June 11, 2025

Ferris State Graphic Design students repeat dominance in Out of Home Advertising Association of America competition

For the second straight year, students from the Graphic Design program at Ferris State University’s Kendall College of Art and Design have put their stamp on the student categories of the nation's premiere out-of-home advertising competition.

Emilee Holzwarth won Gold in the second annual OBIE student competition hosted by the Out of Home Advertising Association of America, while Victoria Clark and Laura Funes Saavedra won Silver and Bronze, respectively.

This year’s KCAD winners follow in the footsteps of Luke Maksymetz and Sarah Schafer who took home the top two student awards in 2024. Both earned a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts in Graphic Design.

Established in 1942, the OBIEs have long been America’s highest recognition of out-of-home advertising excellence. The student category of the esteemed competition was added in 2024 to showcase the next generation of creative thinkers and groundbreaking innovators who will lead the out-of-home advertising industry into the future. Entrants were required to be enrolled full- or part-time at a U.S.-accredited college or university for the 2024 calendar year.

Holzwarth, who graduated from KCAD in 2024 and now works as junior art director with Grand Rapids-based ad agency Extra Credit Projects, took home Gold honors with her bold brand refresh campaign for bicycle maker Schwinn.

“I'm so honored to be recognized for my work among the best of the best,” Holzwarth said. “It is very validating to me in my choice of major to know that I'm exactly where I'm meant to be.”

She says she felt drawn to Schwinn’s history, bold colors, and classic style, and wanted to explore how to connect the brand to Gen Z consumers—particularly those with a love of all things vintage. Her campaign evokes the brand’s rich past, emphasizing its classic red color with an accent palette of nostalgic shades and a logo redesign that harkens back to its iconic compass symbol. It also features detail shots of Schwinn bikes meant to highlight design and craftsmanship.

“The goal of this brand refresh is to bring Schwinn back into conversation and inspire a new generation of bikers,” Holzwarth said.” I really enjoyed looking through old catalogues for research and taking on the challenge of working with such a big brand that everyone has heard of.”

Clark, who graduated from KCAD this May, won Silver honors with “Preserve the Reserve,” an out-of-home campaign that transformed transit media into a powerful voice for Native lands.

“I couldn't have been more honored to accept the award, and to be at the event in Boston,” she said. “It was truly an experience I'll never forget.”

“Preserve the Reserve” aims to stress the undeniable importance of preserving our planet and foster a deeper sense connection to the natural world. Clark made clever use of design and visual communication to draw viewers’ attention to their surrounding environment.

“I utilized the physical nature in our environments rather than creating a design to accompany my tag and headlines. I made the advertisements transparent, allowing the viewer to see directly through the ad,” she said. “The text and branding relating to the Native American Land Conservancy serve as a reminder of who was here first, strengthening the message to look outside.”

Funes Saavedra, who also graduated from KCAD in May, was awarded Bronze for an ad campaign for Portuguese football club F.C. Porto that sprang from her passion for the sport and her love of hand lettering and illustration.

“Receiving this award has given me a greater sense of confidence and an even deeper love for the work and craft I create,” she said. “As my time at KCAD comes to a close, this motivates me to keep pushing forward, to create even better work, and to continue aspiring for more.”

Designed to reflect the dynamic spirit of Porto, Funes Saavedra’s campaign features eye-catching out-of-home placements across the city’s winding, walkable, and highly social streetscapes to pay tribute to the powerful bond between the city and its cherished team.

“I was drawn to Porto because of its rich street culture, its deep-rooted love for football, and the strong sense of pride the community holds for their team,” she said. “It felt like the perfect place to create work that could live within the energy of the city itself.”

The judging panel for the 2025 Student OBIE Awards included Mendi Robertson, vice president for creative at Lamar; Chad Shackleford, vice president and head of digital creative at OUTFRONT XLabs; Mike Sulke, founder and CCO of Sukle Advertising and Design; and Whitney Yando, creative director at 72andsunny.