Whakanuia, is a 32-page magazine comprised of written articles, design spreads, and images as a memento for this cohort of grads.
Behind the scenes, three Bachelor of Design Innovation graduates, Ike McDonald, Ruby Crossan, and Eri Lovegrove brought this idea to life alongside creative agency Ocean Design.
All three graduates majored in communication design and will be walking on the stage at May Graduation in 2026.
Ruby and Ike were both doing an internship with Ocean Design after completing their final year capstone project. As part of the capstone, students have to submit their projects to publications and employers, giving their hard work practical applications.
When briefed by the University to create this publication, Ocean Design’s director Blair Mainwaring said he knew it was the perfect opportunity to give the interns their first paid contract working for a client, commissioned separately to their internships.
“There were definitely lots of highlights,” says Ike, who designed the WOWing the judges with the joy of flight, Fridgeworthy moments, Manaakitanga making a difference, and Fit check pages.
“When I first got there, I felt like I was way out of my depth until a few days later, when Ruby came in. I felt a lot better about it because we're in the same boat.”
Ike snuck in odes to Wellington on the pages he worked on, such as the David Bowie mural seen on Ghuznee street, and the infamous PORKE tag scattered throughout and beyond the city.
“I learned a lot in the span of two weeks around editorial design and workflows—you have to be pretty fast when you're in that environment.”
Throughout high school, Ike was initially interested in painting and drawing.
“I didn't study design in high school, so I was coming into it with nothing. I struggled in the first and second year to really wrap my head around what makes a good design.
“I was lucky to have good tutors who really went in depth about what makes a good design or animation.”
Ruby joined the project not long after Ike.
“I thought he was working so fast. I was like, I need to catch up, I can't be a slow graduate,” says Ruby.
“It wasn't a competition, but just wanting to get better in a really like small amount of time.”
Ruby worked on the front cover, and the contents, introduction, Class of 2025, Rock climbing steps out of the shadows, Not your average vending machine, and Wellington my editor pages.
For the contents page, she captured the miscellaneous bits-and-bobs often taken from place to place in the bottom of student's pockets.
“I literally just asked everyone in the office for stuff out of their pockets.”
The post-it note in the top corner of that page was a to-do list Ruby had already made for that day, such as asking Ike for the brushes he uses in procreate.
“Ocean was so lovely, helping with even the smallest of questions. They really guided us through everything.
“We would submit ideas, we'd print out these ideas for spreads, and they would go through every little thing and say what was good, what needed to be worked on, and what needed to be scrapped.”
Ruby initially came to Te Herenga Waka to pursue a more traditional medium of art such as painting or photography.
"That's when I realised that all art doesn't have to be oil paintings. Those first-year classes really opened me up to what design could be. It's not just one thing, it's storytelling and in really any media.”
The making of a graduate illustration
When it came to the centrefold illustration of Whakanuia, Eri came prepared after being recommended to Ocean Design by one of her lecturers, Dylan Horrocks.
Eri's commissioned piece, The making of a graduate, depicts the many stages of student life in the windy capital.
“I felt really honoured that I got to make a piece like this for graduation, it's a big celebration that a lot of people are going to attend. Hopefully it summarises the experience of being a student.”
Eri is currently working for Te Herenga Waka Centre for Justice Innovation as an illustrator and designer.
“Illustration is definitely what clicks for me the best. I love being able to use my creativity in that way.”
A second-year course in illustration solidified her interest in the field.
“Before then I wasn’t really aware it was a niche that I could pursue if I took it seriously. That class opened my eyes to the different ways you can take illustration and how you can express your ideas through it,” says Eri.
Whakanuia is now available around the University, and all grads who attended 2025 December graduation received one as they collected their tickets.
Find out more about studying a Bachelor of Design Innovation at Te Herenga Waka.