When first-year student Ali Wolf received a message from her mom encouraging her to enter a design for the recent Indiana University Bloomington Student-Designed T-Shirt Contest, she said she never expected to win. Now, her winning shirt design is available for purchase in the IU Bookstore, in person and online.

“I was surprised that I won, but I was even more surprised when I found out I was a finalist,” Wolf said. “I’m very excited and happy.” Self Design T Shirt

Indiana University freshman Ali Wolf wears the winning T-shirt she designed inside the IU Bookstore in the Indiana Memorial Union. Photo by James Brosher, Indiana University

The contest was created through a partnership between the IU Bookstore, the Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture + Design and the Office of Business Partnerships.

“The competition provides a wonderful opportunity for our students to engage with the bookstore and share their creative design ideas and passion for IU,” said Valerie Gill, associate vice president for the Office of Business Partnerships.

Wolf’s design garnered nearly 60 percent of the online votes. Along with the pride she feels having her design on the bookstore clothing racks, Wolf takes home the top prize of a $250 bookstore gift card.

Wolf broke the good news of her win to her family when she returned home to Illinois for Thanksgiving break. Growing up in Evanston, she said she always enjoyed her art classes. As a studio art graphic design student in the Eskenazi School, Wolf is honing her skills in preparation for her dream to one day open her own design business.

“The things I have learned in my classes so far have definitely helped,” Wolf said. “I feel like I have expanded my creative palette and really know what catches people’s eyes.”

Wolf said she enjoys the flexibility that comes with combining art and technology in her graphic design courses. Her lessons on the elements and principles of art and design, along with her artistic intuition, helped her create her T-shirt.

“During the process of my design, I was thinking about what I would want to see when I walk into the bookstore,” Wolf said. “I wanted my design to be fun and have a sense of movement and flow.

“It was hard to come up with a unique idea only using one color. I tried different variations, and after lots of changes I finally came up with my final design.”

Tee Shirt Creator The second- and third-place winners, junior Melina Bielski and first-year student Yonevea Sapcut, also received gift cards. All individuals who submitted a design will receive a 25% discount on one bookstore item.