UCO Design Students Present Research at International Conference in Rome
March 10, 2026
Two University of Central Oklahoma School of Design students were accepted to present original research at the Twentieth International Conference on Design Principles and Practices held Feb. 25–27, at Sapienza University of Rome in Italy.
Chloe Falls, a senior graphic design major from Edmond, Oklahoma, presented her paper, “The Striking History of Matchbox Design,” which examined the evolution of matchbox artwork and its connections to advertising, technology and shifting cultural value. Gabrielle “Gabbi” Warriner, a senior graphic design major also from Edmond, presented “The Hobo Code: A Language Unspoken,” a study of the pictographic communication system used by transient workers during the Great Depression.
Charleen Weidell, M.F.A., dean of the UCO College of Fine Arts and Design, accompanied the students to the conference in Rome.
“Our students demonstrated not only strong design research skills but also the confidence to share their scholarship on an international stage,” Weidell said.
“Presenting at a conference of this caliber reflects the academic rigor of our School of Design and the meaningful mentorship happening between faculty and students. We are proud to see their work contributing to global conversations about design history and visual culture.”
Both projects were developed in collaboration with Amanda “Mandy” Horton, M.F.A., professor of graphic design, as part of her podcast, “Incomplete: A Podcast About Design History.” The students’ research will be featured in an upcoming season of the podcast.
The International Conference on Design Principles and Practices brings together scholars, practitioners and educators from around the world to explore emerging research and critical discussions in the field of design.
For more information about the UCO School of Design and the College of Fine Arts and Design, visit www.uco.edu/cfad.
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Cutline: Two University of Central Oklahoma School of Design students were accepted to present original research at the Twentieth International Conference on Design Principles and Practices held Feb. 25–27, at Sapienza University of Rome in Italy. Pictured, left to right, are Gabrielle Warriner, a senior graphic design major from Edmond, Oklahoma, and Chloe Falls, a senior graphic design major also from Edmond.
