Creativity ignites and drives student success at the Layton Design Studio

Launched in Spring 2025, the donor-funded Layton Design Studio bridges academic learning and professional practice. This new client-focused studio is modeled after a small design firm fully run by creative students that work as a team of art directors with non-profit and business clients alike from concept to execution. In 2023, graphic design alumna Kelly Layton BFA ’90 and husband Brent Layton AB ’89 donated $500,00 to establish the Layton Graphic Endowment. Through this transformative gift, the Layton Design Studio came into existence and continues to exemplify our dedication to experiential education, career readiness, and student success, all part of Franklin’s Academic Innovation Initiative. 

The Layton’s commitment to the Lamar Dodd School of Art ushered in a new era for the graphic design program. The endowment supports a suite of strategic priorities in technology, facilities, and study-away opportunities for students, including the annual NYC Maymester in Design, aspiring pop-up exhibition at Whitespace Gallery in Atlanta, and, of course, their namesake design firm – the Layton Design Studio. Click here to read more