When graphic designer Rene Zimny began exploring the ampersand as both a typographic form and a theological symbol, he wasn’t chasing awards. He was asking questions—about scripture, about time and about how physical design can slow people down in a digital world.
That curiosity recently earned national recognition from the Baptist Communicators Association. Zimny, assistant professor of graphic design in Samford University’s School of the Arts, received the prestigious Albert McClellan Award for Exceptional Achievement in Print Media & Design for his calendar series Ampersand, making him just the fourth back-to-back grand prize winner in the history of the Wilmer C. Fields Awards Competition.
“I was honestly very surprised,” Zimny said. “I was hopeful to place in that category, but the thought hadn’t occurred to me that there was even a possibility to win the grand prize again.”
The project also received first place in the Print Collateral – Specialty Item category
Ampersand reflects Zimny’s ongoing interest in the intersection of typography and scripture, using the ampersand as a visual connector between biblical text and the passage of time. Designed as a tactile, physical object rather than a digital piece, the calendar invites users to engage with scripture in a deliberate, material way.
“I’d like to think that the aspects that helped the calendar stand out were both the unique approach to scripture and the aesthetic output,” Zimny said. “I spent a lot of time considering the physical production of the calendars. I wanted these to feel and look unique, emphasizing the ampersands with raised UV coating on matte paper.”
That emphasis on materiality was intentional. Zimny believes the project would have lost much of its meaning if it existed solely in digital form.
“While digital media is definitely a driving force in graphic design and communication arts, I do think there is resurging interest in print, analog and tactile artifacts,” he said. “This project would have lost both key aesthetic and functional characteristics if presented digitally.”
For Zimny, national recognition from the Baptist Communicators Association serves as both affirmation and motivation as he balances professional practice with teaching.
“It definitely feels like a validation of my perspective and approach to design,” he said. “It is also a motivation to continue to take on new opportunities that push my craft beyond commercial work, allowing me to explore the line between graphic design as visual communication and graphic design as an expressive art form.”
That mindset carries directly into the classroom. Zimny prioritizes sharing real‑world experience with students, whether through simulated projects or candid conversations about his own creative process.
“One of the things I find most important in my pedagogy is sharing as much real‑world experience with my students as possible,” he said. “I hope that being recognized for my work further validates the experience I bring to the classroom and shows students that growth and creative and intellectual exploration doesn’t stop when you complete your education.”
Rather than viewing the awards as a capstone, Zimny sees them as an open door.
“Being recognized for my work has been refreshing and given me some new energy and motivation to pursue creative work outside of the more commercial work that I typically do,” he said. “I’ve been exploring and considering ways to continue to work on and expand the ampersand project.”
In an industry often dominated by screens and speed, Zimny’s award‑winning work offers a reminder of the enduring power of thoughtful design—one that can be held, felt and revisited throughout the year.
