Fri, 03.11.2022 – 09:50 a.m | By: Ivonne Kawas
Graphic design students from the University of Southern Mississippi (USM) Art and Design program, housed at the School of Performing and Visual Arts, have been honored with a total of 53 awards from the American Advertising Federation Mississippi Gulf Coast (AAF) -MS Gulf Coast ) Awards, also known as ADDYs, through a virtual award ceremony.
This year’s total of awards includes: 16 Gold and 33 Silver ADDYs, three Student Judge’s Choice and one Best of Show.
“This prestige of ADDYs helps create awareness and build a kind of ‘brand’ which can be beneficial for students entering the job market by showing how good their education is, but also for potential ones High school students who want to get the best education. said Jacob Cotton, an assistant professor in the art and design program. “Students also gain confidence, which gives them the ability to take risks and develop.”
Parker Estes, a recent USM grad and a native of Petal, Miss., won Best of Show for “You Are a Nurse,” a series of motion graphics aimed at raising awareness of the pervasiveness of deteriorating working conditions for hospital nurses in the United States, along with two gold and one silver awards.
“For me, and I can imagine for many creatives, the most difficult aspect of our work is maintaining a healthy relationship with self-criticism,” Estes said. “Having your work recognized by trained professionals in your own field is a unique and humbling acknowledgment of all the long nights, thought and discarded ideas that led to the final product.”
Christian Gammill, a graphic design student and native of Hattiesburg, Miss., won a Student Judge’s Choice for packaging design for a beer brand, “Empress Gangan – 4 pack,” along with six gold awards and one silver award.
He says it meant a lot to him: “I am honored and blessed to be recognized for my work. I can’t wait to see how my projects hold up at the district level and look forward to continuing to engage in my creativity.”
Sydney Beech, a senior with a BFA in Graphic Design and a native of Ellisville, Miss., won six Gold and two Silver ADDYs. “It’s such a special feeling to be recognized and applauded for something that you’ve put so much time and effort into,” Beech said. “I’ve grown so much as a designer and as a person during my time in the BFA program, and these awards are a reminder of just how far I’ve come!”
Jeff Jones, Vice President of Education at AAF-MS Gulf Coast, presented the awards and commended the students for planting their creative seeds during the ceremony.
“We’re honored to recognize some of the amazing talent that will indeed continue to sow the seeds of inspired content as this next generation of creative thought leaders will take our industry to even greater heights,” he said.
USM AAF-MS Gulf Coast ADDY Award winners who will advance to Regionals include:
Sydney Beech: 6 gold, 2 silver; Hannah Cantrell: 5 silver; Monte (Ali) Coleman: 1 silver; Anna Denette: 1 gold, 1 silver; Deborah Elam: 1 silver; Parker Estes: Best of Show, 2 Gold, 1 Silver; Caitlin Finch: 1 gold, 2 silver; Karson Gunn: 2 Silver; Michael (Christian) Gammill: 1 Student Judge’s Choice, 6 Gold, 1 Silver; Preston Humphrey: 1 silver; Brant Jambon: 2 Silver; Breanna Laborde: 1 Student Judge’s Choice, 1 Silver; Mackenzie Masters: 1 silver; Noah Rogers: 2 silvers; Maddie Seale: 3 silvers; Caitlyn Schintzius: 4 silver; Keely Trail: 1 Student Judge’s Choice, 2 Silver.
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