Jackson Designz

Thomas Miller (1920–2012), an American graphic designer, created the iconic Motorola “batwing” logo in 1955 while working at Morton Goldsholl Associates in Chicago. Born in Bristol, Virginia, Miller graduated from Virginia State College in 1941 and studied at the Ray Vogue School of Art, earning a degree in 1950. The logo, designed to reflect Motorola’s modernization, features two contrasting waveforms, sine waves at the base and triangular peaks, forming an abstract “M.” Debuted at Chicago’s Merchandise Mart, it symbolized “sound in motion,” aligning with Motorola’s car radio origins and forward-thinking ethos. The versatile design adapted across international markets and remains iconic, used by Motorola Solutions (blue) and Motorola Mobility (red) post-2011 split. Miller’s work also included logos for the Peace Corps and 7-Up.

I was honored to participate in a panel of distinguished Sidelines alumni to reflect on the real-world skills I developed as a student designer at Middle Tennessee State University. The panel included Sarah Grace Taylor, former editor-in-chief and now with the Nashville Banner; George Walker, former photographer and now with the Associated Press; David Chamberlin, former sports editor and now with the Americana Music Association; and Noah McLane, current student journalist and editor-in-chief of MTSU Sidelines.

This event was both meaningful and inspiring as we celebrated 100 years of Sidelines, honoring its legacy in preparing generations of students for impactful careers in media, journalism, and design.

Enjoying a sunny Saturday afternoon with the kid! First stop, hanging out at brunch with my awesome design student, Synia 👑 who will be graduating from Tennessee State University next weekend! Congrats! 🍾🎉

Big news!
I’m thrilled to share that I’ve been selected to speak at the University & College Designers Association’s (UCDA) 2025 Design Education Summit, MINDFUL. I will be speaking on the topic of Designing with Intention: Reimagining the Role of Design in Shaping K-12 Schools.

It’s an incredible honor to be among such an inspiring group of designers and educators. I’m looking forward to connecting, sharing, and learning with you all in Charlotte!

See you at !