Poster designs boost professional skillsets, children’s nonprofit

Continuing an annual tradition begun in 2010 at the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD), Illustration juniors worked with Cramer-Krasselt and Penfield Children’s Center to design posters for the center’s Annual Croquet Ball fundraiser.

The winners of the 2026 poster design competition are: Aubrey Jilla, First Place; Wil Van Dyne, Second Place; Emily Aleman, Third Place; and Hailie Leasure, Fourth Place (Honorable Mention.)

Penfield Children’s Center is a Milwaukee nonprofit dedicated to early childhood development, especially for children with developmental delays or disabilities and underserved children. Croquet Ball attendees have the opportunity to purchase the winning designs during an auction.

“My main idea was how diverse Milwaukee can be. What is not a fun way rather than a parade line? I wanted each individual to have a unique design, with aspects that might reflect the average Milwaukee citizen,” says Jilla, a President’s (Honor) List student.

“Going into this project I wanted to find a subject matter that could appeal to both children and adults, which led me to the concept of classic fairy tales and stories. They have an inherent message, nostalgia and excitement that transcends any age bracket and culture,” explains Van Dyne, who is also a President’s (Honor) List student.

 “Thinking about Penfield and their ‘impact’ immediately drew me to the story of The Princess and the Pea. I wanted to illustrate a twist on that story, where the pea was a croquet ball, showing off the major impact of something seemingly small.”

 Both Jilla and Van Dyne found the project boosted their professional confidence and skillset.

 “This collaboration made me more thoughtful about client connection as well as keeping a level of professionalism within the work,” says Jilla. “It’s highly important to be keen on details and having a finished and clean piece. Regarding my career, I would love to explore more poster-like designs with the challenge of multiple subjects being portrayed.”

 “I was very motivated by having such a tangible and physical end product,” Van Dyne adds. “It definitely boosted my confidence in terms of being able to produce professional-level work that has a message and purpose, and it’s inspired me to push myself to create more work with that level of professionalism. It has given me the confidence that my work is … strong enough to inspire others as well.

“This project is a really great opportunity for Illustration students to see their work in action, and I really appreciated getting to meet with and discuss the work hands on with the team at Cramer-Krasselt.”

“This project with MIAD continues to be a highlight of the year,” says Jim Root, Cramer-Krasselt SVP/Group Creative Director. “To see the students’ talent and creativity – their level of composition, originality, use of typography and fresh ideas. They all do a really nice job and stand out in their finished craftmanship.”

Learn more about MIAD’s Illustration major!