CHEW ON IT: The packages of Orbit's new Melon Remix gum are going to have Missouri written all over them.

Not literally -- but two of the eight winning package designs that were chosen by Wrigley gum came from University of Missouri students.

The students, Brad Siegler, 20, of Hazelwood, and Emily Herron, 20, of Monroe City, Mo., will each get $5,000 in cash and the pleasure of seeing their design and personal signature on gum packages on store counters everywhere.

Siegler and Herron are both J-school students seeking degrees with an emphasis in Strategic Communication.

The contest notice was sent out in the spring to college students across the country majoring in design and art and communications programs. The company received hundreds of entries in what it calls the first-ever series of crowd-sourced gum packs.

The other six design winners attend the following schools: Art Institute of Michigan in Detroit; University of Minnesota -- Twin Cities; University of Texas at El Paso; The College of Visual Arts; Savannah College of Art and Design; and the Illinois Institute of Art - Chicago.

Siegler is a musician who said his design was inspired by music and a retro color scheme. Siegler also said he thought the shape of the gum pack resembled a cassette tape and he based his design concept on that.

Herron said her pack design was inspired by the bright and vibrant colors of the Melon Remix gum flavor, which reminded her of summer. She used Photoshop to create graphics that resembled a summer landscape of sun, waves and ocean.

The eight limited edition pack designs will be available starting this month and will remain on shelves through the end of February.