October 20, 2008 - 3:15am
Josh Nychuk is $10,000 richer.
He designed the winning logo for the provincial government’s LiveSmart BC program.
Nychuk, a recent graduate from Vancouver Island University, said the money will come in handy.
“I’m paying off some loans and plan to travel to Europe or Asia,” he said. “I was thrilled to win the contest, especially since there were 140-plus entries from student designers in BC.”
Nychuck completed both the two-year Graphic Design program and the Digital Media program at VIU. Immediately after graduating, he landed a job with Marketing Maxx, a full service graphic design and communications company based in Parksville.
Nychuk said both programs prepared him well for the world of work. “The programs were very comprehensive in practice and theory,” he said. “The instructors do an incredible job of showing you your potential, or what you are capable of, by creating a very positive atmosphere which is indispensable to the learning experience.”
The LiveSmart logo contest isn’t the first time Nychuk’s talents have been recognized. Last June, he won a merit award for his Portal magazine cover in the print category of the Rock Awards, a competition sponsored by the Society of Graphic Designers of Canada (GDC Vancouver Island Chapter).
“Our faculty in the Graphic Design program are thrilled and honored to see our students win awards,” said Karen Hodgson, professor and co-chair of VIU's Graphic Design degree program. “They work hard to achieve outstanding progress and success.”
VIU’s two-year diploma program in Graphic Design was launched 20 years ago, and has produced many award winning graduates. Students won the Society of Graphic Designers of Canada BC provincial Salazar Awards for best student work in a two-year Graphic Design program six years in a row. Students have also won Applied Arts, Rock and other awards in the past.
Hodgson said graduates enjoy about an 80 percent job placement rate, with some establishing rewarding careers with major design firms in Victoria, Nanaimo, Vancouver and elsewhere.
In September, VIU launched a new Bachelor of Arts Major in Graphic Design, the only full degree program in Graphic Design on Vancouver Island. “The new program filled and waitlisted quickly for the Fall 2008 intake,” said Hodgson. “As our information society expands, digital design skills are in demand, and now students don't need to leave the Island to study.”
“As the industry standard in graphic design moves towards an expectation of degree-level qualifications, expanding our two-year diploma program into a four year degree is not only wise, but necessary,” said Steve Lane, Dean of Arts and Humanities.
A unique feature of the degree program is a management stream for students interested in studio management or entrepreneurial management.
The VIU Graphic Design degree proposal was endorsed by the National (past) President of the Graphic Designers of Canada, and supported by faculty from Graphic Design programs at York University, Emily Carr University of Art and Design, NSCAD University and Kwantlen Polytechnic University.
For information about the degree program, go to viu.ca/calendar or call the VIU advising centre at 740-6410. Applications for the Graphic Design degree program starting in September 2009 will be accepted anytime after November 15.
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