An array of dots and dashes of color that spell CVAD in Morse Code
Thursday, February 20, 2025

GDUSA recognizes two Communication Design graphic designers as "Students to Watch"

GDUSA Students to Watch in black and white lettersOnce again, huge congratulations go to two CVAD students recognized by Graphic Design USA as "Students to Watch." Rachel Blow and Kyla Brown are seniors following the Graphic Design concentration in Communication Design. Since 2022, five additional CVAD graphic designers have also received this honor.

Rachel looks to her left wearing glasses. She has long straight hair.About Rachel Blow

Born and raised in Denton, Texas, by two educators, Rachel Blow grew up surrounded by creativity and curiosity. She says she has always been fascinated by the magic of design and art — and a little obsessed with finding the right typeface for every situation.
 
As a designer, Blow loves exploring how type and meaning interact, uncovering those moments where design speaks louder than words. She currently serves as the secretary of UNT’s student chapter of the American Institute of Graphic Arts, AIGA, where she discovered a vibrant community of creatives who inspire and challenge her.
 
As Rachel prepares to graduate, she is excited to continue growing as a designer and pushing herself to discover new possibilities. More.

Kyla Brown is smiling and facing forward. She has dark curly hair and wears a sweater.

About Kyla Brown

Growing up in Texas, Kyla Brown developed a deep appreciation for illustration and storytelling while exploring the natural beauty of the rural countryside. Spending much of her time outdoors, Kyla honed her imagination and drawing skills, transforming the overlooked into something extraordinary and giving meaning to the seemingly insignificant.

As she grew older and considered various career options, she realized that she could share her love of storytelling and creative problem-solving with a broader audience through design. This realization ignited her passion for the profession.

Today, Kyla enjoys working with custom typography, illustration, publication design, and brand design. More.

Design by Rachel Blow

Craft Ginger Beer design

The word Genesis is in orange type with a blue butterfly.

Design by Kyla Brown

Blue poster of a woman playing pickleball.

CVAD graphic designers selected by GDUSA as students to watch include Keaton Dillard, graphic designer, Right Now Media, and John Paul Nguyen, graphic designer for the Minnesota Vikings, 2024; Isabelle Hollander, graphic designer, Michaels Stores; Mariangelis Pagán, freelancer, 2023; and Ashley Owen, senior UX designer at PwC, 2022. The College of Visual Arts and Design at UNT has been recognized as a Top Design School by Graphic Design USA for 2024, 2023 and 2022.

Since 1963, Graphic Design USA, GDUSA, has been a source of news and information for graphic designers and the broader creative community. They are located on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, New York City, on the same famed avenue and just a few blocks down from where the first edition was conceived and produced.

GDUSA covers news, people, project, trends, technology, products, and services. In addition to the print magazine, the brand now encompasses a 110,000 visitor-a-month website, a monthly e-newsletter, a digital edition of the magazine, and several national design competitions that culminate in showcases of the best in the following categories, Graphic Design, Package Design, Web Design, Inhouse Design, and Health+Wellness Design.

In addition to the Students to Watch initiative, other GDUSA conducts annual recognition of leading Graphic Designers to Watch, Socially Responsible Designers, Top Design Schools, and periodic benchmark reader surveys on the state of print and paper in design, technology in design, design education, stock imagery in design, and much more.

For more information about the UNT CVAD award-winning  program, please visit the Design Department's web page about the B.F.A. in Communication Design Program with a concentration in Graphic Design.