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MIAD students sweep 2025 United Adworkers Showcase Awards

The United Adworkers, Milwaukee’s premier organization dedicated to advertising, marketing and creative excellence throughout and beyond Wisconsin, awarded all of 2025’s Student Showcase Awards to current or recently graduated MIAD students.

The first place Gold Award went to Sarah Madden ’24 for her senior exhibition project Bugbite, a marketing and packaging campaign and app for bug-based eco-friendly nutrition bars.

“I’m so grateful to have received this recognition!” says Madden. “Creating Bugbite was such an exciting, challenging and rewarding process and it means a lot to see it honored. Thank you to United Adworkers!”

The four MIAD Finalists and their awarded projects were:

  • Current student Lauren Blood ’25, for Conversation magazine, a collection of experimental creative writing centered around two imagined friends that was completed in MIAD’s Publication Design course.
  • Sammi Micklewright ’24, for senior exhibition project Koda
  • Abigail Tessmer, ’24, for senior exhibition project Spark Plug
  • Brady Vanderhart ’24, for senior exhibition project Rally

While a student, Gold awardee Madden also designed the branded wall for M3 Insurance and did design work for the Pettit National Ice Center through the MIAD Lubar Innovation Center. She is currently a junior graphic designer for Creative Solutions in Chicago.

The United Adworkers 99 Show and awards ceremony is attended by hundreds of advertising and marketing professionals annually.

Learn more about MIAD’s Communication Design major. Visit MIAD.

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