By Sheri Selph

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Students in Middle Tennessee State University’s Department of Art and Design earned recognition at both the Nashville American Advertising Awards and the American Advertising Federation District 7 ADDY Awards, collecting multiple gold ADDYs, Judges’ Choice honors and the 2026 Rising Star of the Year award.

Graphic design students and faculty attended the Nashville ADDY Awards recently, where MTSU students earned 10 total honors, including five Gold ADDYs, one Silver ADDY, three Judges’ Choice awards, and the Rising Star of the Year award, which included a $500 scholarship.

Presented annually by the American Advertising Federation, the ADDY Awards recognize top creative work in advertising, branding, illustration, print, and digital media. This year’s Nashville competition received 112 entries, with only 23 earning gold or silver recognition.

MTSU students accounted for 25% of all ADDYs awarded in the competition and earned three of the event’s six superlative honors, more than any other Nashville-area educational institution.

“These awards reflect the creativity, professionalism and dedication our students bring to their work every day,” said Department of Art and Design Chair Jimmy Mumford. “Our faculty continue to challenge students to think critically and produce professional-level work across a wide range of disciplines. We are proud to see their talent recognized throughout the region.”

Several Nashville-winning projects advanced to the AAF District 7 ADDY Awards, held May 15-16 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, where student work from Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi competed at the regional level.

Among the district honorees was Lila Gordon, whose “Skullcrusher Skateboard Deck” earned a District Gold ADDY in the Illustration category after also receiving a Gold ADDY and Judges’ Choice award in Nashville.

2025-26 Nashville ADDY Award winners

Rising Star of the Year

• Sarah Kestila

Gold ADDY and Judges’ Choice, Illustration

• “Skullcrusher Skateboard Deck” by Lila Gordon

Gold ADDY, Integrated Brand Identity Campaign

• “Yard Work” by Sarah Kestila

Gold ADDY, Integrated Brand Identity Campaign

• “Ingrained Exhibit Campaign” by Harleigh Butler, Anna Henderson and Katherine Wirey

Gold ADDY, Special Event Materials

• “The Lexiconian” by Sarah Kestila, Madison Eddins, Tonyara Wilson, Savannah Harden, Laney Smith and Luke Byrum

Gold ADDY and Judges’ Choice, Social Media Single Execution

• “Beyond the Tape Social Media Art” by Miranda Pedigo

Silver ADDY and Judges’ Choice, Product or Service Sales Promotion Packaging

• “Infernal Indulgence Chocolates” by Taylor Lowrance

2025-26 District 7 ADDY Award winners:

Gold ADDY and Judges’ Choice, Illustration

• “Skullcrusher Skateboard Deck” by Lila Gordon

District ADDY Gold winners advance to the national American Advertising Awards competition, the final tier of the American Advertising Federation’s three-stage competition recognizing creative excellence in advertising and design.

— Sheri Selph (sheri.selph@mtsu.edu)