

Professional Interests: Skills: Creative Problem-Solving Freehand Sketching/Rendering Sketch Model Making Project Management Sewing

Full Name: Jennifer Astwood

Job Title: Associate Dean / Professor

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Area of Expertise: Industrial Design Product Design

College: College of Arts & Human Sciences

Department: Dean's Office (CAHS)

Curriculum Vitae: Jennifer Astwood CV (146.85 KB)

Education:

Degree: M.F.A. Art & Design

University: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

University: Art Center at Night

Degree: B.F.A. Industrial Design

University: University of Illinois Chicago

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Canon selects video production program for exclusive Explorers of Light program

giffeyt — Thu, 23 Apr 2026 13:00:00 +0000

Canon selects video production program for exclusive Explorers of Light programgiffeyt April 23, 2026

Award-winning cinematographer, Shana Hagan, ASC, has worked on everything from Oscar-winning documentaries to hit sitcoms

Tom Giffey

Shana Hagan, right, is shown filming actress Amy Poehler for an episode of "Parks and Recreation." / Photo courtesy Shana Hagan

Cinematographer Shana Hagan, ASC, whose work ranges from Academy Award-winning documentaries to hit TV sitcoms, brought professional advice and hands-on inspiration to 91��Ƭ recently as part of Canon’s Explorers of Light program.

The Canon program, which recruits world-class cinematographers and photographers as brand ambassadors, only visits about 10 campuses annually. Hagan came to 91��Ƭ April 13-15, speaking to video production students about her career, holding a screening of her work, working with video and photo classes on topics such as editing and production, and reviewing student portfolios.

Hagan was among the first six cinematographers added to the Explorers of Light program in 2024. Her 30-year resume as a cinematographer and director of photography includes work on TV series like NBC’s “Parks and Recreation” and HBO’s Peabody and Emmy-winning “Somebody Somewhere”; documentaries such as “Queen of Versailles,” “Taylor Swift: Miss Americana” and the Oscar-winning “Breathing Lessons.” Hagan won an Emmy for her work on the documentary “Little Richard: I Am Everything,” and was nominated for an Emmy for the hit reality series “Survivor.”

“My week at 91��Ƭ has proven to me that the future is bright,” Hagan said. “I was absolutely blown away with the quality of work from the students. I admire their passion for filmmaking and their thirst for knowledge.”

91��Ƭ Lecturer Co O'Neill, left, and cinematographer Shana Hagan watch video monitors during a student-led video production exercise.

Cinematographer shares professional skills

Hagan offered lectures and hands-on workshops during her visit, focusing on topics such as camera coverage, lensing choices, lighting techniques and set etiquette. During a workshop with B.S. video production seniors on April 14, Hagan covered all these subjects and more while helping students record a short mockumentary-style video.

As Hagan offered suggestions, about 20 students adjusted lighting, prepared cameras and monitors, hoisted boom mics, and performed in the brief sketch, which will be used to introduce students’ films during the upcoming School of Art & Design Senior Show on Friday, May 8. During a break in the action, Assistant Professor Keif Oss explained that the workshop allowed Hagan to demonstrate her mockumentary-making skills. Among her many Hollywood credits are mockumentary-style series such as “Parks and Recreation,” “Arrested Development” and “Welcome to Flatch.”

“Embrace the imperfections,” Hagan told the students before they began multiple takes of the sketch. “Sometimes the imperfect makes it feel more real.”

Cinematographer Shana Hagan, right, consults a script with 91��Ƭ video production students Luka Sunjic, center, and Sam Cheney, left.

Early in the process, Hagan advised the camera operators to stand in the space and watch a take of the scene unfold with only their eyes, not through a monitor or camera eyepiece. “The No. 1 rule on set is to pay attention,” she explained.

The director of the classroom project, senior Luka Sunjic of New Berlin, said it was a privilege to work with someone who had such extensive industry experience.

“Shana was so knowledgeable and down-to-earth, and she really cares about the medium,” Sunjic said. “I learned a lot about her style. I think what I appreciate most about Shana and her work is how she is able to use cinematography to convey emotion in the frame.”

Sunjic, who will graduate in May, said he attended nearly every event Hagan held on campus. “Shana offered a unique perspective into the industry and offered a lot of helpful advice that I will take with me after graduation,” he said.

Cinematographer Shana Hagan, left, and Assistant Professor Keif Oss, consult before Hagan shares some of her film work with students.

Canon builds strong relationship with 91��Ƭ

Oss, who is program director for the video production program, said 91��Ƭ has built a strong relationship with Canon over the past six years, hosting annual fall visits that include hands-on production workshops using the latest cameras and lenses.

“Canon tends to choose schools where students demonstrate strong engagement and enthusiasm for the craft, which our students have continually shown during these interactions,” Oss said. “I frequently hear the engagement level by 91��Ƭ video production students stands out in a national crowd.”

Taking part in intensive workshops with an award-winning professional of Hagan’s caliber is a clear demonstration of 91��Ƭ’s polytechnic identity, Oss added.

