Emma Ries, Ryan Gano honored by The Real Show competition

The award-winning work of Emma Ries, left, and Ryan Gano.

Congratulations to Emma Ries and Ryan Gano, who have been named winners in the 2025 The Real Show Student Design Competition. Both are Class of 2026 Graphic Design majors.

Ries is a Gold Award winner for her PSA on banned books, “FReadom”, and Gano was recognized as a winner for his PSA design on a healthcare “Monopoly” parody. The contest is sponsored by AIGA DC/Communication Arts Magazine, and presented by George Mason University School of Art. The Real Show 25 was integrated into PCA&D’s Junior Design Studio II course, taught by Associate Professor Pam Barby.

“I was inspired by the challenge of creating a PSA that could speak to everyone, especially on a serious issue like healthcare,” Gano said. “In today’s political climate, that meant taking a bipartisan approach and focusing on facts to make the message as fair and impactful as possible.” In Gano’s experience, “There weren’t many visual influences for this project, aside from the clear inspiration from the classic Monopoly aesthetic. I also wanted to echo the look and feel of pharmaceutical ads you’d see at a doctor’s office—combining something fun and familiar with the more mundane aspects of healthcare.”

Ries also pulled topic inspiration for her public service announcement project from a list of topics provided by The Real Show competition.