Each year, DCC hosts the annual First Family contest, which randomly groups the entire student community into five "families"—Cactus, Ivy, Lotus, Maple, and Willow—for a spirited, friendly competition to encourage creative expression, social connection, and community engagement. 

The First Family contest kicks off at the end of our annual Welcome Weekend activities, each August/September. Students are empowered to earn Family points throughout the year by attending DCC events; visiting the DCC Makerspace and Sound Studio; enrolling in workshops and Design Camps; participating in Design Challenges; participating in admissions/recruitment activities each Spring; and more. Points are tracked by DCC staff; family standings and current point totals are shared on a monthly basis via the DCC newsletter.

The First Family contest ends on April 30; the winning family who has earned the most points throughout the year is announced at the annual Capstone Fair.

The DCC First Family contest also bestows individual awards to the top 5 most engaged students, regardless of family affiliation, each year. These students receive exciting prize packs—which typically include limited-edition DCC apparel and merchandise; creative tools and supplies; and special gifts—at the annual Capstone Fair. 

Each Spring, DCC awards approximately $1200-$1500 in seed grant funding to support the development of second-year students' Capstone projects. These funds are provided to help students acquire project materials or software licenses/subscriptions. 

All DCC students are eligible to receive seed grants if they submit a complete Capstone project proposal in HDCC201. Students who are seeking seed grants should pay particular attention to developing a thorough, thoughtful, and accurate Budget section of the project proposal.

When evaluating proposals, DCC program staff and HDCC209 instructors further consider: 

• Whether the student offers clear and compelling justification for the project's importance and impact for a clearly defined community of interest
• The urgency or necessity of financial support for the successful execution of the project
• The demonstrated potential for both the student and project to be a positive, impactful representation of DCC to a broader audience, both on- and off-campus
• How seed grant projects demonstrate the diverse range of creative activities and interests among our LLP community

DCC program staff and HDCC209 instructors typically deliberate seed funding decisions during winter break and announce seed grant winners at the start of each Spring semester. Once announced, funds are distributed directly to students via their university bursar's account within 6 weeks.

Each Fall, DCC awards five Capstone Awards to recognize exemplary projects from the previous Spring semester. One of the five awards is particularly designated for the most outstanding work in pursuit of anti-racist justice.

Each Capstone Award is accompanied by a $500 prize, distributed directly to the students' university bursar's accounts.

All DCC students who present a Capstone project at the annual Capstone Fair are eligible to receive a Capstone Award. No separate application is necessary.

When evaluating projects, DCC program staff and HDCC209 instructors consider: 

• The project's importance and impact for a clearly defined community of interest
• The overall quality of the project, with particular attention paid to artistic or technical difficulty; intellectual rigor; novelty; and creative risk/experimentation. 
• Incorporation of sustainable and ethical practices in design, implementation, and production
• The maker's authentic and thoughtful engagement with the creative process, as documented through their meaningful participation in HDCC209 and all required assignments
• The potential for the project to extend into the maker's future creative, academic, or professional work 
• The overall character of the project and its maker(s), as a representatives of the DCC program to a broader audience, both on- and off-campus

DCC program staff and HDCC209 instructors typically deliberate Capstone Award decisions during summer break and announce winners at the start of each Fall semester. Winners are required to present their project to a public audience at the annual DCC Capstone Awards Ceremony, held each October.

Congratulations to our recent DCC Capstone Award winners:

• Chisomebi Agwu, "Descend into the Sunken Place" (2021)
• Michelle Akem, "Dialectable" (2024)
• Rita Booth, Jade LeSchack, and Jedi Kouadio, "Black Creatives Matter" (2023)
• Sam Collins, “Clementine" (2022)
• Faith Comising & Gabrielle Hester, "The Petal Project" (2024)
• Andrei Davydov, "AR Asa: An Augmented Reality Dating Simulator" (2023)
• Jamin Day, "Fish FM" (2024)
• Dasi Fienking, "creativity (n.)" (2024)
• Tyler George, "A Historical Regeneration" (2023)
• Ayelette Halbfinger, "Kosher Food Expansion" (2021)
• Madelyn Harris, for "Black Grief Matters" (2021)
• Jasmine Heminger, "Sculpting Wildfire" (2023)
• Roshida Herelle, "The Place Keeps the Score" (2024)
• Priya Kalla & Maya Lee, "See Us, Hear Us" (2021)
• Emily Kombe, Ayana Moses, Angela Pina Muñoz, "Reduce, Reuse, Refashion!" (2021)
• Corinne Martin, "Mend the Gap" (2022)
• Elyas Masrour, “Project Lonelier Nights” (2022)
• Madison Mohan, “Historical Accuracy vs. Originality: An Exploration Through Costume Design for All the Light We Cannot See” (2022)
• Bryant Rivera Cortez, "The HorCHATa Podcast" (2023)
• Aadya Sharma, "CANDID: Unmask Yourself" (2021)
• Emily Sheridan, “Don’t Rebel: A Modern Dance Film" (2022)

Each Fall semester, DCC selects an extraordinary student alum who exemplifies the program's loftiest ideals and values to receive our program's Portz Outstanding Student Award. The award is bestowed and celebrated at the semi-annual Honors College Citation Ceremony, held in November, and is accompanied by a $150 prize. 

All DCC students who have successfully completed all program requirements (16 credits, overall UMD GPA of 3.2 or higher, Capstone project) and earned their Honors Citation are eligible to receive the Portz Outstanding Student Award. No application is necessary.

When deliberating Portz Outstanding Student Award candidates, DCC program staff consider a student's record of meaningful engagement with and contributions to our living-learning community (e.g. positions of leadership, generosity of sharing creative inspiration, cultivating a culture of care and respect, etc.) as well as the broader Honors College. 

Congratulations to our recent DCC Portz Outstanding Student Award winners:

• Bryant Rivera Cortez, 2024
• Corinne Martin, 2023
• Emily Sheridan, 2022
• Katherine Aria-Close, 2021
• Julian Avenilla, 2019