“Bringing consistent, outside industry expertise into the classroom strengthens the connection between theory and practice, ensuring students gain immediately relevant, career-ready skills,” he said. “This kind of engagement adds meaningful value across every aspect of what defines a polytechnic education.”

Hagan said she advises students to get as much experience as possible in school and to work on as many projects as they can, taking each as an opportunity to make a new connection, hone a new skill or use a new piece of equipment.

“I love that this next generation of filmmakers has so many opportunities for work,” she said. “Studios and networks along with streamers and other online platforms provide so many different avenues for an incredibly diverse variety of content.”

91��Ƭ’s School of Art & Design is one of the largest public art schools in the Midwest. It offers bachelor’s degrees in animation and digital media; game design and development-art; graphic design and interactive media; illustration; industrial and product design; interior design; studio art; arts administration and entrepreneurship; fashion design and development; and video production, and an M.F.A. in design. 91��Ƭ also has a new program in game and media studies.

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Shana Hagan, ASC, has worked on everything from Oscar-winning documentaries to hit sitcoms Cinematographer Shana Hagan and 91��Ƭ video student

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Hero Caption: Cinematographer Shana Hagan, right, works with video production major Sam Cheney during a recent visit to 91��Ƭ.

Keif Oss

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Room & Board furniture design competition carries Stout students’ work from classroom to catalog

giffeyt — Tue, 17 Mar 2026 13:00:00 +0000

Room & Board furniture design competition carries Stout students’ work from classroom to cataloggiffeyt March 17, 2026

Decade-long partnership with Minneapolis furniture retailer creates real-world production possibilities for industrial & product design seniors

Tom Giffey

A decade-long partnership with Room & Board, a national furniture designer and retailer, has helped 91��Ƭ industrial and product design majors refine their skills under professional mentorship. Now, for the first time, a piece of furniture designed as part of the annual competition is available from Room & Board, creating a possible path for more Blue Devil creations to reach the retailer’s catalog.

The competition is the brainchild of 2010 91��Ƭ graduate Brian Linehan, a Room & Board merchandise and design manager. “The design competition started as an experimental exploration and turned into a pathway for future interns, full-time design hires, and a great way to stay connected to the community,” Linehan explained.

Originally envisioned as a group project, the program evolved into an individual competition that tapped into students’ growing awareness of – and passion for – the Room & Board brand. Winning designs have continued to improve as the competition has focused on specific product categories, ranging from lighting and storage to organization, media and bedroom furniture.

Micah Loder / Submitted photo

“These days it seems like all the students know exactly who they are designing for,” Linehan said. “Students come to the project kick-off with concepts already in their heads and questions they’re eager to get answers for. It’s really been an amazing transformation.”

This year’s competition was particularly special because it came as Room & Board was adding a coffee table designed by 2024 industrial and product design alum Micah Loder to its catalog.

Loder, now a research and development engineer at Dura Supreme Cabinetry in Howard Lake, Minnesota, said it was “incredibly surreal and rewarding” to see his class project, which he called Carver, become a real piece of furniture.

“I was really just overjoyed Room & Board saw the same vision I did when they saw the table next to their line of products,” Loder said. “Knowing any customer could walk through a Room & Board showroom and think the same thing I did when I first mocked it up: ‘This would look sweet as an accent in my living room.’”

91��Ƭ alum Brian Linehan of Room & Board, left, discusses furniture designs with student Porter Christenson, right, as classmate Loyal Prach look on.

Competition bookends winning student’s experience

The competition is part of the capstone course for soon-to-graduate industrial and product design majors. In keeping with 91��Ƭ’s polytechnic approach — which encompasses applied learning, industry collaboration and career-focused experiences — the competition poses the real-world challenge of designing a piece of furniture that not only looks good but could potentially be manufactured and sold.

“Most capstone projects are geared towards inventing a new idea, creating something that changes the world, or embraces an exciting new manufacturing process,” Linehan said. “This project is really about form development, rather than re-invention. It definitely requires students to flex a less familiar muscle and stay within a tighter set of parameters.”

Industrial and product design senior Porter Christenson of Minneapolis said figuring out which conceptual risks to take with his design was the biggest challenge of the project.

“I spent a lot of time studying furniture trends and trying to understand how those trends could fit within Room & Board’s visual brand language,” he said. “Large companies usually have a very established design language that they stick to pretty strictly, so there’s always a balance between respecting that identity and pushing it forward.”

So, Christenson did his homework, interviewing Room & Board salespeople as well as staff from other furniture showrooms. “One of the decisions I ultimately made was to introduce rounded corners into the design,” he said of his dresser, which he named Bellevue. “That was a bit of a risk, because Room & Board is well known for their more defined, sharp-cornered forms.”

91��Ƭ Lecturer Andy Janetski, right, and Professor Jennifer Astwood, center, look at student Jace Johnson's designs during a visit to Room & Board headquarters in Minneapolis.

The risk paid off: Earlier this semester, the Room & Board team chose Christenson’s design as the winner. He received a $2,000 cash prize in exchange for Room & Board reserving the right to manufacture his design. Two other students were also honored: senior Loyal Prach of Milwaukee received $1,200 for his design, Edmond, while senior Aaron Hoyt of Menomonie got $700 for his design, Alberg.

