E D U C A T I O N :
Graduated from The Rhode Island School of Design in Providence, Rhode Island—received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Illustration; graduated from The Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah, Georgia—received a Master of Fine Arts in Graphic Design.
C U R R E N T :
Associate Professor of Graphic Design at the School of Industrial + Graphic Design at Auburn University
Courtney Windham is a designer, maker, and educator serving as an Associate Professor of Graphic Design at Auburn University’s School of Industrial + Graphic Design. She leads courses in kinetic typography, publication design, interactive media, and branding. Including hands-on design processes with analog and digital mediums through in-class exercises and workshops encourages creativity and professional growth among her students. Her work has been featured in prominent publications, including Graphis Design Annual, Creative Quarterly Journal, GDUSA Magazine, Print Magazine, HOW Magazine, and LogoLounge Vol. 9. Windham’s work in branding will also be featured in the second edition of Mastering Type from Bloomsbury Publishing in 2025.
Windham earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration from the Rhode Island School of Design and a Master of Fine Arts in Graphic Design from the Savannah College of Art and Design. Her professional experience spans roles as a designer with Vista Branding, LLC, in Atlanta, Georgia, and as a package designer for Taylor Box Company in Warren, Rhode Island. She also continues to serve local clients and, alongside her husband Jerrod Windham, conducts custom kinetic mobile workshops through their venture, Counter Balance Mobiles, based in Auburn, Alabama.
Widely recognized for her contributions to design, Windham was named an Educator-to-Watch by GDUSA Magazine in 2017 and awarded the Alabama State Council on the Arts Design Fellowship in 2018-19. Her work has received Gold, Silver, and Merit awards from Graphis Design Awards, IDA Awards, Creative Quarterly Awards, GDUSA Awards, PRINT Regional Design Awards, and the University & College Designers Association Annual Awards.
In addition to her teaching and design practice, Windham is an active researcher. She is co-authoring Discovering the Design Process: Into the Beautiful Mess with Professor Margaret Fletcher, an exploration of interdisciplinary design methods funded by Auburn University’s SEED grant program. Windham’s collaborative efforts with Auburn’s Rural Studio, including a rebranding initiative, have also won awards and received extensive recognition. She continues to collaborate annually with Rural Studio and the Front Porch Initiative to develop communication tools, illustrations, brochures, social media, and more.
Resume / CV
highest honors :
2017—Named an Educator-to-Watch in GDUSA Magazine; View the Issue | View article on GDUSA.com
2018-19—Alabama State Council on the Arts Design Fellowship Recipient and Exhibition; View Exhibit Press Release
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCe :
2010–24 | Courtney Windham Design | Auburn, Alabama; Designer—Branding, Advertising, Web, Motion
2010–12 | Vista Branding, LLC | Atlanta, Georgia; Designer—Branding, Advertising, Web, Motion
2004–07 | Taylor Box Company | Warren, Rhode Island; Package Designer, Marketing Specialist
ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS :
2017–24 | Associate Professor of Graphic Design; School of Industrial + Graphic Design | Auburn, Alabama
2012–17 | Assistant Professor of Graphic Design; School of Industrial + Graphic Design | Auburn, Alabama
international Awards :
2022 | 52nd Annual UCDA Design Competition: Gold Award for Rural Studio Branding & Style Guide Booklet
2022 | Creative Quarterly Journal #67: Winner in Professional Design Category & Published in Journal, Rural Studio Branding & Style Guide Booklet
2022 | Graphis Design Annual: Merit Award for 2021 Graphic Design Juried Student Show Poster Animation
2021 | Graphis Poster Design Annual: Silver Award for 2020 Graphic Design Juried Student Show Poster & Published in the Design Annual
2022 | Creative Quarterly Journal #64: Winner in Professional Design Category & Published in Journal, Graphic Design Juried Student Show Poster
2020 | Graphis Poster Design Annual: Merit Award for 2019 Graphic Design Juried Student Show Poster & Published in the Design Annual
2019 | 49th Annual UCDA Design Competition: Excellence Award for 2019 Graphic Design Juried Student Show Poster
2018 | Graphis Poster Design Annual: Merit Award for 2017 Graphic Design Juried Student Show Poster & Published in the Design Annual
2018 | 48th Annual UCDA Design Competition: Excellence Award for 2018 Graphic Design Juried Student Show Poster
2018 | Creative Quarterly Journal #52: Winner in Professional Design Category & Published in Journal
2017 | Graphis Poster Design Annual: Merit Award for 2016 Graphic Design Juried Student Show Poster
