Screen Summit 2026

Movies have the Oscars. Music has the Grammys. Comm Lead has Screen Summit.

It’s time for Comm Lead’s annual year-end showcase and awards night!

Each year at Screen Summit, students present their very best work from the academic year to classmates, colleagues, and a panel of industry judges who award cash prizes to winners.

But it’s not just about competition. It’s about celebrating the work of our community, shaped by industry-leading instruction, real client contexts, and the applied practice at the core of our program.

The Categories

Story: Video, audio and written work work built around meaningful narratives. Projects that use the craft of storytelling to inform, move, or change perspective.

Strategy: Campaigns, brand launches, social impact work, and self-driven initiatives rooted in strategic thinking for real outcomes.

Design: Human-centered design work with a clear focus on usability, value, and purpose for the people it serves.

How to Apply

Submissions are open to current Comm Lead graduate students who completed work during the 2025–2026 academic year.

Who is eligible:

• Current Comm Lead graduate students from the 2025–2026 academic year
• Cohort 24 students who completed coursework in Autumn 2025 or Winter 2026 and are participating in the Spring 2026 graduation ceremony — you are still eligible to submit

You must be able to attend in person on May 29 at the UW Club.

Your project must be related to work completed during your time in the program — through a class, Consulting project, internship, or independent study. Projects do not need to be fully finished at the time of application. If your project is still in progress, confirm in your application that you will submit a final version by May 26.

Note for Story category submissions: Audio and video projects will be screened as part of a separate Story Screening event earlier on May 29. Details will be shared after selection.

Frequently Asked Questions

I graduated in Autumn or Winter — can I still apply? Yes. Cohort 24 students who officially graduated in Autumn 2025 or Winter 2026 and encouraged to apply. If you’re unsure whether this applies to you, reach out at commlead@uw.edu.

My project isn’t finished yet. Can I still submit? Yes. A draft or work-in-progress is fine. You’ll confirm in the application that your final version will be ready by May 26. If you don’t have a draft to share yet, note that in your submission form.

Can I submit a team project? Yes, and team submissions are encouraged. Submit one application together with a single primary contact. You may submit one solo project and be attached to one team project, but cannot be the primary contact on both. If a team project wins, the award is split among all listed members — one plaque is given per team.

What happens if my project is selected? Selected students present at a table during the event — 4 minutes or less, in a format similar to a short TED Talk, with whatever visual elements you choose to bring. You’ll have small square table to work with. For Story category audio and video projects, you’ll present at a separate screening event — details shared after selection.

Will there be power at my table? Outlets are limited and cannot be guaranteed. Note your power needs in the application and we’ll do our best to accommodate. We recommend bringing an external battery or extension cable as backup.

When will I find out if my project is selected? You’ll hear from us soon after the deadline on May 20. We’ll confirm presentation timing and setup details at that point.