Lukas Kohler, who was a graduating senior from Reading, Pennsylvania, was one of two recipients of the 2025 Rickert-Ziebold Trust Awards. There are seven finalists for this year’s award to be announced on April 13. (Photo by Russell Bailey)
March 11, 2026
Seven finalists vie for SIU’s 2026 Rickert-Ziebold Award
CARBONDALE, Ill. — Seven graduating seniors in Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s School of Art and Design are preparing to compete for the university’s most prestigious art prize — the Rickert-Ziebold Trust Award.
The finalists were announced on March 5 and come from a variety of disciplines — art education, ceramics, communication design, glass, industrial design and painting. The exhibition is from April 13 through April 18 in the SIU Surplus Gallery, 432 S. Washington St., Carbondale. Winners will be announced at 3:30 p.m. April 13. A reception will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. April 17 in the Surplus Gallery, with the awards presentation at 7 p.m. The gallery is in the Studio Arts Building, formerly known as the Glove Factory.
Media Advisory
Reporters, photographers and news crews are welcome to cover the 2025 Rickert-Ziebold Trust Award reception and award presentation on April 17 at the SIU Surplus Gallery. The reception is set for 6 to 8 p.m., with the award presentation at 7 p.m. For more information, contact Sun Kyoung Kim, Ricket-Ziebold committee chair, at sunkim@siu.edu or the Surplus Gallery at 618-453-7548 or sgallery@siu.edu.
Each year, seniors in the School of Art and Design, part of the College of Arts and Media, graduating from the fall semester to the end of the summer term apply for the competition displaying their knowledge gained throughout the years at SIU. The honor includes a substantial scholarship.
For some, it is perhaps their first experience with peer competition and professional evaluation. School of Art and Design faculty judge presentations on the basis of performance and excellence in creative achievement. Past and present Rickert-Ziebold Trust Award recipients reflect the ideals and aspirations of the award benefactors.
Award finalists
The finalists are:
- Zach Abella, glass, Tacoma, Washington.
- Lydia Dowell, industrial design, Columbia, Illinois.
- Naomi Fader, art education, Godfrey, Illinois.
- Kassidee Gabby, communication design, Marion, Illinois.
- Kennadee Gabby, art education, Marion, Illinois.
- Autumn Meyer, painting, Highland, Illinois.
- Olive Vowell, ceramics, Paducah Kentucky.
Longtime award
The purpose of the trust is to promote excellence in visual arts. The award was established by the Rickert family in honor of the late Joseph Rickert, an attorney and former state senator from Waterloo, to encourage young artists. Because of the Rickert family’s “vision, love of art, and confidence in the future,” the School of Art and Design is able to present cash awards annually to Rickert-Ziebold scholars.
Gallery hours
The exhibition in the Surplus Gallery will be open to the public from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 13-17 and 10 a.m. to noon April 18.
For more information, contact Sun Kyoung Kim, Ricket-Ziebold committee chair, at sunkim@siu.edu or the Surplus Gallery at 618-453-7548 or sgallery@siu.edu.