Two KCAI Graphic Design Seniors Named 2025 GDUSA “Students To Watch”
05.05.2025
Graphic Design Seniors Joscelyn Lindsey and Katelynn Stevens were included in the publication’s list—a tradition identifying top students preparing to enter the design scene.
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Image: Joscelyn Lindsey ('25 Graphic Design)
tyler galloway, Professor and Joyce C. Hall Chair of Graphic Design, expressed pride in these students for being recognized on the national stage for their “great thinking and making as designers.”
“sometimes our midwest humility makes us think we can't compete with larger or more well-established schools, but inclusion in the ‘students to watch’ shows that our designers are just as creative, innovative, and capable of success as anyone, anywhere,” galloway said.
GDUSA describes their “Students To Watch” feature as a tradition that “resonates and renews.”
“The students get recognized and the professional creative community gets refreshed,” according to the 2025 article featuring just under 130 students from across the country.
Image: Katelynn Stevens ('25 Graphic Design), Tuftome
Joscelyn Lindsey
Joscelyn Lindsey, a Senior Graphic Design student at the Kansas City Art Institute (KCAI), began her creative journey at a young age, exploring a variety of artistic mediums. “Like many artists, I began my creative journey as a child, exploring every creative medium I could,” she says. Her passion for design grew further in high school when she was introduced to the possibilities of digital media.
“I knew that attending a university in an artistically vibrant city with a rich cultural history would be integral to my journey as a designer,” she explains. KCAI, she adds, has far exceeded her expectations. "I’ve gotten the opportunity to meet countless incredible designers and learn from new perspectives that I could never have witnessed on my own."
When asked what inspires her, Lindsey says it’s the connection she feels with others and the ability to engage selflessly. “Knowing that I can contribute to the meaningful journeys in someone’s life drives me to explore my creative potential,” she shares.
Lindsey is particularly interested in illustration, packaging, and branding design. "I would love to build brands up from bare-bone ideas to projects beyond expectations," she explains. She envisions herself working in a design firm surrounded by creatives with diverse experiences and perspectives.
Reflecting on her time in KCAI, Lindsey notes a lesson she didn’t expect: the importance of relationships. “I never expected the relationships I made to be the most important factor of who I am as a designer,” she says. “I initially expected the lectures and classes to define my education, but in a way, I learned just as much, if not more, from my classmates and mentors."
Katelynn Stevens
Katelynn Stevens, a Senior Graphic Design student at the Kansas City Art Institute (KCAI), draws inspiration from the world around her, from coffee cups to highway signage. “As a graphic designer, I’m interested in how design can change the way people see or feel—whether that’s as literal as creating directional signs or as abstract as conveying feelings of lost nostalgia," she explains. She believes design is most powerful when created collaboratively.
“I want to position myself as a designer who helps people find their way or community,” Stevens says. Her work bridges education, communication, and emotional connection, aiming to reach people wherever they are.
Collaboration is central to Stevens' creative process. "Sometimes that’s a design team I’m working with, or connecting a substack article to a visual aesthetic,” she shares. She enjoys the challenge of bringing together diverse perspectives to solve design problems.
Stevens looks up to her mentor, Lisa Maione, Associate Professor of Graphic Design, for her balance of knowledge, wisdom, and practical artistry. “That balance is something I’m seeking in my own practice,” she says.
Outside of school, Stevens explores various media, like flipping through the New York Transit Authority: Objects book by Standard Manual and listening to Charm by Clairo on vinyl. She is also currently interning at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and has worked with a local elementary school to support education funding.
Reflecting on her education at KCAI, Stevens feels well-prepared for her future. "The opportunities provided by KCAI, like my internship at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and networking through local AIGA and KC Ad Club chapters, have led me to an award-winning portfolio that feels adaptable to the design landscape," she says.
galloway added, “i hope that this will serve as both a big confidence boost and motivator for katelynn, joscelyn, and all of our students to go out and do great things with the skills and talents they're developing at kcai.”
Image: Katelynn Stevens ('25 Graphic Design)