Baylor Graphic Design Students Shine at National Creative Conference
Baylor students at NSSC included (Front row, L to R) Karen Koyama, Keelan Thomas, Lily Asher, Abigail Sanders, Claire Cohen and Maci Burnet; (Back row, L to R) CJ Kaltwasser, Nick Rhea, Lisa Green, Allyson Estes, Kaitlyn Rodriguez, Noelle Rigmaide, Allison Schnelle and Professor Genaro Solis Rivero
Baylor graphic design students won top awards and gained valuable professional insight and experience at a recent national conference.
At the 2026 National Student Show and Conference (NSSC), held April 9-11 in Dallas, Texas, 15 Baylor University students pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in studio art with a graphic design concentration in the Department of Art and Art History took part in a competitive exhibition, vying for more than $20,000 in scholarships and cash prizes. The NSSC “is the largest dedicated student creative conference and competition, recognizing and inspiring college-level design, advertising, illustration and photography students,” according to the conference website.
Two Baylor students each received a Special Award and a $500 scholarship:
- CJ Kaltwasser, a senior studio art major from Austin, Texas, earned the Best of Branding Award for his work titled Outdoor Elements ––a branding system developed for the Identity Design course taught by Genaro Solis Rivero, assistant professor of art and art history.
- Karen Koyama, a senior studio art major from Tokyo, Japan, received the Best of Illustration Award for her work After the Long Run, an oil painting created in her oil painting course taught by Winter Rusiloski, associate professor of art and art history.
In addition to the Special Awards, finalist recognition was given to three Baylor students whose work stood out from a national pool of submissions:
- Allyson Estes, a senior studio art major from Jakarta, Indonesia, was recognized for her Bumbu Branding System, created in the Identity Design course taught by Genaro Solis Rivero.
- CJ Kaltwasser was recognized for his logo for Buckridge Casino, created in the Identity Design course taught by Genaro Solis Rivero.
- Keelan Thomas, a junior studio art major from Winter Park, Colorado, was recognized for her work How the Brain Perceives Beauty –– magazine spreads from her Publishing course taught by Virginia Green, associate professor or art and art history.
During the three-day conference, Baylor students took part in professional studio tours across Dallas, and participated in portfolio reviews and workshops. They also heard presentations from a number of leading voices in the international design world.
“To compete and achieve such success on the national level allows us to recognize the talent of these students and the exceptional training they are receiving in the Graphic Design concentration within the Department of Art and Art History here at Baylor,” said Dr. Heidi J. Hornik, chair and professor of art and art history. "We are very pleased to offer this exceptional opportunity to these undergraduate students to get a taste of how their work compares to that of their peers and professionals in the design world.”
Baylor student participation in the NSSC was made possible through the support of the Dallas Society of Visual Communications, NSSC organizers, volunteers, industry professionals, and judges, as well as the continued encouragement of the Department of Art and Art History and the support of the Office of Engaged Learning in the Baylor University College of Arts & Sciences through its Undergraduate Research and Scholarly Achievement Grant.
ABOUT THE COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCES AT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY
The College of Arts & Sciences is Baylor University’s largest academic division, consisting of 25 academic departments in the sciences, humanities, fine arts and social sciences, as well as 11 academic centers and institutes. The more than 5,000 courses taught in the College span topics from art and theatre to religion, philosophy, sociology and the natural sciences. The College’s undergraduate Unified Core Curriculum, which routinely receives top grades in national assessments, emphasizes a liberal education characterized by critical thinking, communication, civic engagement and Christian commitment. Arts & Sciences faculty conduct research around the world, and research on the undergraduate and graduate level is prevalent throughout all disciplines. Visit the College of Arts & Sciences website.