Make Your Mark: AI Poster Competition - creativity meets strategy in 2.5 hours
A fast-paced, campus-wide poster challenge is calling on creatives to put their design instincts to the test - and use AI with intent. The inaugural Make Your Mark: AI Poster Competition invites students from any discipline to blend AI-generated elements with hand-crafted work and prove the idea still comes first.
The focus: use AI thoughtfully, responsibly, and with a clear concept. Build something original under pressure. Then let the public and a panel of judges decide.
How it works
- Tuesday, March 31, 5-6 p.m. - Optional prep workshop, Steers Pavilion
- Thursday, April 2, 5-7:30 p.m. - Live competition, Schar Hall labs and Snow Family Grand Atrium
- Friday, April 3, 5-6 p.m. - Awards and public voting, LaRose Digital Theater
At the live event, you'll receive a secret prompt and have 2.5 hours to design an original 11" × 17" poster. Each submission must include:
- At least one AI-generated element
- At least one non-AI or hand-crafted component
- A short note documenting how AI supported your process
Posters will be printed on-site and displayed for audience voting during the awards event.
Prizes and judging
Students will compete for $650 in prizes, including awards for the top three posters, a Fan Favorite selected by the audience, and a Judge's Favorite.
- Michele Lashley, assistant professor of strategic communications
- Smaraki Mohanty, Doherty Emerging Professor of Entrepreneurship and assistant professor of marketing
- Lana Waschka, assistant professor of marketing
Why this event matters for creatives
"I'm excited about the Make Your Mark: AI Poster Competition for a number of reasons. One of the biggest is that this is one of the first times the Communication Design program has partnered with Elon AI, and it's been a lot of fun exploring how AI and design can complement each other," said Ben Hannam, associate professor and chair of the Department of Communication Design.
Hannam added that the prompt will spark ideas across majors: "If you drew a Venn diagram, the prompt would definitely overlap with interests in both the School of Communications and the Love School of Business - but honestly, a creative student from anywhere on campus could walk away with the win."
"AI can generate images quickly, but the real challenge is developing a concept and translating it into a strong visual," said Mustafa Akben, assistant professor of management and director of artificial intelligence integration. "The goal is to give students a chance to experiment with emerging tools while still focusing on creativity and ideas."
"Make Your Mark is a great example of collaboration between the School of Communications, the Love School of Business, and the AI Hub," said Sagun Giri, AI Sandbox coordinator. "It gives students a chance to experiment with AI tools, test their ideas, and create something original."
How to stand out in 2.5 hours
- Start with the concept. Write a one-sentence message and design everything to reinforce it.
- Use AI with intent. Generate assets that would be slow or expensive by hand; keep your core layout and type decisions human.
- Show the blend. Combine AI imagery with analog texture, type, illustration, or photography so it feels cohesive - not pasted on.
- Make it legible at a distance. Prioritize hierarchy, contrast, and a clear focal point for an 11" × 17" print.
- Document your process. One brief note about prompts, models, and edits shows how AI supported your idea.
- Design for the room. Public voting favors posters that communicate in 3 seconds - bold headline, clean structure, strong color.
If you want structured practice before the event, explore practical workflows in AI for Creatives or experiment with proven image-generation techniques in Generative Art.
For ethical decision-making in design and AI, review the AIGA Design Ethics guidelines - they're a solid reference for responsible creative work.
Register and details
Ready to make your mark? Complete the online registration form. For additional information, contact Sagun Giri at sgiri@elon.edu.
"At the end of the day, this event is all about having fun, flexing your AI skills, and being creative," Hannam said. "I can't wait to see what students come up with and who emerges as the winners in this head-to-head poster competition."
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