By Melissa Alonso | May 1, 2026 - Atlanta, GA
Students from Georgia Tech School of Industrial Design earned top honors at the Southern District Conference of the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA), winning both the undergraduate and graduate categories in the organization’s prestigious Student Merit Awards. Adam Ssaint-Jacque was named the Undergraduate Southern District Student Merit Award Winner, and Ebube Maduka-Ugwu earned the Graduate Student Merit Award, marking a sweep for Georgia Tech in one of the most competitive student design recognitions in North America. “I am incredibly proud of their prestigious awards and of our successful management of the IDSA SD Conference,” said EunSook Kwon, Ph.D., professor and chair of the School of Industrial Design.
Hosted at Georgia Tech
This year’s conference, held April 10–11 in Atlanta, marked the return of the IDSA Southern District Design Conference after several years on hiatus. Hosted at Georgia Tech, the event brought together students, educators, and industry professionals from across the region for two days of portfolio reviews, presentations, and networking.
The conference has long served as a key entry point for emerging designers, offering students direct access to professional feedback and career opportunities.For many in the field, District Conferences have historically been where first jobs are landed, portfolios are refined, and long-term professional networks begin.
The 2026 theme, RE(CONNECT), reflected that mission—reuniting the industrial design community while introducing a new generation of students to the profession. Programming included student portfolio reviews, career clinics with industry professionals, roundtable discussions on topics like AI in design and sustainable innovation, and the return of in-person Student Merit Award judging and presentations.
A Defining Achievement for Students
The IDSA Student Merit Awards (SMA) recognize exceptional student designers across five North American districts each year. Finalists and winners are selected based on a comprehensive review of their portfolios, which must demonstrate strength across the full design process, including research, ideation, prototyping, and final execution.
Jurors also evaluate the quality of thought, visual communication, and the ability to clearly articulate design decisions. “We showed very well this weekend and Adam’s and Ebube’s achievements highlight that fact,” said Kevin D. Shankwiler, undergraduate program coordinator.
For Ssaint-Jacque, the recognition was only part of what made the experience meaningful. “It was a privilege not only to receive this honor at the Southern District Design Conference, but also to continue sharpening my design storytelling skills by presenting my work to so many incredible designers throughout the conference,” he said. He emphasized that the connections made during the event left a lasting impression.
“But more than anything, the highlight of the weekend was the people. Hearing the stories of professionals and students from across the field was incredibly inspiring, and seeing the talent on display from my fellow SMA competitors made the whole experience even more memorable.”
As Southern District winners, Ssaint-Jacque and Maduka-Ugwu will go on to represent Georgia Tech at the IDSA International Design Conference this August in Pasadena, California, where they will be recognized among the top student designers in the country.
Building on Award-Winning Work
Maduka-Ugwu’s recognition builds on work previously featured by the School of Industrial Design, including projects developed in the Design for Climate Action course led by Professor Roger Ball. His Odyssey Flood Rescue Vest, designed to help emergency responders safely carry children through floodwaters, reflects the kind of human-centered, high-impact design thinking emphasized across the program. That work highlights how Georgia Tech students are applying industrial design to real-world challenges.
The Student Merit Awards are among IDSA’s longest-running programs and are widely regarded as a launching point for emerging designers. Winners benefit from national exposure and often enter the profession with strong career momentum.
“Congratulations to Adam and Ebube, and Go Jackets,” Shankwiler said. The recognition marks a strong moment for Georgia Tech’s design community and reinforces the School of Industrial Design’s role in preparing students to lead in the evolving field of industrial design