May 4, 2026
Outstanding grad: Ferris State’s KCAD shaped award-winning design student Flor Quiñones identity and career
Flor Quiñones walked into Ferris State University’s Kendall College of Art and Design in fall 2022 with a portfolio and a purpose. She leaves this month expanding both — and a few West Michigan ADDY Awards to go with them.
Quiñones, a graphic design major with a minor in printmaking, grew up in San Diego, Carabobo, Venezuela, before calling Grand Rapids home. At KCAD, she found something she didn't expect: a place where being different was the point.
"It has a unique culture where everyone can actually be amplified — their voice, their personal culture as an artist and designer," she said. "Every day I'm reminded that I belong here because I am different. And everyone here is. That's why we are here."
That sense of belonging shaped how she works. Quiñones describes her design philosophy as rooted in sensibility — the ability to give visual form to what people feel but can't articulate.
"We receive information constantly, and we are the ones who have to make it make sense," she added. "That's what designers do. We find visuals to enhance the human experience."
Quinones said KCAD's critique culture pushed that philosophy into practice. Weekly critiques trained her to treat every project as a collaboration between designer and client — a skill she discovered that sets her apart professionally.
"I shared that in a professional interview recently, and they said not a lot of designers have that," Quiñones said. "It's so ingrained in our classes, and then you get out there and realize, ‘Oh, this is exactly what they need.’"
Small class sizes gave her direct access to faculty with deep industry experience and the connections to match. KCAD, approaching its 100th year in downtown Grand Rapids, has built an alumni network she watched thrive around her.
"Seeing how many people from KCAD are already working in the industry, having their own businesses, giving back — that's just an ecosystem," she said. "Alive, thriving and growing."
Her own work reflected that community investment. Her Biophilia Gallery branding — a project for ArtPrize rooted in an interior design philosophy that brings natural elements into built spaces — earned the prestigious Judge's Choice Award at this year's West Michigan American Advertising Awards, among four total honors.
The American Advertising Awards is the advertising industry’s largest and most representative competition, attracting more than 25,000 entries each year in the three-tier competition, aimed at recognizing the creative spirit of excellence in the art of advertising.
The biophilia concept brings elements like sunlight, plant life, flowing water, and organic materials into built environments to support mental clarity, wellness and comfort.
She also earned a Gold Award for her Wamma Foods entry in the Campaign category and a Silver Award for the ArtPrize Awards Ceremony entry in the Campaign category.
After graduation, Quiñones plans to stay in Grand Rapids, with interviews already in motion. Her advice to anyone considering KCAD — especially from somewhere far from home — comes from experience.
"Honor your roots and celebrate where you come from," she said. "If you embrace who you are, that's the artist the world needs."