Gardner Design Brings Their Creative Spark to Design Students

This past Saturday, the Gardner Design crew rolled up ready to inspire at AIGA Wichita’s 2025 Student Portfolio Forum.

Third- and fourth-year students from Wichita State University, Friends University, and McPherson College gathered for a day packed with portfolio reviews, creative wisdom, and a whole lot of design energy.

Ellen Youngman stole the spotlight during her breakout sessions, where she shared real-world branding case studies, dished out honest and helpful design advice, and left students feeling fired up about their futures in the field. Her sessions were a highlight of the day.

Meanwhile, Jay Walter, Isaiah Hopper, and Tyler Frisbee jumped into portfolio reviews, giving thoughtful feedback and encouragement to students ready to step into their design career.

And to top it all off, Bill Gardner brought his signature magic (in more ways than one) to the keynote stage, diving into logo trends, design trajectories, and a few surprises along the way.

All in all, it was a day full of connection, creativity, and community—and a great reminder of why the Wichita design scene is something special.