Designing Success: Southern Miss Graphic Design Program Gains National Momentum

Tue, 12/02/2025 - 09:09am | By: Jennifer Rigney

The University of Southern Mississippi’s (USM) Graphic Design program experienced a landmark spring 2025 semester, earning a series of major recognitions and awards that highlighted the creativity, discipline and national impact of its students. From local and regional competitions to national honors and professional publications, the program continued to strengthen its reputation as a leader in design education.

Setting the Tone: Big Wins at the ADDY Awards

The momentum began with a strong showing at the 2025 American Advertising Awards (ADDYs), hosted by the American Advertising Federation (AAF) Mississippi Gulf Coast in February. Southern Miss Graphic Design students brought home 10 honors, including Student Best of Show, multiple Gold ADDYs and two Judge’s Choice Awards. Their winning work spanned categories like branding, illustration, integrated campaigns, posters and cinematography.

“This year’s work wasn’t just competitive, it set us apart,” said Jacob Cotton, associate professor of graphic design. “To see our students win big in major categories and earn Best of Show is a direct reflection of their discipline, originality and the standard of critique we hold ourselves to every day in our design studios.”

Winners from this regional competition advanced to the district and national levels of the ADDYs, the advertising industry’s largest and most competitive awards program.

The wins set the stage for a season of achievement, and underscored the strength of Southern Miss students competing against peers from across the Gulf South.

National Spotlight: Named A Top Design School by GDUSA

In April, national recognition followed. For the fourth year in a row, Graphic Design USA (GDUSA) named Southern Miss one of its Top Design Schools for 2025, placing the program among some of the nation’s most respected design institutions.

The GDUSA list recognizes schools that consistently prepare students for success in an evolving creative industry. Selection is based on factors like curriculum strength, faculty leadership, quality of student work and success of graduates in the industry.

“Our students continue to prove that they can compete at the highest levels,” said Cotton. “Being recognized again by GDUSA is a reflection of their talent, ambition and the supportive culture we’ve built. We’re proud to be a program where big things are happening—and where student success is the story.”

The honor reaffirmed the program’s national standing and the caliber of work emerging from Southern Miss year after year.

Breaking Records at the National Student Show and Conference

A few weeks later, Southern Miss students made history at the 2025 National Student Show and Conference (NSSC), hosted by the Dallas Society of Visual Communications. The team took home three major awards—the most ever for the program—and more than doubled the university’s previous total in a single night.

Senior Lindsey Mills earned Best of Illustration for her Visit Hattiesburg Poster Series created in Professor John Mark Lawler’s course. Laura Patiño, a May 2025 graduate, received Best of Motion Graphics for a project completed in Cotton’s Motion Graphics class and Best of Publication Design for a piece from his Illustration course—making her the first student in Southern Miss history to earn multiple top honors at the NSSC.

“The National Student Show is more than just a competition, it's a proving ground for the next generation of creative leaders,” Cotton said. “To see our students rise to the top in this national arena is a powerful affirmation of their talent and the momentum our program has built in recent years.”

He added, “Our program is extremely rigorous and asks a lot of our students. To see Lindsey and Laura honored in this way is a much-needed validation that their tireless efforts and passion are being seen and honored.”

Students Shine in National Publications

As the semester continued, two additional students made their mark in national design circles.

Dakota Owens, a May 2025 graduate, was honored in Graphic Design USA’s Packaging Design Annual for her project Patriot’s Passage—a board game concept recognized for its conceptual clarity and strong visual execution.

“Winning a national award felt like I conquered my biggest challenge,” Owens said. “USM taught me to be a designer and a great teammate.”

Xavier Daley, who also graduated in May, earned a feature in Creative Quarterly Issue 79 for his expressive skateboard deck design inspired by David Carson’s iconic grunge-era aesthetic. The legendary designer himself noticed the work, sharing and praising it on social media—an unforgettable moment for the young artist.

“Being a part of CQ79, as well as celebrating USM’s NSSC wins, is something I’ll always carry with me,” Daley said. “But what meant even more was the community—my peers, my professor Jacob Cotton and the support I received these last few years.”

By the end of the spring semester, the Southern Miss Graphic Design program had collected regional, national and international recognition—all driven by the passion and commitment of its students and faculty.

“The recognition our students are receiving, both nationally and internationally, is much-needed validation of their talent and effort,” Cotton said. “It also shows future students that Southern Miss is a place where their creativity will be pushed, supported and celebrated.”

With record-breaking competition results, multiple national features, and ongoing recognition from Graphic Design USA, 2025 was more than a season of wins. It was a season that showed what can happen when creativity meets community—and why Southern Miss is quickly becoming known as one of the most exciting design programs in the country.