A Handcrafted Award for Medalists

When the College of Arts & Sciences' eight Dean's Medalists and Graduate Medalists* graduated in June 2025, they were presented with a keepsake to recognize their accomplishment. Past medalists were given a traditional medallion that hung from a ribbon, but this year’s recipients received something more special — a glass bowl, handblown by a team in the College's School of Art + Art History + Design (SoA+AH+D).

“I was thrilled that the medal took the form of a purple-and-gold bowl,” says Jiaqi Cai, graduate medalist in the natural sciences, who earned his PhD in physics. “Having an object crafted by our own School of Art + Art History + Design beautifully reflects how discovery is equal parts science and creativity. It’s a daily reminder of the community that shaped me and my work.”

The pivot to handblown bowls began when the College depleted its supply of traditional medallions. Rather than order more, Harris saw an opportunity for reinvention. She asked Lance Kissler, the College’s executive director of marketing and communications, to brainstorm alternatives. Kissler, recognizing the potential to showcase the talent within the College, met with Annabelle Gould, director of the SoA+AH+D, to discuss possible approaches.

“From the start, the College was flexible on the form,” Gould recalls. “They were open to something other than a traditional medal on a lanyard and suggested that we explore something more utilitarian.”

Gould talked through possible approaches with SoA+AH+D staff members Sean O’Neill, glass instructional technician, and Lisa Geertsen, sculpture instructional technician. “We brainstormed ideas that involved metal casting, 3D printing, and lost-wax glass casting,” says O’Neill. “Ultimately, we arrived at a blown-glass object because it requires fewer steps to produce compared to other processes, and the results feel special.” A bowl, they decided, would be something the recipients could actually use.

Kissler was enthusiastic about their bowl idea. The College’s one requirement was that the UW logo and the words, “College of Arts & Sciences, Dean’s Medal” appear somewhere on the bowl. Gould designed a metal stamp to add that information to the bowl’s foot, the stamp being the only outsourced part of the fabrication process. The College covered the costs for the bowls’ materials and fabrication through the Arts & Sciences College Fund for Excellence, a fund made up of gifts from generous donors.

After producing several samples in clear glass with a purple base, or foot, O’Neill decided a purple bowl would be more striking. He added gold leaf to the foot to include both UW colors. Throughout the fabrication process, using the glassblowing facilities of the School’s Ceramic and Metal Arts (CMA) studio, O’Neill was assisted by Geertsen and Arianna Carr, a graduating senior in the SoA+AH+D 3D4M program. The slideshow below captures the steps involved in creating the bowls.

“Glassblowing is a process that requires years to master, so the ability to design the object, assemble a team, and bring it all together to provide an object worthy of this award was a culmination of years of experience,” says O’Neill. “Getting to put that expertise to use in the [SoA+AH+D hot glass] shop to acknowledge these exceptional students was very gratifying.”

Gould was also pleased to have the School of Art + Art History + Design be part of celebrating exceptional Arts & Sciences students.

“So often awards can be somewhat generic even though what they acknowledge is so meaningful,” Gould says. “We are really happy with the final design and proud that we were able to produce something special at the CMA that will be used by the College. We hope the recipients enjoy their ‘medals’ for years to come.”

Dave Young, dean’s medalist in the natural sciences, with majors in psychology and biology, certainly will. “The bowl feels so distinctly UW and receiving something handcrafted in the School of Art + Art History + Design makes it feel even more personal and meaningful,” he says. “I’ll definitely treasure it.”

* Read about the College of Arts & Sciences’ 2025 Dean’s Medalists and 2025 Graduate Medalists.