Ayla Taylor spent her first semester of college experimenting with colors, shapes, and fonts for a class assignment. She did not imagine it would lead to winning College of Western Idaho’s (CWI) 2026 Connections Conference Logo Contest, but it did.
“I freaked out,” Taylor said. “I had come home from a long day of work, saw the email, and I screamed. I was so excited. It was exactly what I needed to feel validated and think, ‘Maybe I’m going in the right direction.’”
Taylor, a first-year Studio Art student from Meridian, heard about the logo contest through her Introduction to 2-D Art Foundations (ARTS 105) course. What began as a class assignment became a real opportunity when her instructor encouraged Taylor and her classmates to submit their work for the annual contest. It was Taylor’s first design competition, and she admits she almost didn’t submit until her instructor urged her to take the chance.
“I was nervous,” Taylor said. “This felt like the first step toward something I might want to pursue. I really hoped it would go well.”
For the design, Taylor wanted to create something she would want to wear on a shirt. She worked on it for about a week, stepping away and returning with fresh ideas until she landed on the final version.
“I looked at the theme of ‘Connections’ and thought about it in a way that felt personal and fun,” she said. “I didn’t want it to be too literal, like people holding hands or an outlet. I just wanted something smooth and interesting that had personality.”
The logo selection process begins with an anonymous jury review. Members of the Connections Conference team, including staff and faculty, evaluate submissions, determine finalists, and vote on their favorites.
Her submission was selected from 25 entries, earning her the $400 cash prize. As part of the process, she worked with CWI’s Marketing and Communications team to refine her design and learning how to adapt her creative ideas within professional guidelines.
“It was really helpful to get feedback,” she said. “Working with someone who showed me how my design could be improved was so beneficial.”
Taylor’s love for art has been a constant throughout her life. She has always been drawn to colors, shapes, and creative expression. Now enrolled in CWI’s Studio Arts program, she is refining those instincts and building the skills to pursue graphic design professionally.
Outside the classroom, she spends much of her time climbing, traveling, and exploring the outdoors. As an avid climber and coach at a local gym, she has started to see design in a new way, especially in the gear and clothing she relies on. Her passions for design and the outdoors naturally overlap, shaping her vision for what comes next.
“I’d love to work with a marketing or graphic design team for an outdoor or climbing company someday,” she said. “I would love to be able to play a role in that and have a deciding factor in how the gear looks.”
Though Taylor’s college journey is just beginning, she’s already finding confidence that she’s on the right path. She encourages others to take a chance even if they’re unsure. In her case, submitting a class assignment made all the difference.
“Honestly, you can never know what will happen if you don’t try,” she said. “It’s better to have tried something to find out it wasn’t for you rather than to have never tried at all.”
The 2026 Connections Conference will take place Thursday, April 23.
