Newsroom

NIC students’ creative talents honored during design competitions

North Idaho College graphic and web design students recently earned various regional contest awards. From left are: Philippe Valle, NIC associate professor; Victoria Rapier, Priest River; Emma Inwood, Hayden; Elspeth Gibson, Kellogg; Ryan Lamb, Coeur d’Alene; Morgan Rude, Worley; Esther Ankeny, Rathdrum; Emily Gankema, Coeur d’Alene; Jeff Shark, Hayden; and Danny Schmitz, Post Falls. Some of the winning designs produced by the students are on the screen in the background.

The talents of North Idaho College graphic and web design students were on full display in recent competitions across the region.

 Several students were honored during the 2026 Spokane American Advertising Awards Gala on April 18 with gold, silver or lilac “Addy” awards. Their designs were chosen out of entries from other colleges and universities in the area.

 Here’s how NIC students fared during the gala as well as other contests:

• Sarah Hoare, Coeur d’Alene, won a gold Addy for “Next Level – Student Portfolio Website” along with former students Aaron Tan, Coeur d’Alene, Gracie Duncan, Athol; and Michael Cronin, Spokane, as well as a lilac for “Inlander – Summer Camps 2025 Insert Cover.”

• Victoria Rapier, Priest River, won silvers for her illustration for the Bloomsday Teen Board and the run’s 50^th anniversary and a lilac for her “Untouristed Travel” logo.
• Anna Foster, Coeur d’Alene, earned a lilac for “Tigris Kombucha.”
• Ryan Lamb, Coeur d’Alene, won a lilac for his “Atlantic Eye Physicians” stationary package in addition to the Inlander newspaper’s Summer Camps 2026 edition cover.
• Aurora Bacowsky, Post Falls, received a lilac for “Print is Persuasive” in addition to having her work be chosen for Spokane Fall Folk Festival’s marketing materials.
• Emma Inwood, Hayden, won a lilac for her “Art is Everything” illustration.
• Morgan Fude, Worley, won a lilac for “Steve Carell – The Coolest.”
• Danny Schmitz, Post Falls, won first place in the Print Industry of America’s (PIA) Contest with “Print Connects Us.” His marketing material design was also chosen to represent this year’s Spokane Scottish Highland games in August.
• Elspeth Gibson, Kellogg, won the Festival at Sandpoint Contest and second place in the PIA contest.
• Jeff Shark, Hayden, won third place in the PIA contest.
• Esther Ankeny, Rathdrum; Schmitz; and Fude were selected for their designs amongst the NIC class to be printed on a yearly planner produced by Minute Press. The planners are distributed to clients of Minute Press as promotional items.
• Emily Gankema, Coeur d’Alene, earned the Inlander’s 2026 Summer Camp insert supplement cover spot.

“We are so proud of all of our students as once again it paid dividends to showcase the NIC talents to the region’s seasoned design professionals,” NIC Associate Professor Philippe Valle said.