MCC graphic design student wins flood awareness T-shirt competition
An idea inspired by a house surrounded by rising floodwaters earned Meridian Community College sophomore Gage Pendergrass the winning design in an annual T-shirt competition promoting flood awareness.
Pendergrass, a 26-year-old Lawrence native enrolled in MCC's Graphic Design Technology Program, received a gift card for his design featuring the slogan, "Buy Flood Insurance: Wash Away the Storm or Be Vigilant."
The design is printed on T-shirts worn by members of Lauderdale County's Program for Public Information (PPI) Committee at community events to educate residents about flood risks and the importance of flood insurance.
Each year, the PPI Committee partners with local school districts to hold a slogan contest, awarding a gift card to the student whose slogan is selected. The winning slogan then becomes the basis for a design competition among MCC graphic design students, with another gift card awarded to the winning designer.
Pendergrass said he drew inspiration from an old-fashioned model house and the movement of water during heavy rainfall.
"I was originally trying to get water to fly out of it," he said. "But as I was making the flood, I was thinking of how, when it's raining, it's wavy."
He spent about a week developing the design, experimenting with different approaches and working with his instructor to refine elements of the artwork.
Daniel Ethridge, MCC Graphic Design Technology Program coordinator and instructor, said the competition has been an annual project for more than a decade and provides students with valuable experience while strengthening the College's ties to the community.
"It's a really good tie-in to the community," Ethridge said. "We're all about the community and making sure that we're connected and doing things to help the community."
The winning design was selected by PPI Committee members through multiple rounds of voting. Committee representative JoJo Haygood said the shirts will help spread awareness that flooding can affect even those who do not consider their properties at risk.
For Pendergrass, the project offered an opportunity to combine his interest in illustration with a practical design assignment.
"I like the freedom of it," he said of graphic design. "The freedom to work with my imagination and draw. I like the creativity of it."
Pendergrass, who commutes from Lawrence to MCC, expects to graduate in May 2027. He plans to work in graphic design while pursuing a bachelor's degree online and add the winning T-shirt design to his professional portfolio.
For more information, visit meridiancc.edu/graphicdesign.