Morningstar & UIC Announce Inaugural Design Scholars and Faculty
Left to Right: UIC College of Architecture, Design, and the Arts Dean Rebecca Rugg, Gelxi Ventura, Isabelle Dizon, UIC School of Design Director Anne H. Berry, Emeritus Professor Philip Burton, Ava Mullen, Beth Martini, and Morningstar Design Faculty Scholar Rafael Barontini. (Photo credit: Grace Spee)
Chicago, IL (February 12, 2026) — The University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) and Morningstar, Inc. today announced the inaugural recipients of the Morningstar Design Scholarship and the appointment of the first Morningstar Design Faculty Scholar, marking a significant milestone in their ongoing collaboration to advance design education and professional practice.
Empowering the Next Generation of Designers
The Morningstar Design Scholarship Fund, established through a $1 million commitment from Chicago-based philanthropists Joe and Rika Mansueto and Morningstar, supports undergraduate students in the School of Design at UIC’s College of Architecture, Design, and the Arts. This year, four exceptional students have been selected as the inaugural scholarship recipients:
- Isabelle Dizon (BDes Graphic Design ’26)
- Beth Martini (BDes Graphic Design + Industrial Design ’26)
- Ava Mullen (BDes Graphic Design ’26)
- Gelxi Ventura (BDes Graphic Design ’26)
These students exemplify the creativity, rigor, and potential that the Morningstar Design Fund seeks to nurture, helping to ensure that the future of design is inclusive, innovative, and impactful.
Introducing the Morningstar Design Faculty Scholar
UIC and Morningstar also named Rafael Barontini as the inaugural Morningstar Design Faculty Scholar. Barontini, a Visiting Associate Professor in Graphic Design at UIC, holds both a bachelor’s degree in fine arts and a master’s degree in design from the university. His work spans typography, collage, and visual semiotics, and he brings a systemic, client-centered approach to design across platforms.
Barontini’s professional portfolio includes collaborations with Adobe, Google, Glassdoor, YouTube, VMware, and Pinterest. His work has been recognized by AIGA, Interior Design, and SEGD design awards. As Faculty Scholar, Barontini will bridge academic research and industry practice, continuing the legacy of Philip Burton, founding chair of the UIC Graphic Designprogram and Morningstar Design Fellow.
A Legacy of Innovation and Collaboration
Since 1992, UIC and Morningstar have teamed up to explore the intersection of design and data. This collaboration has grown through initiatives like the Visiting Scholar Program and Morningstar internships for UIC engineering students through Break Through Tech Chicago. Today, Morningstar is the largest employer of UIC School of Design graduates.
“This next chapter in our relationship with UIC is about investing in the people—students and faculty—who will shape the future of design,” said David W. Williams, chief design officer at Morningstar. “We’re thrilled to welcome Rafael and celebrate the achievements of our inaugural scholars.”
Rebecca Rugg, dean of the College of Architecture, Design, and the Arts, added, “This announcement reflects the power of public-private collaboration to transform education and practice. We’re proud to collaborate with Morningstar in supporting our students and faculty.”
Anne H. Berry, director of the School of Design, said, “The Morningstar Design Fund is already making a profound impact. These scholarships and the faculty appointment are just the beginning of a new era of opportunity and innovation.”
About the College of Architecture, Design, and the Arts
As the home of the arts and design at UIC, the College of Architecture, Design, and the Arts is one of the most dynamic learning and research environments in the United States in these fields. Across its 70-year history, the college has evolved to become a leader among academic programs in architecture, art, art history, design, museum studies, music and theatre. It leverages its location in Chicago, a global destination for the arts and design, through in-situ learning, practice, and relationships with significant cultural institutions including the Art Institute of Chicago, Steppenwolf Theatre, the Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts, and the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago. The college offers 16 undergraduate degree programs and nine graduate degree programs, including a master’s degree in architecture, that provide specialized disciplinary education in the arts and design within the broader context of liberal arts courses UIC offers.
About Morningstar, Inc.
Morningstar, Inc. is a leading provider of independent investment insights in North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia. The Company offers an extensive line of products and services for individual investors, financial advisors, asset managers and owners, retirement plan providers and sponsors, institutional investors in the debt and private capital markets, and alliances and redistributors. Morningstar provides data and research insights on a wide range of investment offerings, including managed investment products, publicly listed companies, private capital markets, debt securities, and real-time global market data. Morningstar also offers investment management services through its investment advisory subsidiaries, with approximately $369 billion in AUMA as of Sept. 30, 2025. The Company operates through wholly-owned subsidiaries in 32 countries. For more information, visit www.morningstar.com/company. Follow Morningstar on X @MorningstarInc.
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Morningstar, Inc.
Stephanie Lerdall
Stephanie.Lerdall@morningstar.com