St. Ambrose University senior Evelyn Shaw ‘26 has turned her passion for design into award-winning work. The art and design major with a concentration in graphic design recently won a sticker design contest hosted by the university’s admissions office, adding another accomplishment to her growing portfolio.
When designing the winning stickers, she was inspired by the community spirit she’s experienced during her time on campus.
“I pulled a lot from the closeness that we have at St. Ambrose,” Shaw said. “A lot of the designs were reflected by the different sayings we have, the campus culture, and the fact that it’s all so exciting and close.”
The competition challenged entrants to create designs that reflected the university’s brand and values, while also following specific guidelines such as using a limited color palette and excluding official logos. The winning sticker designs would be printed out and mailed to prospective St. Ambrose students.
“A big part of the project was working around and making sure I’m fitting what the school and marketing department wants,” she said. “You have to represent the brand correctly, and I had to make sure I stayed in those guidelines.”
Shaw said her passion for graphic design traces back to a pivotal moment in high school.
“Back in my junior year, I joined the yearbook club, and I fell in love with editing the page layouts and taking the photos,” she said. “My dad, knowing I was into art, had kind of pushed me into looking into graphic design a bit, and that’s where I started falling in love with it.”
Her interest in art began even earlier. In junior high, an art teacher submitted one of her pieces to a local art fair – and she won.
“That set me down this whole path of going into art, the yearbook and graphic design,” Shaw said.
Those early experiences, combined with encouragement from mentors and family, helped Shaw focus on a creative career she could see herself enjoying long-term.
Shaw, who also works at GT Sports designing apparel for community organizations, said she takes a hands-on approach to the creative process.
“I just get onto the computer and try things out until something works,” she said. “Once things start to work, then I just keep going through and building upon it until I get final designs that I like.”
For Shaw, knowing when a piece is finished is a gut decision.
“It’s just the feeling,” Shaw said. “I take a step back and I look at it, and it’s something I know I can be proud of, and that I personally enjoy, and that I hope other people would enjoy as well.”
Her time at St. Ambrose has offered numerous opportunities to grow as a designer. In addition to internships and class projects, Shaw has entered – and won – several campus design contests, including the Homecoming t-shirt and Be the Difference Day t-shirt competitions.
“They’ve given me lots of opportunities here,” Shaw said. “I’ve been able to get internships through connections in the community, and the school has a lot of graphic design contests that I’m able to enter and build my portfolio through.”
Shaw is also active on campus as a member of the dance team, graphic design chair for the PR and marketing committee of Dance Marathon, and newly hired graphic designer for the athletics information department. She said these experiences have influenced her art and strengthened her work ethic.
“Dance has forced me to become a really hard worker, so I’m able to apply that to every single aspect of my life, especially design,” she said.
Looking ahead, Shaw is eager to explore opportunities after graduation in marketing and promotion, possibly within the entertainment industry. She credits the support of her professors and peers for helping her develop confidence in her work.
“It’s really just shown me to be confident in my art and my designs,” Shaw said. “The teachers who support you in the art program and the friends you become really close with in the art program really help you build your confidence in that area.”
When asked what advice she would give to prospective students considering the program, Shaw’s message was simple: “Just go for it. Have fun and enjoy your passion.”
