Announcing our 2025 SPD-U Student Competition Winners!

/

2025 Student Competition

After our virtual judging, we’ve picked the top winners in our 2025 SPD-U Student Competition! We’ll be announcing them over the next week and updating the list here. Special thanks to our judges for taking the time to review all of this year’s submissions and to our Student Competition Committee Chairs Rashida Morgan-Brown Josue Evilla and the full committee Brian Lutz, Davian Lynn Hopkins and Nancy for organizing.

This competition marked the 27th year of hosting our annual SPD-U Student Competition. After multiple rounds of virtual judging and Zoom meetings, our panel of judges carefully chose their picks from all the great student work submitted. They selected first, second, and third-place winners as well as some noteworthy entries. Click their names below to see the winning work.

Congratulations to all of our winners and to all the wonderful entries we received!

First Place - Design

Caitlin McIntosh

School: Norwich University of the Arts
Level: Senior
Instructor: Andrew Johnson & Glen Robinson
Category: Sports/Adventure

First Place - Illustration

Mouse Jones

School: University of Central Oklahoma
Level Senior
Instructor: McKenna Sanderson
Category: Conceptual

First Place - Photography

Mawulikplim Fudzi

School: Norwich University of Arts
Level: Senior
Instructor: Andrew Johnson & Glen Robinson
Category: Fashion/Beauty

Second Place - Design

Ethan Jones

School: Southern Methodist University
Level: Senior
Instructor: Mark Allen
Category: News

Second Place - Illustration

Aaliyah Willets

School: University of Hartford
Level: Senior
Instructor: Brian Lutz
Category: Editorial

Second Place - Photography

Charles Keillor

School: University of Minnesota
Level: Senior
Instructor: Brian Barber
Category: Conceptual

Third Place - Design

Zara Otite

School: Norwich University of the Arts
Year: Senior
Instructor: Andrew Johnson & Glen Robinson
Category: Fashion/Lifestyle

Third Place - Illustration

MinMin Liang

School: Rhode Island School of Design
Level: Sophomore
Instructor: Brian Payne
Category: Editorial

Third Place - Photography

Georgina Johns

School: Norwich University of Arts
Level: Third Year
Instructor: Glen Robinson
Category: Fashion/Beauty

Noteworthy - Design

Sydney McNally

School: Kutztown University
Level: Junior
Instructor: Karen Kresge
Category: Fashion/Lifestyle

Ashley Yang

School: Tyler School of Art + Architecture
Level: Junior
Instructor: Nathan Young
Category: Fashion/Lifestyle

Autumn Wood

School: Moore College of Art and Design
Level: Sophomore
Instructor: Gigi McGee
Category: How-To

Gabrielle Sarpong

School: Norwich University of the Arts
Level: Senior
Instructor: Glen Robinson & Andrew Johnson
Category: Fashion/Lifestyle

Georgina Johns

School: Norwich University of the Arts
Level: Senior
Instructor: Glen Robinson
Category: Fashion/Lifestyle

Vanessa Garcia

School: Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi
Level: Sophomore
Instructor: Andrea Hempstead
Category: Fashion/Lifestyle

Isabella Knudsen

School: Kutztown University
Level: Junior
Instructor: Dr. Denise Bosler
Category: City/Regional

Lia Long

School: Tyler School of Art + Architecture
Level: Junior
Instructor: Brian Lutz
Category: Fashion/Lifestyle

Olivia Heath

School: Moravian University
Level: Junior
Instructor: Angela Kilburg
Category: City/Regional

Vivien Kalman

School: Moore College of Arts and Design
Level: Sophomore
Instructor: Gigi McGee
Category: City/Regional

Noteworthy - Illustration

Lexi Baboukis

School: University of Hartford
Level: Senior
Instructor: Brian Lutz
Category: Editorial

Isaura López

School: University of Delaware
Level: Senior
Instructor: David Brinley
Category: Conceptual

Geneva Laur

School: University of Delaware
Level: Junior
Instructor: David Brinley
Category: Conceptual

Harrison Rothwell

School: Norwich University of the Arts
Level: Senior
Instructor: Glen Robinson
Category: GIFs

Noteworthy - Photography

Tom Howlett

School: Norwich University of the Arts
Level: Senior
Instructor: Glen Robinson
Category: Conceptual

Zara Otite

School: Norwich University of the Arts
Level: Senior
Instructor: Glen Robinson & Andrew Johnson
Category: Portrait

The SPD-U Show & Tell Competition is Open!

/
 

Enter by Friday, September 5th at 5:00PM ET

Forget rules and forget formulas; just show us your best editorial work by entering the SPD-U Show & Tell Competition. Formerly known as the SPD-U Spotlight Competition, winners have gone on to work at brands such as The New York Times Magazine, Glamour, Men’s Health, Vice, and Esquire.

If your work is chosen by our jury of top-notch editorial design professionals, you’ll receive an awards certificate and we’ll showcase your work in an exclusive online gallery. It’s a great way to get your name and work in front of the entire SPD audience, which includes art directors with the power to hire fresh, young talent like yourself.

