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NIC graphic design students’ portfolio show Friday; Four earn awards at advertising gala

Four North Idaho College students won awards at the 2025 Spokane American Advertising Awards Gala. From left: Philippe Valle, NIC Associate Professor; Aurora Bacowsky; Gracie Duncan; Michael Cronin; Sarah Hoare; Lydia Ramus, NIC Adjunct Professor; and Jesse Longacre, NIC Assistant Professor. Students are standing in front of their award-winning designs. Students who will graduate in May will host their Next Level Portfolio Show from 5-8 p.m. on Friday, May 2, in McClain Hall at NIC’s Coeur d’Alene campus.

North Idaho College Graphic and Web Design students graduating in May will host the Next Level Portfolio Show from 5-8 p.m. on Friday, May 2, in McClain Hall at NIC’s Coeur d’Alene campus.

The show is free and open to the public. A preview of the graduates’ work is available at nextlevel.welearndesign.com.

Four of the students earned awards during the 2025 Spokane American Advertising Awards Gala on April 12, including Gracie Duncan for Best of Show. It marked the fifth time an NIC student captured the top honor.

Duncan, from Athol, won Best of Show and a gold “Addy” award for her logo design of “BearRabbit Taproom.”

“I was very surprised to win. However, it was a very exciting and surreal moment. The logo has a simple and rustic look,” said Duncan, who also won a silver with her sales and marketing package called “Breathe Matches.”

Other NIC Graphic and Web Design students who earned awards included:

• Aurora Bacowsky, Post Falls, who won a gold award for “Barker Shop” and cobalts for “Pasta-bility” and “Dizzi Margarita.”
• Sarah Hoare, a dual credit student from Coeur d’Alene, won a silver for “IceBurg Ice Cream.”
• Michael Cronin, Spokane, won a silver for “Drift Shoebox.”

“Year after year we have people getting jobs and work in the industry,” NIC Associate Professor Philippe Valle said. “We have very dedicated students, and that’s the recipe for our success.”

Students from Eastern Washington University, Spokane Falls Community College and Whitworth University also entered the competition.

Gold and silver award winners will be considered at the District XI competition, which includes competitors from Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington, with a chance to advance to the national contest.

Hoare also had a design featured in the April 10 edition of the Inlander newspaper promoting summer camps in the region.