about
at my core i’m a person who loves making things.
growing up in cincinnati, ohio, i had a passion for creation from a young age. in middle school, i began collecting and designing sneakers, which led me to discover the field of industrial design. i was raised a wolverine, so when the time came, i decided to combine my two passions and pursue industrial design at the university of michigan.
at the end of my freshman year i founded mdesign, a multidisciplinary student design consultancy at the university that delivers top-tier design services to organizations in need. through mdesign, i discovered the profound impact good design can have when guided by the right vision.
my goal isn’t just to make things; it's to make things that matter. i’m driven by my vision to join and transform the design industry, making design more accessible and achieving a genuine impact on the world through innovative and thoughtful design solutions.
contact
email - towbinr@umich.edu
instagram - @rossmtowbin
linkedin - ross towbin
experience
mdesign
designumich.org
founder, president
3/2024 - present
founded and led a first-of-its-kind student design consultancy focused on using design to empower its members and the community
recruited and managed an interdisciplinary design team, maintained various accounts, evaluated various design works
idsa, umich chapter
idsa.org
co-founder, vice chair
10/2024 - present
founded and directed the idsa chapter at the university of michigan, recruited, directed, and contributed to the chapter
siim
siim.org
freelance design consultant
6/2024
designed multiple meter boards highlighting the milestones and accomplishments of the himss-siim enterprise imaging community
adhered to strict branding guidelines while offering my counsel in areas I felt could be improved
coordinated and managed meetings to present and receive feedback on various drafts
tedxuofm
tedxuofm.com
creative design team
9/2024 - present
worked independently and collaboratively to design various logos, merchandise, and sets for the annual conference
collaborated with conference speakers weekly to help them develop their ted talks
nedo group llc
thenedogroupllc.com
freelance design consultant
5/2024 - 7/2024
designed graphics for apparel using adobe illustrator to align with client brand identities
coordinated and managed meetings to discuss concepts and revisions, ensuring client satisfaction
university of michigan
umich.edu
work study
2/2024 - present
worked in collaboration with faculty at the power center to construct sets for the various theater productions
design intern
6/2021 - 4/2022
ideated and created nationally exhibited artwork and designs to bring awareness to anti-semitism to and strengthen the jewish community in cincinnati
utilized creative/design thinking to increase teen engagement in the cincinnati jewish community
green umbrella
greenumbrella.org
freelance design consultant
9/2021 - 12/2022
designed multiple pages for a coffee table book titled “cincinnati’s foodshed” exploring the foodshed of the cincinnati region using the adobe creative suite and fusion 360
managed meeting schedules and presented ideas to company executives to address challenges and provide solutions
university of michigan
umich.edu
resident advisor
6/2024
advised prospective design students at michigan on building a competitive portfolio to be admitted into the program
education
university of michigan
class of 2027
art and design, bfa, concentration in industrial design
the stamps school of art & design at the university of michigan offers a four-year program combining rigorous academics with creative exploration. the first year is multidisciplinary, covering broad art and design principles. students then specialize, engaging in advanced studio courses and individual projects to refine their skills and conceptual abilities.
skills
disciplines
industrial design
graphic design
ui/ux design
photography
research
digital
fusion
rhino
adobe suite
webflow
figma
microsoft suite
python
html
java
physical
3d printing
laser cutting
cnc
circuitry
sewing
woodworking
metalworking
honors
eagle scout
troop 674, dan beard council, boy scouts of america
dean's list
stamps school of art & design
provost's advisory council
university of michigan
jain industry partnerships program
stamps school of art & design
© 2025 ross towbin
