Watkins Students Win First Place at Design it Forward Competition

Belmont design students make standout debut in a service-driven competition, taking home 1st and 4th place.

Students from Belmont’s Watkins College of Art recently showcased their creativity, collaboration and professional excellence at the Design it Forward 2025 competition, an annual regional design challenge bringing together students from Tennessee, Kentucky and surrounding states. Two of Belmont’s teams placed in their first-ever appearance at the event.

Design communications senior Naomi Miles noted that Dr. Emmanuel Saka informed the students they would be participating in the competition, feeling confidently in their abilities to succeed. Miles said, “When Dr. Saka tells you that you're doing something, you just go ahead and do it.”

Winning Design it Forward

Hosted at Austin Peay State University Oct. 17, the competition challenged student teams to conceptualize, design and present a cohesive visual campaign for a nonprofit organization within a single day. The event simulated professional design practice, requiring research and quick problem-solving.

This year’s creative brief focused on 3 Friends Animal Rescue, a Clarksville, Tennessee-based nonprofit dedicated to supporting foster dogselmont’s design students approached the challenge with open minds and creative energy as it was their first time competing in Design it Forward.

Centering the Client’s Story

The first-place team, made up of students Fiorella Barrientos, Nina Chounlamountry and Delaney Kelly, focused on using visual storytelling to honor 3 Friends Animal Rescue’s mission and the animals in its care. "Our creative process began with researching the organization, exploring its social media presence and reading the many stories shared about foster dogs and their journeys," Barrientos shared.

Inspired by one particularly moving story of a dog who passed away after surgery, the team chose to build their visual concept around that narrative to highlight the rescue’s compassion and dedication. They balanced a whimsical, welcoming aesthetic that appealed to all ages with messaging that kept 3 Friends’ commitment to doing everything possible for the animals they serve.

“My team focused on getting the organization’s values across while having fun,” said Chounlamountry “By synthesizing storytelling and design, we captured 3 Friends’ dedication to caring for foster dogs.”

Excellence in Art Education

Looking back on the event, students shared that the experience reinforced a core principle their faculty emphasize in class: the most effective design connects with clients and audiences through story. They approached the brief as both an exercise in making something attractive and an opportunity to create work with deeper meaning.​

From initial research to final presentation, the teams continually asked themselves how their decisions would support 3 Friends Animal Rescue’s relationship with its community. They described the day as both challenging and fun, noting that they did not expect to place and were genuinely surprised and honored when their work was announced among the winners.

Dr. Saka commended his students’ growth, professionalism and heart, noting that they should be proud of their work. He said, “Throughout the design process, they demonstrated a sincere commitment to human-centered design — engaging with empathy, listening with intention and allowing both critical and creative thinking to guide their decisions.”

This approach clearly reflects Belmont’s mission to cultivate character formation and support human flourishing through purposeful learning. Dr. Saka emphasized the winning teams’ impactful storytelling: “The fact that their final solution moved the client to tears was a powerful reminder of what design can accomplish when rooted in understanding and compassion.”

This success reflects Belmont’s emphasis on experiential learning, collaboration and service. “In graphic design and illustration, it’s important to balance three things: the needs of the client, visual clarity and your own creative voice,” said Chounlamountry. “Trust yourself and do what feels right for both you and the client.”