RU Wins Big in Design Competition
Graphic design students from Radford University swept the 2012 Western Virginia ADDY Awards on March 10 in Roanoke, taking home more than 30 awards, including the Student Best of Show Award for the first time and two Judges' Choice Awards.
Sponsored by the American Advertising Federation, the annual event is the first step in a three-tier national competition. Awards are made to professionals as well as students in a range of fields including sales promotion, collateral material, direct marketing, trade publications, newspapers, television and interactive media.
Winning an award is a strong indicator of creative excellence among advertising and graphic design professionals, said John O'Connor, assistant professor of graphic design in Radford's College of Visual and Performing Arts.
"It was an interesting night," O'Connor said. "Many of the professional winners were companies whose owners, directors or designers were RU alumni. Needless to say, their support of our students was joyfully loud."
Virginia Tech and Liberty University tied for second at this year's competition, with six awards each. Gold ADDY recipients advance into the regional level of competition, which includes winners from Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina.
Radford's student awards this year included two gold ADDYs to senior Zach Ulmer for "Student Design Mentorship Website" and "2011 Spring Graphic Design Show Poster," the latter part of a mixed media presentation that took the Student Best in Show Award; and a silver ADDY to Ulmer for "Student Design Mentorship" mixed media.
Michael Saunders and Elise N. Bell won silver ADDYs and judges' choice citations for his "Dapper Mike Advertisement" and her "Through the Looking Glass" illustration.
Other RU gold winners were:
- Sarah Barton, "Through the Looking Glass Book Cover."
- Braden Cody Beasley, "Skrillex Concert Poster."
- Michelle Sheppard, "Trojan Horse" digitally enhanced illustration.
- Walter Street, "Pepsi Unites Illustration."
Other RU silver ADDY winners were:
- Derick Anies, "Incredible" (illustration).
- Sarah Barton, "Guitar Ensemble Poster."
- Braden Cody Beasley, "Generator Movie Poster."
- Sean Beaubien, "Square Head Ed's Eatery and Bar Logo" and "Etiquette" (illustration).
- Chris Champa, "2CDAFTPUNKPOSTER."
- Sidney Epperly, "Retro Photo: The Impossible Project" (poster) and "Epic Brushes" (photography).
- Elizabeth Favazza, "Red Neck Sushi" (packaging).
- Kaitlin K. Fields, "Friday Night Lights" (brochure).
- James Garofalo, "The Hunger Games Book Series."
- Mary Musselman, "6A Sidera Magazine Ad."
- Derek Reynolds, "Box of Candy" (photography) and "Converse Jumpstart" (trade publication).
- Michelle Sheppard, "One World. One Moment" (illustration) and "Foot Levelers Promotional Poster."
- Walter Street, "Radford University Graphic Design Book" and "The Beast Within" (illustration).
To learn more about the 2012 ADDY Awards and see a complete list of winners in all design categories, both professional and student, visit the American Advertising Federation of Roanoke's website.