This competition is open to undergraduate and graduate students; it is also open to recent Spring/Summer 2025 graduates. There are categories for design, photography, illustration, motion graphics/GIFs, and digital. Please refer to the Call for Entries for more details.

 

Announcing the Judges for the 2025 SPD-U Student Competition

/
 
 
 
 

We’re excited to announce the judges for 2025’s SPD-U Student Competition!
Thanks to the following creatives for taking the time to judge this year’s competition.

 
 

Katty Huertas

Illustrator/Art Director, The Washington Post

Jason James

Creative Director, Fig Industries

Anne Golden Latini

Art Director, Fast Company

Mike Miville

Photographer, MMiville Visuals

Brandon Penny

Senior Graphic Designer, Saks Fifth Avenue

 

The 2025 SPD-U Student Competition is Now Open!

/
 

The 2025 SPD-U Student Competition is Now Open!

Enter by Friday, March 21st, 2025 at 5:00PM ET!

Check it out and enter in our Design, Photography, & Illustration categories!

WANT TO ENTER? GET THE DETAILS BELOW!

OFFICIAL RULES & ENTRY FORM
Download the official CALL FOR ENTRIES with the complete rules and entry form HERE!

DEADLINE
Friday, March 21st, 2025 at 5:00PM ET
SPD must receive all student entries, completed entry forms, and payment receipts by March 21st at 5:00PM ET.

ENTRY FEES / PAYMENT
SPD Student Members get their first 3 entries FREE! (Though student members can enter more than that...if you do, any additional entries will cost $10 each.) Please note: Even though they're free, you must register your 3 free member entries HERE.

If you're not a member but would like to join, you can purchase your SPD Student Membership and register for your 3 free member entries at the same time HERE.

Otherwise, each entry is $10.

PRIZES
The first, second, and third place winners and runners-up in Design, Photography, and Illustration will be featured online at spd.org. Second and third place winners will also receive a 20-minute portfolio review with a board member.

In addition to being featured online, first place winners will also receive the following:
DESIGN: $1,200 + Summer 2025 Mentorship
PHOTOGRAPHY: $1,200 + Summer 2025 Mentorship
ILLUSTRATION: $1,200 + Summer 2025 Mentorship

Any questions? Email us at mail@spd.org.

Download the Call for Entries here!

You can pay your entry fees online here: http://bit.ly/SPD-U

YOU MUST INCLUDE THE RECEIPT WITH YOUR ENTRY. If we cannot find proof of payment or a valid SPD Student Membership, your entries may be disqualified.

Please upload your entries here: http://bit.ly/SPDentry

Make sure to include your entry form and payment receipt with your submission as one (1) PDF. You must fill out the entry form found in the call for entries.

 
 

Congrats to our 2024 Student Competition 1st-Place Winner in Design

/
 

We're excited to wrap up our announcement of the 2024 Student Competition winners today with our 1st-place winner in Design, Lucy Roberts. Congrats Lucy!

Congrats to all our winners! Thanks to everyone who entered and made our judges' decision a tough one...we loved looking at your work and commend you all on your great pieces.

First Place - Design
Lucy Roberts

School: Norwich University of the Arts
Level: Third Year
Instructor: Andrew Johnson
Course Leader: Glen Robinson
Category: City/Regional

 
 

Congrats to our 2024 Student Competition 1st-Place Winner in Illustration

/
 

We're excited to wrap up our announcement of the 2024 Student Competition winners today with our 1st-place winner in Illustration, Josi Svendsen. Congrats Josi!

Congrats to all our winners! Thanks to everyone who entered and made our judges' decision a tough one...we loved looking at your work and commend you all on your great pieces.

First Place - Illustration
Josi Svendsen

School: North Metropoltian TAFE
Instructor: Amie Mason
Category: Conceptual

Paint What We Percieve

 
 

Congrats to our 2024 Student Competition 1st-Place Winner in Photography

/
 

We're excited to wrap up our announcement of the 2024 Student Competition winners today with our 1st-place winner in Photography, Katy Alldridge. Congrats Katy!

Congrats to all our winners! Thanks to everyone who entered and made our judges' decision a tough one...we loved looking at your work and commend you all on your great pieces.

First Place - Photography
Katy Alldridge

School: Norwich University of Arts
Instructor: Andrew Johnson
Course Leader: Glen Robinson
Category: Fashion/Beauty

 
 

Congrats to our 2024 Student Competition 2nd-Place Winner in Design!

/
 

We're sharing our 2024 Student Competition winners this week and we're happy to share our 2nd-place winner in Design, Eden Harris. Congrats Eden!

Second Place - Design
Eden Harris

School: Norwich University of the Arts
Level: Third Year
Instructor: Andrew Johnson
Course Leader: Glen Robinson
Category: Sports/Adventure

 
 

Congrats to our 2024 Student Competition 2nd-Place Winner in Photography!

/
 

We're sharing our 2024 Student Competition winners this week and we're happy to share our 2nd-place winner in Photography, Sarah Croibier. Congrats Sarah!

Second Place - Photography
Sarah Croibier

School: Miami Ad School
Instructor: Sarah Wood
Category: Portrait