Students get recognized at Troy's Art and Design Awards

Troy University’s Department of Art and Design held an awards ceremony for the grand opening of the new exhibit in the International Arts Center (IAC): the Senior Thesis Exhibit on Dec. 11. This semester’s showing highlighted works from graduating students of the 2025 fall graduating class. 

This exhibit showcases the capstone projects of art and design students in the Huo Bao Zhu Gallery. At the ceremony, the Dean’s Award recipient was Maddie Ashendorf, a senior graphic design major, for her project, “Fae Candle Co.” Dr. Greg Skaggs, the head of the Department of Art and Design, told Troy Today that the senior thesis class and the students’ projects reflect everything that the students have learned during their time at the university. 

“It’s a very rigorous class, but because it is self-driven and something they’re very passionate about, there’s a lot of interest to do really well in it,” Skaggs told Troy Today.  

Students got creative with the mediums for their projects. One student, Kaylee Simpson, a senior digital studio major from Enterprise, Alabama, created a video game for her project.

The game is called “Embrace,” and she created it with the intention to help raise awareness for autism. The game is reminiscent of a “spot-the-difference”  and  is designed to help people with stressors often associated with change. 

“My brother and I both have autism, and we just recently moved into our new place together,” Simpson told Troy Today. “It was a lot to get used to the change and stress that came with it, so that’s what inspired this game.” 

Mary Brooks, a senior studio design major from Bay Minette, Alabama, said that this final project was an enjoyable experience, allowing herself to not only grow and learn as an artist, but also as a person.  

She also appreciated her professors during her years at Troy. 

“All of my professors were so kind and gave me amazing criticism,” Brooks told Troy Today.

“They were always there for me, and they always pushed me. I would do it again.” 

The exhibition will be in the IAC gallery until Jan. 25.  

For more updates about the Department of Art and Design, follow @troy_art_and_design on Instagram.