GDUSA selects MIAD Students to Watch 2026

Communication Design senior Olivia Nava ’26 and junior Nola Hennen ’27 were named 2026 Students to Watch by Graphic Design USA magazine (GDUSA).

Nava, who interned on the Brand Creative Global Football team at Nike last summer, is currently working on her 2026 capstone senior exhibition project. Power at Play is a publication dedicated to highlighting major moments and current news in women’s sports while examining the cultural narratives that shape athletes, teams, leagues and the broader sports landscape. Hear Nava talk about her Nike internship.

Both Nava and Hennen currently intern at Hummel North America, where Hennen says, “I have contributed to pro soccer kits for clubs across the country.”

Nola Hennen

But says Hennen, “I am currently most proud of my work with GBM & Me, which is a website I am working on, intended to explain Glioblastoma to children ages 7–10 through the use of interactive maps and lessons.”

“This past July, my partner’s mom, who I was very close to, passed away after her battle with Glioblastoma,” Hennen shares. “Because of the chaotic nature of how quickly she declined and my closeness with her family, I … had to explain what was happening to the oldest grandchild, who was eight at the time. While I only experienced a fraction of the discomfort that [my partner’s] family must have felt, I can now recognize the gap that families of terminal patients experience in healthcare….”

 Both Hennen and Nava are grateful for the skills and support provided by MIAD’s Communication Design department.

Nola Hennen, “Rituall,” 2026.

“The Communication Design department really means a lot to me,” Hennen says. “I really enjoy prioritizing building a tightly knit community, and I am so thankful for the connection that I have with each of my professors. Especially during my junior year, I have discovered what is most fulfilling within my career path – to help others feel recognized and represented through the things I create that allow me to be creative and passionate.”

Read Nava and Hennen’s GDUSA profiles/interviews. Learn more about MIAD’s Communication Design major, ranked a Top Graphic Design program in the US by GDUSA and the #1 Graphic Design School in Wisconsin by Animation Career Review.