“I was most excited about the possibility of the furniture actually being produced,” Christenson said. “One of the first things I wanted to do was tell my mom, because she loves Room & Board furniture. Being able to share that moment with her made it even more meaningful.”

In fact, Room & Board has bookended Christenson’s 91��Ƭ experience. As a high school student touring 91��Ƭ with his mother, he was introduced to industrial and product design seniors working on the Room & Board project. He also learned about the university’s partnerships with firms such as Milwaukee Tool. As someone with a childhood desire to be an inventor, the possibility of designing tools strongly appealed to him.

“Four years later, things came full circle,” he said. “I completed two internships at Milwaukee Tool, accepted a job offer at my dream job designing outdoor power equipment there a year before graduation and won first place in the Room & Board project. There’s even a possibility that the piece could make it into their catalog, which is incredibly exciting.”

91��Ƭ alum Reid Guse, right, a designer at Room & Board, gives feedback to a student in a 91��Ƭ classroom.

Professional mentors give in-classroom critique

This year, the project kicked off with a class visit from Linehan and fellow 91��Ƭ alum Reid Guse, a designer at Room & Board. A couple of weeks later, in mid-February, the pair returned to the 91��Ƭ classroom for a critique of the students’ in-progress designs. With them this time was another Room & Board designer, 91��Ƭ alum Andrea Meisner.

Founded in 1980, Room & Board is 100% employee owned and has 1,100 employees at its Minneapolis headquarters and at stores and delivery locations nationwide. The company focuses on timeless design and sustainable production, and more than 90% of its furniture and décor are created by American manufacturers.

During the on-campus critique, the three professionals offered feedback on the full-scale cardboard prototypes and digital renderings the students had created. The critiques focused not only on aesthetics but on practicality and cost: Simplifying a construction process or swapping metal elements for lighter-weight wood, for example, may make the difference between a design being feasible or not.

“As a team, we intentionally split up, to ensure we are giving a range of feedback. Design is subjective, and there are no right answers,” Linehan explained later. “We don’t hold back in the critique and make sure we don’t sugar-coat our feedback.”

The process helps reinforce a critical skill in the young designers, Linehan said: Learning to believe in your own decisions and stand by them.

Christenson mixed his own instincts with feedback from the professionals. At the mid-project critique, he recalls, Meisner asked him to try standing like his dresser, which at the time had relatively stocky legs. He found himself with his feet wide and planted, like he was braced for an incoming tackle. It was a funny moment, he said, but it made him recognize that the mid-century modern aesthetic called for a design that was less heavy and defensive.

“After that realization, I pulled the legs inward, made them slimmer, and refined the proportions so the dresser felt lighter and more consistent with the aesthetic I was aiming for,” Christenson said.

91��Ƭ students and faculty members examine a coffee table designed by 2024 graduate Micah Loder, which is now being produced by Room & Board.

Prach, whose media cabinet design won second place, also found himself making significant design changes throughout the project. Room & Board’s design language, he said, was more minimalist than his own approach. The process taught Prach to be adaptable and pushed him outside his comfort zone.

“Early on, I had to consciously step back from over-designed concepts and refine the piece down to one or two intentional focal features,” Prach said. “Instead of relying on surface complexity, I explored proportion, material breaks and subtle detailing to create visual interest. That shift pushed me to grow as a designer and better understand how restraint can strengthen a product.”

The mid-project review helped Hoyt refine the details of his modular shelving system, which took third place. “(The designers) encouraged me to explore different configurations of the base design,” he said. “This led to me coming up with a tall shelf, media shelf and coffee table trio.”

Lecturer Andy Janetski, who teaches the capstone course, said hearing directly from professional designers is valuable for students. “There’s a massive amount of creative energy thrown at it,” Janetski explained. In return, he said, the students receive “feedback that’s not academic in nature.”

For the Room & Board designers, the competition provides an enduring connection to their alma mater, where their design passions were first fueled. In fact, Guse, a 2018 alum, said taking part in the Room & Board competition as a student helped pave his own professional path.

“My interest in furniture design really solidified in the last two years of undergrad, which ended with the Room & Board competition and an internship at Room & Board the following summer,” Guse said.

91��Ƭ students enter the Room & Board headquarters in Minneapolis, where they presented their furniture designs.

Competition culminates in site visit

Just a week after the mid-February critique session, the 17 students’ designs were transformed based on feedback and sometimes feverish work. On Feb. 19, a busload of 91��Ƭ seniors carried posterboard displays and one-eighth scale 3D-printed models of their designs into the Room & Board headquarters in Minneapolis. There they presented their designs to a cross-section of the company’s staff, including their three 91��Ƭ alumni mentors.

The Carver coffee table, designed by 2024 alum Micah Loder. / Photo courtesy of Room & Board

Once their presentations were concluded, the design students received a behind-the-scenes tour of the headquarters, where among the products displayed was the coffee table designed by Loder. Seeing a fellow Blue Devil’s design brought to life provided inspiration to the soon-to-be graduates.

