The University of Nevada, Reno’s School of the Arts, part of the College of Liberal Arts, proudly announces Alisha Fertal, a drawing emphasis major with a minor in art history, as the winner of the Fall 2025 School of the Arts Sticker Contest. Her playful and nostalgic design, titled “Doodle Dog,” will be featured on stickers distributed across campus and celebrated in School of the Arts promotions.

Selected from numerous creative submissions, “Doodle Dog” impressed judges with its joyful energy. “I imagine Doodle Dog living in a pastel-colored world,” Fertal said. “The bright colors represent positive energy, for both me and Doodle Dog”.

The Sticker Contest invites students from across the College of Liberal Arts to create an original design that embodies creativity, community and interdisciplinary expression.

Initially a spontaneous sketch, Doodle Dog soon developed into a character full of charm and emotion. Viewers have compared the figure’s patterned body to a pinecone or pangolin, a similarity the artist didn’t plan but came to embrace. “When people pointed out those patterns, I looked up a pangolin for the first time and suddenly saw the connection,” said Fertal. “Repetition just naturally finds its way into my character designs”.

A character of comfort and imagination, for Fertal, Doodle Dog is more than a whimsical creation; it represents comfort and nostalgia. “Doodle Dog reminds me of a cartoon character from your childhood, the one you always felt safe around,” she said. “And my love for dogs is practically serotonin for me”.

In her broader work, Fertal continues to evolve Doodle Dog and other character-based creations.

“In my imagination, Doodle Dog has a cloud-like texture but can also take a solid form,” she said. “I’m still exploring how far the character can evolve … Studying, practicing and experimenting constantly helps me build my own style.”

After seeing posters for the Sticker Contest around campus, Fertal finally decided to enter.

“I always try to take a chance when it comes to applying for contests,” she said. “You never know if you’ll get in until you’ve tried”.

Set to graduate in Fall 2027, Fertal plans to continue developing Doodle Dog and experimenting with new media such as oil painting. “My creative goal is simple: to keep making art as I go,” she said. “Doodle Dog will keep evolving right along with me”.

Fertal's advice for fellow students, “Always keep working hard...It may seem hopeless sometimes, but it does pay off.”

The School of the Arts Sticker Contest is now accepting submissions through Dec. 5, 2025. Beginning this year, the contest will transition to an annual event, open to all students in the College of Liberal Arts. Students are encouraged to submit original designs that highlight creativity, diversity and the interdisciplinary spirit of the arts, humanities and social sciences. Winners will receive a $200 commission, 25 complimentary stickers and CLA swag bag, with the selected design featured across campus and online.

Submission details and eligibility guidelines are available on our SOTA Sticker Content webpage.