Department of Design students win regional awards


LAWRENCE — Last month the Kansas City chapter of the American Institute of Graphic Arts announced its annual A9 Awards. Department of Design students won 23 out of the 31 the student awards, including the 2013 AIGA Kansas City Scholarship and two Juror’s Choice awards.

Claire Pedersen, Lawrence, received the 2013 AIGA Kansas City Scholarship. It is intended to help transform young design talent into design leaders. The scholarship may be used toward tuition, books, computer equipment and software, or other educational expenses.

The Kansas City AIGA chapter offered the scholarship for the first time in 2006, and a KU student has earned the award six of the last eight years. Each school and nominate two students from their program. The students submit a portfolio, essay and resume, which are judged by three local professionals.

"I am thrilled for Claire. She is a talented, motivated and involved student. It is terrific that she was awarded a scholarship," said Andrea Herstowski, associate professor and interim chair of the Design Department.

Pederson’s work can be viewed here.

KU students also won two AIGA Kansas City Juror's Choice awards.  

The first award was for Kiosk 46. Kiosk is a biannual publication featuring student art and literature. It is managed, designed and published by Department of Design students, and it is available free of charge to members of the KU community.

Kiosk 46 was designed by Danielle Aldrich, Wichita; Maggie Hirschi, Baldwin, Mo.; Jessica Marak, Kansas City, Mo.; Caitlin Workman, St. Charles, Mo.; and Erin Zingré, Fort Scott.

Juror Dawn Hancock, owner and founder of Firebelly Design, Chicago, said of the students who produced Kiosk 46, “You can see each designer's thumbprints throughout, but nowhere are they expressed so loudly that they interfere with the overall chemistry. An impressive feat for any group effort, but especially admirable for a student endeavor.” A collection of images from Kiosk 46 can be seen here.

The second Juror’s Choice award went to Sally Carmichael, Lenexa. She won for Porter, a mobile app that helps travelers document, navigate and share their experiences with friends and family while on the road. Integration of location, journaling, maps, reviews and helpful hints allows users to document their daily travel experiences without having to so by hand.

“Beautifully designed and thoughtfully implemented, this travel journal app is everything Fodor's should be," said Joe Stitzlien, global creative director of Google Brand Studio, Mountain View, Calif. I am especially fond of the integration of the photos … it is hard to argue with its simplicity and elegance.”

Images of Porter can be seen here.

"It's wonderful to see our students being acknowledged for their hard work in the classroom,” said Jeremy Shellhorn, associate professor of design. “The fact that it is praise from the top professionals in our industry makes it even more valuable and rewarding.

“The most important part of awards like Sally's is that it gives our students confidence in their design ability, reinforces what we think is an innovative curriculum. These successes continue to establish the KU Design Department as a flagship institution for design excellence,” he said. The work of each KU Design Department student who won an AIGA Kansas City A9 award can be seen here.

Other area schools whose students enter the competition include Avila University, Johnson County Community College, the Kansas City Art Institute, Park University and University of Missouri at Kansas City.

The AIGA is a professional association for designers. It is committed to furthering excellence in design as a broadly defined discipline, strategic tool for business and a vital cultural force. AIGA is the place design professionals turn to exchange ideas and information, participate in critical analysis and research, and advance education and the ethical practice of design.

Thu, 10/10/2013

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Charles Linn

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Charles Linn

School of Architecture & Design

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