Cincy State Graphic Design students swept the awards at 2026 ADDY competition
For the second year in a row, Cincinnati State Graphic Design students dominated the student awards in the 2026 American Advertising Awards (ADDYs) competition hosted by AdClub Cincinnati, winning the Student Best of Show Award, three Gold ADDY Awards, and four Silver ADDY Awards.
The sweep of the 2026 awards continued the Graphic Design program’s many decades of achievement in this prestigious competition.
Three Cincinnati State students were recognized on stage at the awards ceremony on February 27, 2026, and received a beautiful, engraved glass award for their Gold ADDY win. Three additional students received certificates for achieving Silver ADDY recognition.
Yulia Wimp received the Student Best of Show Award and a Gold ADDY for her packaging design for 1753 Wines. Yulia also was the Student Best of Show winner at the 2025 Cincinnati ADDY Awards.
Yulia’s work this year was created as a project in faculty member Oliver Meinerding’s course GRD 240, Packaging Design.
Yulia’s project also earned a Gold ADDY award at the 2026 District level competition, which included entries from students in accredited colleges and universities throughout Ohio, Kentucky, and West Virginia. Her project will move on to the National ADDY competition, with winners announced in late May.
Sophia Kwiatkowski received a Gold ADDY Award for her poster promoting the Helvetica type font. This project was created as part of Professor Joel Knueven’s course GRD 225, Typography.
Dunia Moreb earned a Gold ADDY Award for her packaging design for Pink Bliss beverage, created in GRD 240, Packaging Design.
(Keep scrolling to see all of the award-winning work)
Carter Scott received two Silver ADDY Awards: one for his logo design for Stack Em’s Burger Shop, created in Joel Knueven’s course GRD 215, Applied 2D Design, and another award for his poster for the Futura type font, created for the Typography class.
Brian Ursey won a Silver Addy Award for his logo design for Low & Slow Barbeque Sauce, created for the GRD 200 Portfolio Review class taught by Joel Knueven.
Harley-Jane Wince won a Silver Addy for her series of posters for the Cincinnati Ballet’s Swan Lake production, designed for the Portfolio Review course.
Oliver Meinerding said, “It’s a thrill to see the students’ faces when their name is announced, and their work is shown on the big screen at the event. Professional peer recognition is a great motivator, and it builds student excitement about the industry. It’s a privilege to be part of their development.”
Background
Cincinnati ADDY competition entries were evaluated by a team of nationally recognized advertising professionals from Chicago, Detroit, New York City, and Raleigh, North Carolina.
- All Gold and Silver award winners from the local student competition (all of the Cincinnati State entries) were forwarded to the District level competition.
- ADDY winners from 15 District competitions throughout the U.S. advance to the National ADDY competition, with winners announced at the American Advertising Awards Gala on May 29 in Austin, TX.
- Cincinnati State Graphic Design students have won National Gold ADDY awards three times: Julia Kennedy in 2020, Dallas Ford in 2017 and Alli Bacon-Davis in 2008.
