When Trinity Schlorf walked across the stage as the College of Engineering, Mathematics and Science senior speaker last spring, few of her classmates knew she had created a piece of art that would eventually hang inside Lambeau Field. But for Schlorf, who graduated in May 2025 with a degree in mechanical engineering with a biomedical emphasis, engineering and art have always been intertwined in her life.
This fall, Schlorf was named a grand-prize winner of this year’s Packers Student Art Contest. Her piece, Not Just a Team: A Legacy, explores how the Packers’ history, the depth of Wisconsin community traditions and her own family memories shaped her love of football. The win includes her artwork being displayed at Lambeau Field, a trip to a home game and a $5,000 donation to the Art program at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville.
Engineering roots, artistic heart
Though she pursued engineering, Schlorf’s creative foundation formed years before she ever set foot in a college classroom.
“I grew up around a lot of tinkering,” laughed Schlorf. “My grandpa was always in the shop working on Harleys, old trucks, anything mechanical. I was one of those kids who couldn’t stop taking things apart. Joining my high school’s robotics team helped guide me toward engineering, but art was always part of my family, too.”
Schlorf traces her artistic roots to the generations of women before her: one great-grandmother who created intricate embroidery, another who painted ceramic eggs and a mother who filled their childhood home with her own hand-painted creations.
At UW-Platteville, she took just one art class but found a home in student-run spaces like the Clay Club and the Huff Family Innovation Center, where creativity thrived alongside problem-solving and design.
Scoring a winning piece
Schlorf only discovered the Packers art competition three weeks before the April deadline.
“I wasn’t sure I could balance it with my engineering workload,” she admitted. “But their prompt to artists, ‘What inspires you about the Green Bay Packers?’ hit close to home.”
Her winning piece is of a young girl wearing oversized Packers gear, representing childhood wonder and the legacy of football passed down through generations.
“My piece is a love letter to football, to family and to a team that is so much more than a team,” mused Schlorf. “The Packers are a living legacy—woven into the soul of a city, and into the hearts of everyone who’s ever called Green Bay home.”
The piece uses layers of symbolic imagery, including Green Bay landmarks. It was a piece that came straight from her heart, and one she hoped would resonate with others. And it did. When the Packers called to tell her she had won, Schlorf was sitting on her kitchen floor petting her cats.
“I didn’t know whether to expect congratulations or rejection,” recalled Schlorf. “When they told me, I jumped up so fast I scared the cats!”
Working at Lambeau Field as a Suite Supervisor and Concierge during her gap year means Schlorf gets to see her artwork every time she works.
A gift that moves the ball
As part of the contest, the Packers donated $5,000 to the art department of the winning students’ schools. Because Schlorf submitted her work as a UW-Platteville student, the funds came back to campus. It was unexpected support, but very appreciated.
“The entire art program is very excited for Trinity, what a fantastic achievement,” exclaimed Greg Nelson, professor of art at UW-Platteville. “We have always encouraged and promoted the arts across the various disciplines at UW-Platteville and Trinity’s award is a celebration of that belief. This gift will allow us to continue to invest in the diverse tactile, hands-on opportunities that allow all students to flourish in the visual arts.”
Dean of the College of EMS, Dr. Philip Parker, praised Schlorf’s interdisciplinary spirit.
“Trinity represented our college with distinction as the senior speaker at last spring’s commencement ceremony, and she continues to embody what EMS stands for—innovation, curiosity and community,” said Parker. “Her success shows that engineering and art are not separate worlds, but complementary ways of understanding and shaping the world.”
Schlorf hopes the funds will support programs at UW-Platteville that blend technology and creativity, such as 3-D or tactile arts, Drawing I, or Clay Club.
The future game plan
Currently taking a gap year to save money for graduate school, Schlorf is exploring her next steps. She plans to pursue either biomechanical engineering or physical therapy, with hopes of eventually working in prosthetics or orthotics, fields that combine technical precision with artistic skill.
“I would love to do prosthetic and orthotic work, as there is a bit of an art to that,” described Schlorf.
No matter where her career leads, Schlorf says being a UW-Platteville alumna means being part of a lasting community.
“UW-Platteville is small, but its heart is huge,” noted Schlorf. “The connections you make stay with you long after graduation.”
And now, so will her artwork, hanging proudly within the walls of Lambeau Field. It reflects the blend of curiosity, engineering and artistry that define her journey.
Written by Christine Bellport
Link to original story: https://www.uwplatt.edu/news/uw-platteville-alumna-and-art-program-get-w-lambeau-field