2017 | IDA International Design Awards: Honorable Mention for 2017 Graphic Design Student Show Poster
2017 | HOW Promotion & Marketing Design Awards: Excellence Award for 2017 Graphic Design Student Show Poster
2016 | 46th Annual UCDA Design Competition: Gold Award for Third Thursday Poetry Broadside Series 02
2016 | Creative Quarterly: The Journal of Art and Design, Journal #44: Runner-up in Professional Design Category and Published in Online Gallery
2016 | Creative Quarterly: The Journal of Art and Design / Journal #43: Runner-up in Professional Fine Art Category and Published in Online Gallery
2016 | Creative Quarterly: The Journal of Art and Design / Journal #41: Winner in Professional Graphic Design Category and Published in Issue #41
2015 | Creativity International: 45th Media & Interactive Awards: (1) Platinum Award/Best in Category for Courtney Windham Design Website; (2) Silver Award for Designing Green & Graphic Design Promotional Video
2015 | Creative Quarterly: The Journal of Art and Design / Journal #39: Winner in Fine Art Category and five collages published in Magazine
2015 | Creative Quarterly: The Journal of Art and Design | Journal #38: Runner-Up Award and Published in Online Gallery
2015 | Graphis Design Annual: (1) Merit Award for The School of Industrial + Graphic Design Brochure; (2) Merit Award for the 2014 Graphic Design & Designing Green Poster
2014 | Creative Quarterly: The Journal of Art and Design / Journal #36: Two Runner-Up Awards and Published in Online Gallery
2014 | Creativity International: 44th Media & Interactive Awards: (1) Silver Award for Auburn Graphic Design Tool Share Video; (2) Honorable Mention Award for Auburn Graphic Design Program Video
2014 | 44th Annual UCDA Design Competition: (1) Excellence Award for School of Industrial + Graphic Design Promotion; (2) Excellence Award for Graphic Design Tool Share Multimedia Campaign; (3) Excellence Award for 2014 Graphic Design & Designing Green Poster
2014 | IDA: International Design Awards: Bronze Award for the 2014 Graphic Design & Designing Green Poster
national awards :
2022 | GDUSA Digital Design Awards: Excellence Award for personal portfolio website, courtneywindhamdesign.com
2022 | GDUSA InHouse Design Awards: Excellence Award for Rural Studio Branding & Style Guide Booklet
2021 | GDUSA InHouse Design Awards: Excellence Award for Graphic Design Juried Student Show Poster
2019 | GDUSA InHouse Design Awards: Excellence Award for 2019 Graphic Design Juried Student Show Poster & Published in Magazine
2018 | PRINT Regional Design Awards / Excellence Award and published in the PRINT + HOW book titled “The Best of Graphic Design : The Editors of How and Print Bring You the Year’s Most Important New Work”; Estimated Release Date September 2019
2017 | Graphic Design USA Magazine: Named an “Educator-to-Watch” in the inaugural selection of educators; featured in the article and on the cover of the magazine.
2017 | American Web Design Awards: Excellence Award for Women of Auburn Industrial + Graphic Design, womenofauidgd.com
2017 | HOW Promotion & Marketing Design Awards: Excellence Award for 2017 Graphic Design Student Show Poster
2016 | American Web Design Awards: Excellence Award, Courtney Windham Design, courtneywindhamdesign.com
2015 | PRINT Regional Design Awards (75th Anniversary Edition): Excellence Award for Graphic Design Show & Designing Green Promotion
2015 | HOW In-House Design Awards: Outstanding Achievement Award for 2015 Graphic Design and Designing Green Promotion
2014 | Print Regional Design Awards: (1) Excellence Award for School of Industrial + Graphic Design Promotion; (2) Excellence Award for Auburn Graphic Design Tool Share Campaign
2014 | HOW In-House Design Awards: Excellence Award for 2014 Graphic Design and Designing Green Poster
2014 | American In-House Design Awards: (1) Excellence Awards for School of Industrial + Graphic Design Promotion; (2) Excellence Award for 2014 Graphic Design & Designing Green Poster
2014 | American Graphic Design & Advertising Awards #29: (1) Excellence Awards for School of Industrial + Graphic Design Promotion; (2) Excellence Award for 2014 Graphic Design & Designing Green Poster
2013 | American In-House Design Awards: Excellence Award for 2013 Graphic Design & Designing Green Poster
EXHIBITIONS :
2021 | Jule Collins Smith Museum of Art, Auburn, AL
2019 | Alabama State Council on the Arts Exhibition | RSA Tower Gallery in Montgomery, AL
2019 | UCDA Design Conference Exhibition | Portland, Oregan
2018 | UCDA Design Conference Exhibition | Grand Rapids, Michigan
FELLOWSHIPS & GRANTS :
2021-22 | College of Architecture, Design and Construction SEED Grant
2018-21 | PAIR Grant with the Auburn University Rural Studio; Titled “Communication is Key: Unlocking Home Affordability & Prosperity in Rural America” — Interdisciplinary Team at Auburn University; Graphic Designer on Visual Communications Team
2018 | Alabama State Council on the Arts Design Fellowship
2016 | Auburn University, Daniel F. Breeden Endowed Grant