On April 29, Endicott College will debut its inaugural Women in Design conference, organized by the Graphic Design and Interior Architecture clubs. Held in the Manninen Center for the Arts from 4–5:30 p.m., the event spotlights and celebrates the impact of women across graphic design and interior architecture.
The conference brings together keynotes, panel discussions, and networking to spark conversation, strengthen connections, and amplify the voices shaping the future of the industry.
The initiative also responds to a persistent gap within the field. While women make up more than 50 percent of design school graduates, they hold less than 11 percent of leadership positions in the industry—a disparity that student organizer Alex Talarico ’26 is determined to help change.
The senior graphic design major originally started the event as a self-guided passion project in her Junior Design Studio II class last spring.
“Seeing strong female designers in leadership roles is incredibly inspiring, not only to me but also to other up-and-coming creatives. I wanted to build a whole world around this idea and place these women on a pedestal that is so well deserved,” said Talarico.
With the help of Juan Carlos Morales, Associate Professor of Graphic Design, Talarico was able to evolve her project into something much bigger.
“Recognizing this disconnect emphasized how important it is to share the stories, perspectives, and backgrounds of women who have reached those leadership roles,” she said. “Although my project wasn’t initially intended to become a conference, when the opportunity arose, it became clear that there was a need for a larger platform and one that could boost these voices and create space for conversation.”
Bringing Women in Design to life has been a true team effort, built on collaboration, organization, and strong support from across the Endicott community. While the visual identity originated from Talarico’s initial personal project, the scope quickly expanded beyond what one person could accomplish alone.
Eight additional student leaders are contributing to the planning and execution of the conference: Haley Stefaniak ’26, AnnMarie Sullivan ’27, Emma Colonna ’27, Sophia Harma ’28, Gretchen Davis ’27, Molly Tharrett ’27, Haiden Hesse-Stromberg ’27, and Lauren Squibb ’27.
“Faculty participation and excitement have given the other student leaders and me the tools and encouragement needed to take this idea beyond the classroom to a professional level,” said Talarico. “From connecting us with professionals in their networks who will attend the conference to helping expand beyond the VPAC and get interest across other areas of study, their involvement has been wonderful. I’m excited to see it come to life and hopefully continue to grow beyond my time at Endicott.”
The event is free and open to the public.