Select Page

Senior Exhibition 2023: Dominick Streff

Reimagining the possibilities of tabletop gaming, Dominick Streff ’23 (Product Design) is working to revolutionize board game accessibility in his senior thesis, a board game called “Heroes and Hydras.” A tactile and auditory experience designed for people with vision impairment, Streff conducted extensive research and synthesized his findings into a sensory tabletop game.

“Often, we think people who are blind have been blind their whole lives,” explains Streff. In reality, many adults develop vision impairment later in life. “What’s difficult is these people have to adjust to their new life being vision impaired,” he continues. As part of his research, Streff reached out to Milwaukee’s Center for Deaf-Blind Persons to find people to test his game and to speak with a rehabilitation specialist. Streff discovered that learning through games and play is a great way for many people with vision impairment to learn and adapt to their new environment.

After many iterations, including tactile Tic Tac Toe, Streff settled on a Dungeons and Dragons-esque adventure game. “That was where the research went – creating a bunch of different mock-ups and prototypes, trying many different things to see what works and what doesn’t,” says Streff. He cold-called potential users to test his creations and incorporated their feedback to hone “Heroes and Hydras” into its final version.

As a child, Streff loved both drawing comics and inventing things. He was elated to discover product design, a blend of art and engineering, during his high school career. “It was a delight when I was walking through the halls at MIAD,” he says about his first tour of the college. “I really liked that interaction with the students and that positivity of what this major and profession are. I really felt at home.” From extracurricular toy-making competitions to professional and corporate class projects, Streff has honed his interest and skill in product design over his four years at MIAD. After graduation, he will intern with a display and exhibition consultancy to create innovative displays for companies.

“It was quite an experience seeing how MIAD is handling the response to the pandemic, especially with the development of new majors like the Fashion and Apparel Design major and Animation track,” Streff continues. “I’m really excited to see what the new students of MIAD are going to bring.”

Keep up with Dominick on his website and view “Heroes and Hydras,” along with the thesis projects of Dominick’s talented Product Design peers, at MIAD’s 2023 Senior Exhibition from April 21 – May 6.

News

MIAD Sculpture Lab pushes senior’s ‘boundaries of creation’

The transformation of molten metal to solid metal and the opportunity to “experiment and push the boundaries of creation” in the Sculpture Lab at the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD) have always filled senior Caroline Calvano with “amazement and inspiration.”

MIAD Illustration senior weaves Chinese and Western fashion

Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design senior YongXue Hayden (Illustration) believes that “creatives are always the trendsetters of the world. So, in 50 years, I’m sure art and design students will be up on the coolest new tech, fashion trends and latest entertainment.”

MIAD senior’s passion for residential design becomes a career

Sebastian Wohlt’s passion for rearranging the furniture in his childhood bedroom, and occasionally painting a wall, became a major in Interior Architecture and Design – and a professional goal of residential design – at the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design (MIAD).

Bucks partnership with MIAD a slam dunk for Black History Month

When the Milwaukee Bucks chose Black Excellence in the Arts as the theme for their Black History Month game in February, it was natural to continue their ongoing partnerships with MIAD by reaching out to the college for a live art piece to be created at Fiserv Forum.

Two MIAD students finalists for Grilled Cheese Grant

The ninth annual Grilled Cheese Grant finalists include two Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD) students: Stella Kowalski ’24 (Fine Art + New Studio Practice, Illustration) and Makenna Schibler ’25 (Fine Art + NSP). They are two of five finalists who are in the running for the crowd-funded grant.

IMPORTANT DATES

Ongoing
Accepting applications for Fall 2024
Apply now!

December 31, 2023
FAFSA available for 2024-25 school year
Use MIAD's school code: 014203

April 27, 2024
Admitted Students Day

June 1, 2024
Tuition Deposit Deadline
*extended
Pay your tuition deposit