TCU Graphic Design Students Connect with Creative Industry at Circles Conference

TCU Graphic Design students connected with creative professionals, explored emerging industry trends and brought new ideas back to campus during the 2026 Circles Conference in Grapevine, Texas.

The annual conference brought graphic designers, creative directors, educators and students for three days of speakers, workshops and networking focused on topics ranging from branding and typography to storytelling and artificial intelligence.

TCU Design participated as a featured event sponsor, providing sponsored tickets for select Graphic Design students to attend the conference in person. Design Focus, TCU's graphic design student organization, also hosted a livestream on campus, expanding access to other design majors and pre-majors.

For Jan Ballard, senior instructor of graphic design, creating access is an important part of preparing students to enter the profession.

“After more than a decade with Circles Conference, I’ve seen firsthand how access to the design community can shape a student’s future,” Ballard said. “Sponsoring several students to attend in person and bringing the conference to campus via livestream access gives all TCU graphic design majors real connections, fresh ideas and a stronger path into the profession.” 

 

Connecting With the Industry
For junior BFA Graphic Design student Gabe Franco, attending in person provided opportunities to learn directly from designers whose work he had followed for years. 
Franco, also a student in the John V. Roach Honors College, participated in a workshop with designer Dustin Cooper, attended sessions exploring artificial intelligence and creative workflows and heard from Torch Creative designers whose careers have included work for professional sports organizations, universities and entertainment brands.

Beyond the presentations, Franco said the opportunity to speak directly with designers and build professional connections was a highlight.

“I connected with Ishmael, the founder of Circles, who, funny enough, is really good friends with my first boss,” Franco said. “We had great conversations, and I made a great connection.”

The Torch Creative presentation also encouraged Franco to think about the longevity of a creative career and the impact designers can build through decades of work.

 

Bringing the Conference to Campus 
Students didn't have to travel to Grapevine to participate. Design Focus's campus livestream created a shared space for students to watch conference sessions and discuss what they were learning together.

Junior BFA Graphic Design student Jasmine Gabriel-Hernandez heard from professionals including Women of Type founder Jess Goldsmith, Passion City Church's Josh Wood and the founders of Fort Worth-based Trust Design Shop.

Across the sessions, Gabriel-Hernandez found recurring lessons about building a sustainable creative career, from making intentional professional choices to understanding the importance of collaboration.

“Design is a team sport, and strong results come from trusting others, understanding your role and working together,” Gabriel-Hernandez said.

The Circles Conference gave students another opportunity to connect classroom learning with the professional creative community while exploring the careers, technologies and approaches shaping contemporary design.