(CSU News) Jo Hsuan Huang, a student in the Department of Digital Multimedia Design at Cheng Shiu University, won first place in Taiwan in the Graphic Design category of the 2026 Adobe Certified Professional (ACP) National Competition and will represent Taiwan at the ACP Global Championship in California, United States, in July. On the afternoon of the second of this month, Excellence Cheng Shiu Podcast invited Huang and her advisor, Chih Wei Wu, to share her journey from pursuing design and preparing for the competition to winning the championship, as well as her expectations and goals as she prepares to compete on the global stage.

During the program, Huang shared that she had enjoyed drawing since childhood and chose to pursue design when entering senior high school based on her family’s advice. After entering the design program, however, she found the coursework and creative training more demanding than she had anticipated. The pressure once made her consider giving up, but whenever her work received recognition from her instructors or she had opportunities to discuss her creative concepts with visitors at exhibitions, she gained a greater appreciation of the value of design and became even more determined to continue pursuing design and creative work.

Speaking about winning first place in the ACP Graphic Design category, Huang said that her initial reaction was one of shock and excitement. It was not until she stood on the awards stage that she truly believed she had won the championship. For Huang, the championship represented far more than the outcome of a competition. It was also recognition of her years of sustained effort and perseverance. She also shared that success in the ACP competition depends primarily on strong foundational skills, including proficiency in software such as Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop, layout design, layer management, and design logic, rather than simply pursuing dazzling visual effects.

Huang noted that she played an important role on the visual design team for her graduation project during college, which allowed her to accumulate substantial practical experience in graphic design and brand visual design. She also developed the habit of regularly collecting design examples, analyzing layouts, and studying outstanding works. As a result, when she received the competition assignment, she was able to rapidly establish a design direction and complete her work. These practical experiences laid a strong foundation for her championship-winning performance.

Advisor Chih Wei Wu stated that the defining feature of the ACP World Championship Graphic Design Competition is that the entire competition is conducted through on-site practical work. There are no previous competition questions for reference, and contestants are not permitted to use any online materials. Within a limited timeframe, contestants must simultaneously develop creative concepts, design layouts, plan color schemes, and operate the required software, comprehensively testing both their design capabilities and ability to respond under pressure. This year marked the first time the Department of Digital Multimedia Design at Cheng Shiu University formed a team to participate in the competition. All five participating students successfully advanced to the finals, with Huang ultimately distinguishing herself from the other contestants and winning first place nationwide, demonstrating the students’ solid professional expertise.

As Huang prepares to represent Taiwan at the global finals in the United States, she noted that this will be both her first trip abroad and her first visit to the country. Although she remains slightly nervous about the unfamiliar environment, language, and food, she is even more excited about the opportunity. She hopes to engage with contestants from around the world, broaden her global perspective, gain valuable experience, and perform at her best on the international stage while showcasing the design capabilities of students from Taiwan.

For more exciting content, tune in to the Excellence Cheng Shiu Podcast.