Watkins Students Shine at Local ADDY Awards 2025

Designers recognized for blending artistry with activism

Belmont's Watkins College of Art students made a powerful showing at this year's local ADDY Awards, with five students collectively bringing home an impressive array of honors. Kaleb Cruz, Izzi Marino, Lainey Holland, Rachel Harrell and Halle Harris all earned recognition from a panel of judges from the industry. 

Cruz, a junior, achieved the remarkable distinction of winning Best of Show — an honor typically reserved for senior-level work. Additionally, he collected Gold and two Silver Awards, along with a Judges Choice recognition. His fellow students also excelled, with Izzi Marino earning a Gold Award and Judges Choice, Lainey Holland securing both Gold and Silver Awards, Rachel Harrell winning a Silver Award, and Halle Harris claiming Gold and Silver Awards. 

The local competition, which features students from Belmont, MTSU, Lipscomb, Nashville State, Austin Peay and Nossi College of Art, serves as a stepping stone to regional competitions and potentially nationals. 

"The bar is set incredibly high for student work selected at these awards," said Watkins Professor Doug Regen. "The judges are industry professionals who provide tough critiques. What was particularly impressive this year was seeing so many winning designs addressing social awareness issues." 

Cruz's Best of Show project was a zine design highlighting hostile architecture — design elements intentionally created to deter homeless populations. "Growing up in both Oakland and Chicago, and living in Nashville now, the homeless problem has always been a prevalent issue, one that has remained consistent throughout my entire life," Cruz explained. "In high school, I wrote a research paper about the phenomenon of hostile architecture, and ever since then I've been aware of how overlooked and urgent an issue it presents. This zine project seemed the perfect opportunity to use design to do something about it." 

For his award-winning project, Cruz not only designed the zine but utilized his own photography. "Considering the nature of the topic, I knew it would be best to keep the design elements minimal and let the photos speak for themselves," he said. "I contained the type to a single spread to provide context to the photos and chose to shoot in black and white to keep the photos visually simple and reflect the gravity of their content." 

Cruz credits his professors at Watkins College for shaping his design philosophy. "Beyond simply refining my visual tastes and design principles, I've been lucky enough to have professors that emphasize the empathetic and human side of graphic design. Dale Addy's design empathy class significantly changed the way I viewed the field and pushed me to consider how my work can make a real impact, and Doug Regen's studios have encouraged me to consider how aesthetic choices can reinforce or subtract from the message I'm trying to communicate." 

Other winning projects addressed important social issues including water conservation and understanding obsessive-compulsive disorder, showcasing the students' commitment to using design as a vehicle for awareness and change. 

Cruz believes design plays a crucial role in addressing social issues. "Especially in the advertising world, design can be a powerful tool to inform the general public. At Belmont, rather than graphic design, we call our major Design Communications. I think this name perhaps more effectively reflects the role design plays in activism. Powerful design is more than just the visual aesthetic — it's about effectively communicating your desired message and feeling." 

Winners from the local competition will now advance to the regional level, with hopes of eventually competing nationally.