“Winning this competition reminded me that I truly love what I do. It reaffirmed that the craft itself is what I enjoy most: the thinking, making and the constant refinement of ideas,” said Christenson. “In design, craftsmanship is really about the care and attention you bring to solving problems and shaping details.”

Such details are evident in the Carver coffee table, made in New Hampshire from sustainably sourced wood. The table is available on the Room & Board website.

The fact Room & Board is producing one of the 91��Ƭ competition’s designs is encouraging for the future of the partnership, Linehan said.

“We are excited about the opportunity to present Micah’s 2024 project as part of our assortment this year, and I am optimistic we can find another path forward with future designs,” Linehan said.

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Decade-long partnership with Minneapolis furniture retailer creates real-world production possibilities for industrial & product design seniors Winning table design at Room & Board

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Hero Caption: A student in 91��Ƭ's industrial and product design capstone class hangs furniture designs before a classroom critique session.

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Game design students’ submarine survival game surfaces to victory at M+DEV, Midwest’s biggest game industry event

giffeyt — Tue, 09 Dec 2025 17:00:00 +0000

Game design students’ submarine survival game surfaces to victory at M+DEV, Midwest’s biggest game industry eventgiffeyt December 9, 2025

PC game’s win highlights 91��Ƭ’s globally ranked program

Tom Giffey

The creators of a computer game about a doomed submarine had a real-life sinking feeling last May as the date of the Stout Game Expo (SGX) approached. After months of work on the claustrophobic, cooperative game Dread Not, the team of 15 University of Wisconsin-Stout students were facing problems with their code which had broken an otherwise polished game.

It was a stressful situation, recalled Ryan Thiede, the game’s art manager and original pitch creator. Not only was the game a capstone project for these soon-to-be graduates, but it was scheduled to be shared with hundreds of attendees at SGX, the region’s largest game expo.

Fortunately, what Thiede described as “late-night heroics” from lead coder Ben Rowan and gameplay coder Jacob Richardt got the two-player networked game working, and it went on to win two awards, Audience Choice and Best Art, at the spring event.

“It’s a crazy story, but it says something for the tenacity and drive from the people on the team,” added Thiede, who graduated in May with a degree in game design and development-art. “We went from an unplayable game to an award-winning capstone project, essentially, overnight.”

Six months later, the Dread Not team received more accolades, winning the award for best student entry at M+DEV, the largest game industry conference in the Midwest, which drew 1,500 attendees to Madison Nov. 7-8 and featured two days of expert-led panels and speakers, game showcases, workshops and networking. M+DEV served as a platform for the creativity, skill and scholarship generated by 91��Ƭ’s globally and nationally ranked game design program.

At least 90 M+DEV attendees were either current students, alumni or faculty of 91��Ƭ. These included two faculty members and three alumni who made presentations and several dozen alumni who exhibited games, including three teams of recent graduates who shared recent capstone projects: Dread Not as well as Tubular!! and Mega Dimension Ripper 9000.

The latest student-built games will be ready for players at the fall semester SGX, which will run 6-9 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 10, in the Great Hall of Memorial Student Center on the 91��Ƭ campus.

Visitors play Dread Not, a game created in a 91��Ƭ game design capstone course, at the spring 2025 Stout Game Expo (SGX).

Expo showcases top-ranked program

M+DEV, which is organized annually by the Wisconsin Games Alliance, bills itself as “the hub for indie and AAA developers, industry professionals, students and casual gamers.” The event’s sponsors include 91��Ƭ, whose undergraduate game design program is ranked No. 5 in the Midwest and No. 24 in the world by Princeton Review.

Unique among public universities in Wisconsin, 91��Ƭ offers bachelor’s degrees in both the art and science of gaming: namely the B.F.A. game design and development-art and the B.S. computer science (game design and development concentration). Graduate students in the M.F.A. design program also can choose a game design focus.

91��Ƭ is also home to the new B.S. game and media studies program, the only game-oriented media studies program in Wisconsin. The university also offers an esports coaching minor and was the first public university in Wisconsin to launch a varsity esports program.

M+DEV provides a valuable opportunity for the 91��Ƭ students, faculty and alumni to connect with each other and the game development community at large while gaining visibility for their projects, said Professor Andrew Williams.

Professor Andrew Williams

“Anytime you can get people to interact with your work, you are reaching your intended audience, and you learn how to improve your craft,” Williams said. “Game development is an incremental process and the more opportunities you have to talk with your players and build that community around your project, the better!”

Williams, whose game art has previously won awards at M+DEV, returned this year as a speaker. His presentation — evocatively titled “Building the Plane While Flying It: The Rapid Development of an AI-Powered Educational Game Series” — highlighted how a company he works with, immersionED, is using AI to create engaging history content for elementary through high school students. Through roleplaying as fictional historical characters in 70 scenarios, students can develop their historical thinking skills, Williams said.

“In the industry, AI use is highly varied as there is no ‘standard practice’ yet since we are just learning how it could be beneficial to speeding up workflows,” Williams said. “We may be moving into a new phase of its use as the industry is starting to understand it is not a solution to every problem.”

