Office of the President

Holiday card artwork from years past.

Holiday Card Design Contest

Each year, WMU President Edward Montgomery and Mrs. Kari Montgomery invite WMU students to enter their original artwork in a design contest. The winning artwork will be featured on the President and First Lady's WMU official holiday card. Let these images inspire you.

2024 holiday card winners circle

Winner holiday card, named Cup of Cheer. Cup of hot coco, with a candy cane, with a white horse representing steam.

Cup of Cheer

Karissa Varsogea is a first-year student majoring in aviation management and operations.
—First place
Buster the horse on campus, illustration, second prize card winner.

Buster Decked Out

Alicia Schneider is a senior majoring in aviation flight science.
—Second place
Illustration of the Giving Tree on Western's campus. Snowy evening, purple tones.

Bronco Winter Wonderland

Eva Brenner is a first-year student majoring in kinetic imaging.
—Third place
Illustration viewing upward at a horse nose. Horse has ear muffs and a scarf, thinking cloud of the Student Center, text in red Happy Holidays in a script font.

Holiday Thoughts

Cedar Rock is a first-year student majoring in acting.
—Honorable mention

The 2024 Holiday Card Design Contest is now closed. Thank you to all who participated!

Office of the President
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo MI 49008-5202 USA
(269) 387-2351

Prizes

The grand prize winner will receive $500, the first runner-up will receive $250 and the second runner-up will receive $100. The grand prize-winning artwork will be featured on the Montgomerys' official 2024 WMU holiday card and shared with the WMU community, alumni, donors and friends of WMU. The winning artist’s name will also be featured on the back of the card. 

All three prize winners will have their names recognized at a Board of Trustees meeting, and all three designs will be shared on the Office of the President’s webpage.

Theme

Artwork must be the artist’s original work, meaning work that has never been published and is created solely for this contest. Submissions should include one or more of the following themes:

  • Winter or winter holidays
  • Western Michigan University
    • Life
    • Culture
    • Buildings
    • Imagery

Submission may not include:

  • Religious themes
  • Stock imagery
  • Western Michigan University trademarked logos

Contest details

Any currently enrolled WMU student in good standing from any major or discipline or from any campus, whether attending online or in person, may enter this contest. Multiple entries from the same artist are acceptable. Submissions without the completed entry form will not be considered. 

  • Artwork should fit standard card dimensions: 5X7” (or a size that can be scaled to 5x7”). It will mail in an A7 envelope.
  • The maximum upload file size limit is 15 MB. Acceptable file types are JPG, PNG and PDF.
  •  If the artist wishes to incorporate the University’s official colors—brown and gold—they shall use the color formulas found at wmich.edu/brand/visualidentity/color. Logos and University marks may not be used, as WMU will add the appropriate logo to the winning artwork.
  • WMU may alter the submitted artwork to reflect final language, messaging and WMU brand standards and to ensure it meets accessibility standards and other parameters.

All entries will be reviewed by a panel of judges selected by the Office of the President. The final winners will be selected by Dr. and Mrs. Montgomery. Artwork will be judged based on creativity, artistic expression and merit as well as how it applies the contest theme.

Artwork must be submitted electronically with a completed entry form no later than 5 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024. Winners will be selected and notified via email by Oct. 29, 2024. 

Once winners are notified, the original artwork selected must be made available to WMU for print production purposes.

Note: The winning artists will receive an email notification to their wmich.edu email account no more than twice notifying them of their prize, and they have 48 hours to respond. If the winning artists do not respond, they will be disqualified.

Holiday card winner, 2023 art.

"Buster’s Greetings"
First place winner: Alicia Schneider

Runner up winning holiday card, 2023 art.

"Buster Bronco’s Holiday Spirit"
Second place winner: Hope Donovan

3rd place winner, holiday card art.

"Holiday Joy in the Form of Cookies"
Third place winner: Evelyn Labus

Questions?

Contact the Office of the President