This Saturday, AIGA Nebraska—our state’s chapter for the design profession’s largest and oldest professional organization—held its annual design competition at Kaneko in Omaha. This year, 30 works from UNK’s Visual Communication and Design (VCD) students made it to the second-round of judging. This year’s judges included Timothy Hykes, a UX Designer for Wells Fargo and President of AIGA St. Louis; Robyn Kanner, Senior Product Designer at Etsy and co-founder of MyTransHealth; and Jessica Arana, creator of Across Borders: A Look at the Work of Latinx Designers.
In the end, judges awarded a total of fifteen medals—four gold, one silver, and ten bronze.
“It is an honor that my work was recognized by AIGA,” said student gold medalist and junior Jase Hueser. “Receiving accolades is rewarding and sparks an excitement for future projects. This motivates me to continue growing as a designer and not settle complacently at my current status.”
Sarah Styron, a senior within VCD, also got a boost from her outstanding recognition at Show. “This was my first Gold AIGA medal, so it was a thrilling experience seeing my work on display at the AIGA Show,” she said. “I am so proud of all the students who won awards this year; its incredible being surrounded by so much talent!”
Department Chair and professor within the VCD program Richard Schuessler highlighted what this win means for the students and the department. “I am so very proud of the current UNK VCD students on their recent accomplishments at the 2017 AIGA Show! It is awesome to see such a range of design students being professionally recognized for their artwork and projects,” he said. “For our Design Faculty, this is a great testament to our UNK teaching and VCD Program.”
UNK has had a strong history with AIGA and their annual award event which also serves as a means to reconnect with past grads working in the field. “After being involved with AIGA Nebraska for twenty-plus years, it’s always a joy seeing our VCD alumni at these events and catch up with their design careers, accomplishments and being part of AIGA,” Schuessler said. “Best wishes to all for continuing success.”
Added to the list of Saturday night’s winners was Assistant Professor Samuel B. Rapien who won a Professional Silver medal, Judge’s Choice, and Member’s Choice for his work on the department’s Imagination Day posters.
“AIGA Nebraska always puts on a wonderful event and it was a completely humbling honor to have received these awards for work to help promote our department and program,” Rapien said. “It was truly an honor to share the walls with my professional design peers and my students.”
Check out the list of medal winners below followed by images of the work.
Student Gold Medal Winners
- Aaron Fischer, “Control Your Imagination,” Motion & Video
- Jase Hueser, “S’edition Magazine Layout,” Publications
- Kellli Potratz “Soothe,” Experimental & Unpublished — JUDGE’S CHOICE
- Sarah Styron, “Odyssey,” Logo & Identity System
Student Silver Medal Winners
- Jase Hueser, “‘Florence’ Jazz Album,” Packaging & Product
Student Bronze Medal Winners
- Ryan Faden, “SFMOMA Pamphlet cover,” Promotional Design & Advertising
- Aaron Fischer, “Under the Fable,” Packaging & Product
- Haily House, “Fisherman’s Bounty,” Experimental & Unpublished
- Lim Yun Ji, “Crumpled Table,” Experimental & Unpublished
- Maggie Pierson, “S’edition,” Publications
- Lauren Reichardt, “Victoria Cougars Rebrand”, Logo and Identity System
- John Shea, “Lunar Society,” Logo and Identity System
- John Shea, “Jupiter Hammerheads Rebrand,” Logo & Identity System
- John Shea, “GoVote,” Poster
- Sarah Styron, “Weekend Slasher Film Festival,” Promotional Design & Advertising
Student Honorable Mentions
- Chris Campbell, “ACLU redesign,” Logo and Identity System
- Janelle Huebert, “To the Woods game box,” Packaging & Product
Professional Silver Medal
- Samuel B. Rapien, “‘Imagination Day posters,” Posters