Other M+DEV presenters included Michael Tetzlaff, assistant professor of computer science, and 91��Ƭ alumni Jacob Schwitzer, B.S. computer science (game design & development concentration); Sam Baeseman, B.F.A. game design & development-art; and Mary Benetti, B.F.A. game design & development-art.

Benetti, graduated in 2021 and worked for four years at Field Day Lab, a digital learning game studio in Madison. At M+DEV, she delivered a presentation about how to create game art that looks beautiful even on computers and VR devices with lower technical specifications.

Benetti developed an interest in educational games during her 91��Ƭ coursework, which also gave her an understanding of the entire pipeline of a game project, from concept to release.

“I always felt a strong sense of community with the Stout game program, whether you're a current student or alumni,” she said. “The program also has a very motivated and positive set of faculty that push students to keep growing their skills, and M+DEV is the place to do it.”

She continued: “M+DEV provides a space to connect with like-minded creatives, be inspired by unique game projects, and learn about game skills and the industry through presentations. It’s incredibly encouraging to see all the amazing projects underway in the Midwest too — there is a lot of talent in the area. The value of M+DEV has remained as strong as it was when I was a student. I go there to learn, grow and connect.”

In the game Dread Not, players must cooperate to survive in a sinking submarine. / Contributed image

Winning game an ‘intense experience’

Thiede, who now works as a 3D artist for Las Vegas-based Game Breakdown, conceived the idea that became Dread Not as a capstone project and pitched it to his fellow students last year. His goal was to create something that could be enjoyed by players of all ages — including people who don’t consider themselves “gamers” — and that fostered collaboration.

“It was a project that was meant to immerse and connect two people through an intense 10-minute experience,” Thiede said. The two players, a pilot and a mechanic, must cooperate quickly and effectively to solve multiple problems — namely dwindling oxygen levels and an angry sea monster — and reach the surface before their submarine’s oxygen runs out.

And just as the game players must cooperate to succeed, so did the 15 91��Ƭ students who created the game. At the helm was Sarah Ziebarth, who as the game’s producer kept the project on schedule, balancing the team’s workload while also completing her own lighting design and project marketing responsibilities.

Ziebarth, who graduated in May with dual majors in game design and development-art and computer science, praised how the students cooperated over the course of two semesters to overcome obstacles, add features and optimize the game.

“The game design and development program at Stout has always done an exceptional job of making sure both sides of development (art and computer science) work together in multiple classes throughout their college careers and thus learn the important skills of teamwork and communication,” Ziebarth said.

Thiede agreed, adding that 91��Ƭ’s program allowed him to explore many different paths in the game design field. “The layout of courses grants you time to experiment to see what you like, as well as plunge deep into what you may choose to focus on: 2D art, 3D art, VFX, lighting, animation, technical art, etc.,” he said. “All are possible at Stout.”

Thiede said he was pleasantly surprised when, while chatting with industry friends at M+DEV, he was suddenly whisked to the stage to receive an award for Dread Not.

“Genuinely, I pictured my career to be filled with people telling me what to do, and me just doing it,” he reflected. “I never imagined having an idea of mine make it this far. The reason it has is because of the people I worked with at Stout — the professors, but more importantly, my teammates.”

Professor Seth Berrier, far left, and Associate Professor Kim Loken, far right, stand with some of the 91��Ƭ alumni who created Dread Not at the M+DEV conference in Madison. / Submitted photo

Associate Professor Kim Loken, who was co-instructor for the capstone course alongside Professor Seth Berrier, praised the Dread Not team for their success.

“Unlike the held-together-by-duct-tape world of their game, this team was high-performing and well-organized with clear goals, excellent communication and exceptional craft,” Loken said. “Their networked game, damage system and puzzle design challenged the programmers, and the artists excelled with a rigorously researched and realized 3D environment, enriched by a diegetic backstory and wry character details. We’re proud of the continued commitment they’ve shown to their work, polishing it over the summer for a Steam release and continuing to exhibit their work for direct engagement with players.”

Since its June release on Steam, the largest digital distribution platform for PC games, Dread Not has been downloaded more than 250,000 times.

Other members of the Dread Not team included B.F.A. game design and development-art majors Zach Adler, Eleanor Berg, Gabe Anderson, Elaine Kelling, Samuel Lambert, Ben Moon, and Jon Wolfe, and B.S. computer science majors Guinness Bruce, Graham Higdon, Victor Mondragon, Nathan Morgan-Shimmin, Jacob Richardt, and Ben Rowan. The team also collaborated with 11 students from the Berklee College of Music in Boston, who contributed original music, sound effects and voice talent.

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PC game’s win at M+DEV expo highlights 91��Ƭ’s globally ranked program Dread Not team with MDEV 2025 award

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Hero Caption: 91��Ƭ game design alumni celebrate their winning game, Dread Not, at November's M+DEV game conference in Madison. / Submitted photo

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Designed to the Max: Studio art major wins Wisconsin State Park sticker design contest

goersab — Tue, 09 Dec 2025 14:00:00 +0000

Designed to the Max: Studio art major wins Wisconsin State Park sticker design contestgoersab December 9, 2025

Logterman’s design inspired by adventures with family dog

Abbey Goers

With a design inspired by her adventures with her black lab, Max, 91��Ƭ studio art major Jaelyn Logterman won the 2026 Wisconsin State Park and Forest vehicle admission pass design contest, recently announced by the state’s Department of Natural Resources.

