Story from UNKNews
OMAHA – University of Nebraska at Kearney students earned top honors in the 2026 American Advertising Awards state competition, receiving multiple gold ADDYs and special recognition during the event.
Conducted annually by the American Advertising Federation (AAF), the industry’s largest and most respected competition recognizes creative excellence across all areas of advertising and design, with separate divisions for professionals and college students. It’s often described as the “Oscars of advertising.”
The statewide event, organized by AAF Nebraska, is the first tier of the three-level national competition. Local winners advance to district competition, with district winners moving on to the national stage.
Two UNK students were recognized with individual honors at the Nebraska awards ceremony, hosted Feb. 20 in Omaha.
Faith Rasmussen, a senior from O’Neill and a graduate of Chambers High School, received a gold ADDY for “Frostbyte Magazine,” created in the Senior Portfolio and Design IV courses. That project was selected as Best of Show among all student submissions.
She also earned a gold ADDY for “Reverse//Forward Photo Magazine,” a project developed in Senior Portfolio and Photography.
Rick Schuessler, chair of the UNK Department of Art and Design, said the awards highlight both the quality of the students’ work and the strength of the program.
“These awards are significant because they place our students’ work alongside the very best in Nebraska,” Schuessler said. “To earn gold ADDYs and special citations at the state level reflects not only their talent and dedication, but also their ability to create outstanding designs for real-world clients. We’re incredibly proud of Faith, Tia and the entire Typography II team for representing UNK at such a high level.”
