Scholar in residence
Ashleigh Axios named inaugural Design Scholar in Residence at University of Arkansas
Ashleigh Axios (front and center) posing with students of Marty Maxwell Lane's (far right front row) course Design, Public Policy and Civic Engagement. (Photo by Henry Nguyen.)
Public Servants founder and CEO Ashleigh Axios has been named the inaugural Design Scholar in Residence at the University of Arkansas School of Art for the fall 2026 semester.
The new residency creates an opportunity for sustained exchange between professional practice and students and faculty at the School of Art. Across three visits to campus this fall, Ashleigh will participate in classes, critiques, conversations, and mentorship, with additional opportunities for students to connect virtually throughout the semester.
At the center of the residency is Design, Public Policy and Civic Engagement, a course created and taught by Marty Maxwell Lane, associate director of the School of Art and associate professor of graphic design. The interdisciplinary course brings together undergraduate and graduate students from graphic design, political science, public relations, public administration, nonprofit studies, and other areas across the university.
That mix reflects something central to our work at Public Servants: improving public systems rarely belongs to a single discipline. Design can contribute alongside policy, research, communications, technology, community expertise, and other forms of practice.
“The school’s commitment to design as a tool for modernizing public services, informing policymakers and bringing communities together closely aligns with my own work.”
Ashleigh’s engagement with art and design education also includes serving on the Board of Trustees of the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD).
Ashleigh’s first visit introduced University of Arkansas students to the many ways design can shape public experiences—from services and communications to participation, policy, and the systems behind them. Future visits will build on those conversations as students develop their own work throughout the semester.
The residency also connects with Public Servants’ investment in emerging practitioners through internships, mentorship, Practice Sessions, and other opportunities that connect learning with public-interest practice.
