To our CoAD friends, a warm welcome to the Spring ’26 edition of our e-newsletter. I’m delighted to share the excitement that’s palpable in our College of Architecture and Design.
You’ll read about our students’ success as they showcase their creativity through work in architecture, product design, interior design, graphic design, and game design, along with the work our Master of Architecture students are pursuing as they critically investigate the ecology, infrastructure, and complexities of designing data centers. We’ll showcase all of this during ShowLTU CoAD 2026, a three-day exhibition which begins Thursday, May 7. You’re all invited!
CoAD and Lawrence Tech have been honored with our selection as the site of the 2026 ACADIA conference taking place on campus and at various Metro Detroit sites. We’re looking forward to welcoming our architecture colleagues from around the world.
Speaking of “around the world,” six CoAD product design students will have the opportunity of attending and demonstrating their unique design projects at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair in New York this month. Using 100 percent recycled and recyclable HDPE sheets, they researched, sketched, prototyped, and tested innovative solutions that transformed Design Declassified materials into meaningful, sustainable design products.
Of course, I am immensely proud of our students for their grit and innovative spirit. I’m also proud and grateful to our faculty who generously impart their vast knowledge to these students for the future of our profession and for a better tomorrow.
I invite our readers to engage with our college as donors, sponsors, advisors, and internship providers, for the benefit of our students and our profession. I hope you enjoy this CoAD update.
Lilian Crum
Interim Dean and Associate Professor of Design
