Belmont Design Students Strike Gold with Social Impact Campaigns

Four Watkins artists sweep GDUSA awards while challenging societal stereotypes

Four Belmont students in the Watkins College of Art earned prestigious Gold Awards from Graphic Design USA (GDUSA) for their powerful social advocacy campaigns. Halle Harris, Isabelle Morin, Benjamin DeVerter and Mariah McGuire were each recognized in the Designing for Good category for their work addressing microaggressions in society.  

Creating designs for established organizations like the National Endowment for the Arts and the Independent Women’s Forum, the students worked to develop poster campaigns aimed at communicating organizational missions while inspiring meaningful social change. Their professor, Doug Regen, quietly submitted their work to the GDUSA awards, surprising the students with news of their wins. 

For Harris, the recognition extended beyond the GDUSA honors. Her campaign challenging women's weightlifting stereotypes also earned her the coveted Bill Holley Award from The Buntin Group, one of Nashville's premier advertising agencies. The award, which includes a $4,000 tuition grant and internship opportunity, marks the second consecutive year a Belmont student has received this distinction. 

“My posters fought against stereotypes that discourage women from weightlifting,” explained Harris. “As someone who strength-trains often, I’ve personally experienced the benefits of weightlifting. Through my posters, I wanted to encourage women to try it despite historically negative connotations." 

The success of these students underscores the strength of Belmont's design program and its deep connections within Nashville's creative community. Harris credits her professors for playing a crucial role in her development as a designer. 

"The Nashville design community is incredibly connected, and Belmont professors are always at the heart of that connection," Harris said. "Their expert knowledge and experience are evident in the projects and advice they give. Thanks to my professors, I feel incredibly equipped to begin my career as a designer when I graduate. I truly would not be the designer I am today without their help."