“It is a privilege to know that my artwork will be displayed on a great deal of vehicles across Wisconsin,” Logterman said. More than half a million vehicles, to be precise. In 2023, a record-setting year, 518,846 Wisconsin state park stickers were sold. Wisconsin state parks, forests, trails and recreation areas receive more than 20 million visits a year.

Jaelyn Logterman with her dog, Max / Jaelyn Logterman

“Max has come along on every family trip. As a family, we enjoy visiting surrounding rivers, lakes and parks,” she said. “Chasing Max around throughout his adventures has helped keep my feet wet throughout my childhood.”

With more than 15,000 lakes, 43,000 miles of rivers and scenic Great Lakes shorelines, Wisconsin offers plenty of opportunities for watery adventures.

Logterman grew up near scenic Lake Geneva, in southern Wisconsin. It was the natural beauty around Menomonie that drew her to 91��Ƭ, as well as its School of Art & Design, one of the largest public art schools in the Midwest.

“What I like most about the studio art program at 91��Ƭ is the range of different course options, the hands-on experiences and the accommodating professors,” she said.

Max explores a lakeshore / Jaelyn Logterman

The DNR-sponsored design contest is open to Wisconsin high school-age students. Logterman entered the 2026 contest last spring through a graphic design class as a senior at Delavan-Darien High School. The annual contest, now in its 35th year, received more than 150 submissions for the 2026 vehicle pass design.

In 2025, the Wisconsin State Park System, with more than 60 state parks, forests and recreation areas, celebrated its 125th anniversary.

91��Ƭ’s School of Art & Design offers bachelor’s degrees in animation and digital media; game design and development-art; graphic design and interactive media; illustration; industrial and product design; interior design; studio art; arts administration and entrepreneurship; fashion design and development; and video production, and an M.F.A. in design. 91��Ƭ also has a new program in game and media studies.

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Logterman’s design inspired by adventures with family dog Jaelyn Logterman's design

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Graphic design alum creates exclusive Timberwolves basketball hoodie

goersab — Wed, 22 Oct 2025 15:30:00 +0000

Graphic design alum creates exclusive Timberwolves basketball hoodiegoersab October 22, 2025

Kunes’ merchandise inspired by nature and teamwork on the trail

Abbey Goers

In their 2024-25 season, the Minnesota Timberwolves collaborated with nine local artists to launch a merchandise series that blended Timberwolves basketball with the creativity of the Twin Cities.

The Timberwolves Artist Series featured graphic design alum Matt Kunes, owner of Motelprint Studios in Minneapolis, whose game-day exclusive hoodie was dropped at the Dec. 19, 2024, home game versus the New York Knicks.

Matt Kunes exclusive hoodie design for the Timberwolves / Matt Kunes

Kunes discovered printmaking at 91��Ƭ, where Professor Brian Ritchie taught him the process of creating clean and precise detail-oriented prints. He developed a passion for screen printing and lithography during a study abroad trip to Germany.

His artwork is inspired by elements of the natural world and by outdoor activities.

“I like observing nature’s interactions upon itself and then contemplating how I interpret those interactions. I strive to create abstract but realistic creatures by using striking lines and vibrant colors,” said Kunes, a 2002 graduate.

After a weekend mountain biking through granite hills and towering pines on the Iron Range in northern Minnesota, Kunes drew inspiration for his Artist Series hoodie from the pack mentality of a bike posse. “We take turns leading on the trail, which in turn makes everyone a stronger rider. Much like in basketball or any team sport,” he said. “If the leader is stoked, the whole team will rise up and jam just as hard or harder than the leader.”

That sense of connection and the thrill of being part of something bigger – much like a wolf pack – is something Kunes hopes fans feel when they wear his hoodie, which features the North Star on the front, symbolizing guidance and leadership. The back showcases a near-symmetrical collage of three wolves’ faces above a plain by trees. Splashes of navy, blue, light blue and lime green make the abstract scene pop like a stained-glass window.

Kunes grew up in Colorado as a Denver Nuggets fan and even saw Michael Jordan play. He gave basketball a shot in junior high school but then pivoted from organized team sports to skateboarding and snowboarding.

“The game has changed a bit – so many three-pointers. But I still watch the finals, and with the T-Wolves getting stronger every year, it’s hard not to support your local hoops team,” said Kunes, an artisan and installer for Shea Makes, a branch of Shea Design, while maintaining his studio.

The graphic design and interactive media program is part of the School of Art and Design, one of the largest public art schools in the Midwest. It also offers bachelor’s degrees in animation and digital media; game design and development-art; illustration; industrial and product design; interior design; studio art; arts administration and entrepreneurship; fashion design and development; and video production, and an M.F.A. in design.

