UNK students in the Typography II class designed promotional materials for 50th anniversary screenings of “Jaws” at The World Theatre in Kearney. Their project earned a gold ADDY and two Judge’s Citations of Excellence in the 2026 American Advertising Awards state competition. Pictured, from left, are Ana Segura Rochin, Laura Carnahan, Ariah Peterson, Gracie Boe, Brianna Konwinski, Charlotte Hajda, Brianna Jorgenson and Lydia Vlcek. (Photo by Kollin Goff, UNK Communications)
OMAHA – University of Nebraska at Kearney students earned top honors in the 2026 American Advertising Awards state competition, receiving multiple gold ADDYs and special recognition during the event.
Conducted annually by the American Advertising Federation (AAF), the industry’s largest and most respected competition recognizes creative excellence across all areas of advertising and design, with separate divisions for professionals and college students. It’s often described as the “Oscars of advertising.”
The statewide event, organized by AAF Nebraska, is the first tier of the three-level national competition. Local winners advance to district competition, with district winners moving on to the national stage.
Two UNK students were recognized with individual honors at the Nebraska awards ceremony, hosted Feb. 20 in Omaha.
Faith Rasmussen, a senior from O’Neill, received a gold ADDY for “Frostbyte Magazine,” created in the Senior Portfolio and Design IV courses. That project was selected as Best of Show among all student submissions.
She also earned a gold ADDY for “Reverse//Forward Photo Magazine,” a project developed in Senior Portfolio and Photography.
Tia Miller, a senior from Gibbon, received a Judge’s Citation of Excellence for her project. She created a logo and branding system for Open Book, a vintage bookstore in Kearney, as part of a Design Practicum course.
In addition, a group of visual communication and design students earned a gold ADDY and two Judge’s Citations of Excellence for “50th Anniversary of Jaws,” a client-based typography project created for The World Theatre in Kearney.
Student designers recognized for that project were Gracie Boe of Kearney; Laura Carnahan of La Vista; Grace Clark of Aurora, Illinois; Charlotte Hajda of Broken Bow; Brianna Jorgenson of Orleans; Brianna Konwinski of Silver Creek; Kai Nagatsune of Kobe, Japan; Ismara Quintana of Grand Island; Ana Segura Rochin of Wood River; Lydia Vlcek of Chapman; and Ariah Peterson of San Diego.
Entries in the competition are evaluated by a panel of judges who score each project on all creative dimensions. Gold ADDYs represent the highest level of creative excellence, and these projects advance automatically to the district competition.
Rick Schuessler, chair of the UNK Department of Art and Design, said the awards highlight both the quality of the students’ work and the strength of the program.
“These awards are significant because they place our students’ work alongside the very best in Nebraska,” Schuessler said. “To earn gold ADDYs and special citations at the state level reflects not only their talent and dedication, but also their ability to create outstanding designs for real-world clients. We’re incredibly proud of Faith, Tia and the entire Typography II team for representing UNK at such a high level.”
