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JPA Medallion 2025 Exhibition
April 21 @ 12:00 pm - April 25 @ 5:00 pm

Established in 1968 in memory of Janice Peterson Anderson, a 1960 ISU graduate in home economics education, this award is presented annually to an outstanding senior in graphic design, interior design or integrated studio arts who “shows the greatest potential for distinguished work in design.”
One student from each of these departments is first selected to receive the Janice Peterson Anderson Senior Award based on scholarship, creative ability, motivation and productivity throughout their studies at Iowa State. These three finalists then submit portfolios of work for review by an interdisciplinary faculty committee, which determines the medallion winner.
Graphic Design:
Candidate Name: Lamaur Benjamin, Chicago, Illinois
Lamaur Benjamin is a graduating senior in the Graphic Design BFA program. As someone heavily inspired by entertainment and media, he wants to bring audiences memorable experiences by designing with empathy, energy, and a fun approach to all his projects. He has a large interest in building a community that fosters individuality and accessibility. After graduating this May, he hopes to work at a design collective with an energetic and experienced team that he can continue to learn with.
Artist Statement/Description of the work: Print work, Digital media, Student Advocacy, Brand Design, Interactive Design (Web/App design), and possibly apparel!
In my work I really like to focus on “illogical joys”–the things that make people happy without needing a logical reason. Whether I’m designing for a website, printed work, or something as simple as stickers, I always ask; “what does this add to the world?”, and “is engaging with this enjoyable?”. My main goal is to create a more joy-filled and accessible world through design.
Website: https://lamaurb.com/
Instagram: @BoogieBenn
Art and Visual Culture:
Candidate Name: Avery TeSelle, Benbrook, Texas
Avery is a skilled oil painter from the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. She started studying oil painting at 15 years old at the Heritage Hut in Fort Worth, Texas, and is currently finishing her Bachelor of Fine Arts at Iowa State University. She is currently focused on compositions that reflect personal struggles with health and analyze digital social interactions.
Artist Statement: ‘So what, she’s just really good at copying a photograph?’ It’s impossible for me to talk about my work without addressing why I paint the way I do. Much like action painters, I find that the meaning within my work comes from the act itself of painting. I find deep meditation when translating what I see into paint on a canvas. The time, focus, and dedication I put toward a painting feels like the ultimate act of love toward my subject or what it represents. My current focus reflects uncomfortable struggles with my physical and mental health as I navigate getting my degree. Through translating these chaotic scenes into meticulously constructed paintings, I feel as though I’m able to see beauty and deeper meaning within the chaos, and grant myself the forgiveness I need to heal and construct better habits moving forward.
In my painting Chaos, I invite the viewer to reflect on how my room reached this state, rather than immediately passing judgment. The piece depicts my bedside nightstand in a state of disorder, surrounded by objects like a large container of unspecified stool softener and a CPAP machine. I aim for the viewer to recognize these details and question their presence in a youthful space. What circumstances allow for someone to live in such disarray? What systemic factors, such as the pharmaceutical industry, may have contributed to the chaos?
Website: averyteselle.art