Senior advertising and public relations major Kale Murray of Elkhorn and junior advertising and public relations major Zoey Reeves of Battle Creek won the 2023 Bailey Lauerman Design Diversity in Nebraska Challenge on Thursday, Nov. 2.
Murray and Reeves competed against 18 other entrants and were one of four group finalists. Students entered the challenge for the chance to win a scholarship and to have their design displayed as a mural on the south wall of the Bailey Lauerman Student Commons on the third floor of Andersen Hall.
"We wanted to show how we as journalism and mass communications majors can make an impact on diversity, equity and inclusion in Nebraska," Reeves said. "We know it's lacking, but our project shows that DEI is also growing by highlighting headlines from various news organizations across the state."
Students had two weeks to create a mural and accompanying copy that celebrates the power of diversity in Nebraska. This year, Bailey Lauerman's judging team included Sean Faden, head of creative operations; Sarah Northcutt, graphic designer; and Casey Stokes, creative director. The judges evaluated the students' designs on the following criteria: specifications, innovation, design principles, impact and takeaway.
"It really came down to uniqueness, Zoey and Kale nailed what students do at the College of Journalism and Mass Communications," Faden said. "All finalists touched on DEI well, but this was the first entry we've seen that's incorporated journalism."
Murray and Reeves will work with designers and copy editors at Bailey Lauerman this spring to perfect the winning project. Revolution Wraps will install the new mural in the Bailey Lauerman Commons at the end of the semester.
"We love being able to see these projects," Stokes said. "All of the finalists' designs show that although we have work to do, we can still celebrate diversity in Nebraska by showing that we are moving forward in a lot of different ways."
See the other finalists' projects below:
Ashley Parra Valencia, junior advertising and public relations major
Logan Berggren, senior advertising and public relations and graphic design double major
Holly Fischer, senior advertising and public relations and political science double major
Grace Roberts, junior advertising and public relations major
Caitlyn Eggleston, senior advertising and public relations major
Lauren Eurich, junior advertising and public relations and graphic design double major
