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Thursday, February 26, 2026

Two UNT Communication Design Seniors Named as 2026 GDUSA Students to Watch

National recognition highlights the strength and professional readiness of CVAD designers!
 
Two seniors in the University of North Texas College of Visual Arts and Design’s Communication Design program have been named 2026 Students to Watch by Graphic Design USA, a national distinction recognizing emerging designers poised to influence the future of the field.
 
Sophia Bryant is facing forward and smiling. She has long brown hair and wears a white top.
Sophia Bryant, Communication Design: Graphic Design B.F.A., Class of 2026
For Sophia Bryant and Rebecca Dugan, the honor reflects individual excellence — and the depth of preparation students receive in UNT’s Communication Design program.
 
Bryant approaches design as a strategic act of meaning-making. Drawn to branding and typography, she builds visual systems grounded in research, storytelling and intentional decision-making. Her work demonstrates how clarity and form can shape how audiences understand and experience ideas.
 
Dugan blends digital precision with hands-on experimentation. Concentrating in Graphic Design with a minor in Art History, she moves fluidly between print, digital and analog processes. As secretary of AIGA UNT’s student chapter, she also has embraced leadership, helping cultivate a creative community that extends beyond the classroom into the Dallas-Fort Worth design network.
 
Rebecca Dugan is facing forward and smiling. She has long red hair and wears glasses.
Rebecca Dugan, Communication Design: Graphic Design B.F.A., Class of 2026
Together, their recognition underscores the range of the Communication Design program — from research-driven identity systems to tactile exploration, from studio critique to professional engagement.
 
“This recognition speaks to the culture of rigor and support within our program,” said Hepi Wachter, chair of the CVAD Department of Design. “Our students are challenged to think critically, experiment boldly and communicate with purpose.”
 
Bryant and Dugan’s achievement offers a glimpse of what is possible at UNT. Communication Design students engage in intensive studio coursework, collaborative critique and real-world projects that prepare them to compete nationally before they graduate. Through organizations such as AIGA UNT, internships and connections to the region’s vibrant creative economy, students build professional networks alongside their portfolios.
 
Their success affirms the impact of investing in creative education. National recognition not only elevates individual students but also strengthens the visibility of UNT and the College of Visual Arts and Design as a hub for emerging design leaders.
 
As Bryant and Dugan prepare to graduate, their GDUSA honor marks both a milestone and a beginning — proof that the next generation of designers is already shaping the conversation, and that UNT is helping lead the way.
 

Gallery of Designs by Bryant and Dugan

  • Butter Scotch Pretzel ad
  • Retail fruit labels designed by Sophia Bryant
  • A dark green delivery truck signage design with food icons and FRESH in white letters.
  • Signage on a western-style restaurant called Back Forty.
  • Ads for a special event for the Smithsonian.
  • Products and recipe books for McCormick seasonings.
  • Movie posters in black frames.
  • Collage of Fossil Era products

GDUSA Students to Watch from CVAD

2025
Rachel Blow | Kyla Brown
2024
Keaton Dillard | John Paul Nguyen
2023
Isabelle Hollander  | Mariangelis Pagan
2022
Ashley Owen | Claudia Zelaya

Graphic Design Faculty

Congratulations to the faculty of the Communication Design: Graphic Design program: Whitney Holden-Rush, senior lecturer and program coordinator; Erica Holeman, assistant professor; Eric Ligon, university distinguished professor, alum and senior associate dean for CVAD administrative affairs; David Wolske, associate professor; and Stephen Zhang, associate professor and alum.