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Kunes’ merchandise inspired by nature and teamwork on the trail Matt Kunes' Timberwolves hoodie design

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Graphic communications grants advance applied student experience, industry engagement

goersab — Wed, 03 Sep 2025 12:30:00 +0000

Graphic communications grants advance applied student experience, industry engagementgoersab September 3, 2025

Print and Graphics Scholarship Foundation supports lab, equipment upgrades, professional development opportunities

Abbey Goers Bethany Wheeler

91��Ƭ’s graphic communications program has received three targeted grants from the Print and Graphics Scholarship Foundation (PGSF) totaling $13,000, part of a national initiative that awarded $535,000 in scholarships and educational support to students and institutions across the country for the 2025-26 academic year.

The grants will directly support 91��Ƭ graphic communications students and students in related majors pursuing the graphic media and print management minor through upgraded lab equipment, enhanced learning experiences and professional development opportunities:

Color Management Lab Equipment: New tools will be added to the Color and Quality course, including a Farnsworth Munsell 100 Hue Test, a light booth, monitor calibration devices and a spectrometer. These additions will strengthen students’ understanding of color perception and measurement in professional environments.
TAGA Student Chapter Funding: 91��Ƭ’s student chapter of the Technical Association of the Graphic Arts (TAGA) will receive funding for travel to participate in the annual TAGA Technical Conference and Student Competition. Students on the collaborative cross-disciplinary team will compete in categories including package production, technical paper publication, technology review, publication production, journal design, T-shirt design and production, and website design. The team will compete with TAGA chapters at other universities all over the world for the coveted Kipphan Cup.
PRINTING United Expo Travel Support: Five students will receive partial scholarships to attend PRINTING United Expo, the largest printing industry event in North America. The expo offers exposure to cutting-edge technologies and networking opportunities with professionals across the graphic communications field. This opportunity will allow students to participate in Guided Show Floor and booth tours, with exhibitors showcasing cutting-edge equipment, software, and applications across packaging, commercial print, apparel decoration, and wide-format graphics, as well as the opportunity to speak directly with professionals, explore career paths and learn about trends shaping the future of print. Students will also attend special events and network with other PGSF recipients and alumni.

“These grants allow us to bring industry-quality tools and equipment directly into our classrooms and labs,” said Program Director Bethany Wheeler. “This type of support helps us offer opportunities for our students to build confidence, sharpen technical skills, and practice real-world applications throughout the program curriculum in addition to experiences where they connect with professionals who are shaping the future of print and graphics.”

In addition to the grants awarded above, PGSF has supported numerous students in the B.S. graphic communications program and graphic media and print management minor with scholarships based on their academic activity: Red Moser, Allison Zwettler, Samuel Huss, Erika Jackett, Udit Patel and Cali Scholes were selected by the PGFS Board of Directors for the 2023-26 school years.

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“91��Ƭ and the B.S. graphic communications program would like to express our tremendous gratitude to PGSF for their continued support. The direct impact the organization has on our students is unmatched. We could not be more thankful,” Wheeler said.

91��Ƭ’s graphic communications program blends design, technology and business strategy to prepare students for careers in printing, packaging, publishing and related industries. The program is part of the university’s Polytechnic Advantage, emphasizing applied learning and industry collaboration.

At 91��Ƭ, 100% of recent graphic communications graduates are employed or furthering their education within six months of graduation, with an average starting salary of $51,000, according to Career Services’ annual First Destination Report.

About the Print and Graphics Scholarship Foundation

PGSF awarded scholarships to 144 students attending 68 institutions nationwide this school year. In addition to scholarships, the foundation supports students through educational grants and design contests.

“Without a doubt, the work we do changes and enriches lives,” said Debbie Bohan, PGSF administrative director.

For more information on PGSF, visit pgsf.org.

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Campus color: Alumni demonstrate industry leadership at Design Wisconsin event at 91��Ƭ

giffeyt — Tue, 15 Jul 2025 17:14:06 +0000

Campus color: Alumni demonstrate industry leadership at Design Wisconsin event at 91��Ƭ giffeyt July 15, 2025

Pros from Sherwin-Williams, Red Wing Shoe among presenters at fourth annual conference

Tom Giffey

More than 200 design professionals – many of them alumni working at prominent firms around the Upper Midwest – came to the University of Wisconsin-Stout campus recently for the fourth annual Design Wisconsin event.

91��Ƭ – which has the only industrial design program in Universities of Wisconsin and is home to one of the largest public art schools in the Midwest – created Design Wisconsin to celebrate the impact of industrial design and fashion design on Wisconsin’s culture, commerce, community and brand.

Even though 91��Ƭ is Design Wisconsin’s founding organization, May 16-18 was the first time the event was brought to campus. Past hosts include Milwaukee Tool in Milwaukee, Trek in Waterloo, and DELVE in Madison. Bringing the event to Menomonie this year provided an opportunity to highlight the 91��Ƭ campus as well as showcase more student work, said Professor Jennifer Astwood, B.F.A. industrial and product design program director.

In addition to keynote presentations by numerous professionals, most of them 91��Ƭ alumni, Design Wisconsin included student portfolio review sessions, product showcases, panel discussions, networking opportunities and workshops.

