UNK Students Earn Top Honors at Nebraska Advertising Design Competition

University of Nebraska at Kearney students receive gold ADDYs and special recognition at statewide event.

Apr. 5, 2026 at 2:34pm

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University of Nebraska at Kearney students earned multiple gold ADDYs and special honors at the 2026 American Advertising Awards state competition in Omaha. Two individual students, Faith Rasmussen and Tia Miller, were recognized for their outstanding design projects, while a group of visual communication and design students also received awards for their work on a typography project.

Why it matters

The American Advertising Awards, often referred to as the 'Oscars of advertising,' is the industry's largest and most prestigious creative competition. For UNK students to earn top honors at the state level showcases the strength and quality of the university's art and design program, as well as the talent and dedication of its students.

The details

Faith Rasmussen, a senior from O'Neill, received gold ADDYs for her 'Frostbyte Magazine' and 'Reverse//Forward Photo Magazine' projects. Tia Miller, a senior from Gibbon, earned a Judge's Citation of Excellence for her logo and branding system for the Kearney bookstore Open Book. Additionally, a group of 11 students were recognized with a gold ADDY and two Judge's Citations of Excellence for their '50th Anniversary of Jaws' typography project created for The World Theatre in Kearney.

  • The American Advertising Awards state competition was held on February 20, 2026 in Omaha.
  • The national-level American Advertising Awards competition follows the state and district competitions.

The players

Faith Rasmussen

A senior at the University of Nebraska at Kearney who received gold ADDYs for her magazine design projects.

Tia Miller

A senior at the University of Nebraska at Kearney who earned a Judge's Citation of Excellence for her logo and branding work.

University of Nebraska at Kearney

The university whose students earned top honors at the 2026 American Advertising Awards state competition in Nebraska.

American Advertising Federation (AAF)

The organization that hosts the American Advertising Awards, the industry's largest and most respected creative competition.

AAF Nebraska

The local Nebraska chapter of the American Advertising Federation that organized the statewide competition.

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What they’re saying

“These awards are significant because they place our students' work alongside the very best in Nebraska. 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.”

— Rick Schuessler, Chair of the UNK Department of Art and Design

What’s next

The gold ADDY-winning projects from UNK students will now advance to the district-level American Advertising Awards competition, with the potential to then move on to the national stage of the prestigious creative competition.

The takeaway

The strong performance of UNK students at the state-level American Advertising Awards demonstrates the high caliber of the university's art and design program, and highlights the exceptional talent and real-world skills of its students. This recognition positions the program and its graduates for continued success in the competitive field of advertising and design.