In early June, Walla Walla University’s Department of Technology hosted their annual Product Design Showcase: Flow of Innovation. This year, however, they increased the event’s scale, devoting an entire 10-week class towards organizing, marketing, and hosting it.
The Environment Design class primarily focused on creating spaces and experiences that connect users to their environment. Under the instruction of Jefre Humbert, professor of product design, and Josie Henderson, assistant professor of product design, 10 designers completely transformed the Canaday Technology Center’s Woodworking Lab. They showcased the work of all levels of designers, from lower-division classes like Design Principles to upper-division classes like Senior Project Studio.
Maria Larison, sophomore product design major and showcase designer, said this project taught her to expect complications and how to quickly recover from them. Throughout the process, she grew more confident in her abilities to adapt and develop time-sensitive solutions.
She chose to display a variety of past works, including two of her process books, a 3D-printed toy plane, and a laser-cut vinyl trophy.
Another Environment Design student, Angel Molina, found that her favorite part of this project was the freedom of expression. This was her first opportunity to contribute to the design of a publicly viewed curation, and the specific exhibit she and her partner, Megan Rickaby, worked on was “definitely a passion project for me!”
Molina chose to display the replica of the Port of Carthage that she and three others created: “It’s so grandiose that I wanted to make sure it was shown off in all of its 6+ feet of glory.”
Long before the showcase took place, Larison found that she most enjoyed the ideation phase. “It was fun coming up with ideas and then classmates adding onto them or objecting to them. We all got to see how each other worked creatively.”
“I hope that visitors left feeling impressed and inspired!” said Molina. At the start of the quarter, the class discussed what they hoped visitors would take away from their experience, and all agreed that they hoped to inspire them to create for themselves.
“The beauty of product design is not just producing ergonomic and attractive products, but improving what is already existing,” said Molina. “This quarter, we took our Woodworking Lab and transformed it into an exhibit that (hopefully) made you forget that you were even in the CTC. I hope that more people begin to see just how rich the potential is in transforming their own spaces and everyday lives.”
To learn more about studying product design at WWU and keep up with future events like this one, visit wallawalla.edu/technology.
Posted July 8, 2026.