Design Wisconsin benefits both students and professionals, Astwood said. “To me it was important that people not just hear about the companies, but also about some meaningful topics that speak to the industry at large,” she said. For example, one presentation from Matthew Gueller of Milwaukee Tool and Gregor Mittersinker of Loft Design focused on the use of artificial intelligence in the design process.

Also new this year was a panel discussion featuring talent from several companies – including Trek, Polaris and Ashley Furniture Industries – which focused on navigating the industry.

Next year, Design Wisconsin will once again be held off-campus: It’s slated for Saturday, May 30, 2026, at Oshkosh Corp. in Oshkosh.

91��Ƭ alum Kiki Redhead, global CMF and trend manager for Sherwin-Williams, was among the industry leaders at Design Wisconsin.

Exploring Color, Material, Finish

Several Design Wisconsin sessions focused on an area of industrial design known as CMF – color, material and finish – a cross-disciplinary approach that addresses the visual and tactile nature of products.

Among the CMF presenters was 2002 UW-stout alumnus Kiki Redhead, global CMF and trend manager for Sherwin-Williams. She described CMF as crossing boundaries between industrial design, graphic design, interior design, textile design and more. Design Wisconsin allowed 91��Ƭ students to network with professionals who work in the field, she noted.

“The students had an opportunity to find out what it really means to have a job where you actually develop color every day or develop different materials or create new finishes from scratch,” said Redhead, who leads Sherwin-Williams’ DesignHouse, a collaborative space in Minneapolis for the company and its industrial clients.

Before she was a leader in the industry, Redhead was a 91��Ƭ undergraduate who gained invaluable skills as an apprentice interior designer for a commercial construction company. “That really gave me a lot of real-world experience, and it was where I really started to apply color to projects and seeing them come to fruition,” she said.

As a professional, Redhead developed and trademarked her own trend methodology, and for a decade operated her own global trend agency, creating colors for everything from cars to cabinetry to cosmetics packaging to clothing. In 2018, she took her current job with Sherwin-Williams, where she combines qualitative and quantitative data to create eye-popping colors and finishes for customers.

Trek was one of the Wisconsin-based firms that took part in Design Wisconsin at 91��Ƭ.

Developing a ‘manufacturing mindset’

Among Redhead’s DesignHouse colleagues and fellow Design Wisconsin speakers is Brynn Wildenauer, a 2018 B.F.A. industrial design graduate who is now a senior architectural color designer for Sherwin-Williams Coil Coatings. That division creates coatings used on appliances, metal building materials and other architectural products. In practice, this means that Wildenauer develops colorful coatings for everything from agricultural buildings to skyscrapers to sports stadiums: One of her most notable projects was working on a color-shifting effect pigment that gives a pearlescent sheen to the exterior of the Kai Tak Sports Park, a massive $4 billion complex that opened this year in Hong Kong.

Wildenauer said her 91��Ƭ education, which included an internship at Ashley Furniture Industries where she saw her designs prototyped, prepared her well for her career. “I really liked having that hands-on approach, and that helped me develop a manufacturing mindset,” she said.

In particular, Wildenauer recalls developing a keen interest in CMF after Professor Erik Evensen wrote that her “color sense seemed promising” on a mid-program review. “I really leaned into that, diving down into the materials that are chosen and why,” she said.

“I find that there are so many opportunities to make a statement with color, textures, finishes, etc.,” she continued. “When color is used in an intentional way, it can increase brand recognition by 80%, which demonstrates the impact of color.”

Wildenauer said she enjoyed returning to campus, something she does periodically as a member of the Program Advisory Committee for the industrial design program. “It’s really cool to see how important this event is to all the students and those who have graduated from Stout or are heavily involved in Stout’s programs,” she said.

91��Ƭ alum Noah Anderson, senior footwear designer at Red Wing Shoe Company, took part in a keynote presentation at Design Wisconsin.

Bridging the gap between design fields

Noah Anderson, a 2013 industrial and product design alum and a senior footwear designer at Red Wing Shoe Company, was one of three alumni working at Red Wing who spoke at the conference. The trio, which included product developer Sarah Noll and pattern engineer Gina Thurk, delivered a keynote about the synergy between footwear and apparel at the Minnesota-based company. Designing shoes bridges the gap between industrial design and apparel design, as well as between what retailers term “soft goods” and “hard goods,” Anderson said.

Anderson said he was impressed to see how 91��Ƭ’s design programs are preparing students for such collaborations in the professional world. “I felt encouraged to see specifically how apparel and industrial design were sharing a little bit more of a presentation at Senior Show,” he said. “It was really awesome to interact with students and to see the way that they are interacting with trends in the digital world as well.”

Anderson said he was well-served by his 91��Ƭ education when he began work at Red Wing Shoes in 2014. “I felt very prepared to present ideas, to be in front of the product team and embrace critique,” he said. “Going through the process of design was something I was really familiar with by the time I finished the industrial design program.”

In his career at Red Wing Shoes, Anderson has designed products for several of the historic Minnesota-based company’s brands.

“It’s always a new challenge,” Anderson said. “Every project includes new research, new trends and learning about new materials, which I feel like is really the source of what’s interesting about designing for industry in general.”

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