Student designers sweep Rock Awards

It was a clean sweep for Vancouver Island University (VIU) graphic design students in a prestigious design competition recently.

VIU students claimed all three student awards in the print category of the Rock Awards, a competition sponsored by the Society of Graphic Designers of Canada (GDC Vancouver Island Chapter).

"As faculty members, we're thrilled and honored to see our students take awards in a GDC competition alongside top designers on the island," said Karen Hodgson, professor and co-chair of VIU's Graphic Design degree program. "We are incredibly proud of our students who work very hard to achieve outstanding progress and success."

Faye M. McCoole, a talented first-year student at VIU, won a Rock Award for her book entry titled Art Deco: Fashioning a Style. McCoole will return to VIU in September to complete second year of the Graphic Design diploma program.

Student Sarita Mielke won a merit award for the interior layout of the popular student magazine, Portal. Mielke is returning to VIU in the fall to begin her third year in the new Bachelor of Arts, Major in Graphic Design degree program.

Josh Nychuk, a recent graduate of the two-year diploma program, won a merit award for the Portal magazine cover. Nychuk graduated from the program in June and is currently working in Parksville.

Hodgson said the highly successful two-year diploma program in Graphic Design was launched 20 years ago, and has produced many award winning graduates. "This isn't the first time our design students have won recognition for their skills and talents," she said. "Our 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 grads enjoy about an 80 percent job placement rate, with a number of them hired by major design firms in Victoria, Nanaimo, Vancouver and elsewhere.

VIU's Art and Design department announced in March that it is offering a four year Graphic Design degree (Bachelor of Arts Major in Graphic Design), starting September, 2008. "It's the only full degree program of its kind on Vancouver Island," said Steve Lane, Dean of Arts and Humanities for VIU. Now students won't have to leave the island to complete a graphic design degree program.

"The program will serve students from Victoria to Port Hardy and beyond. 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."

Hodgson said a unique feature of the new degree program will be a "management stream" for students interested in studio management or entrepreneurial management. "There's currently no similar program in Canada that includes this component," Hodgson added.

The proposal for the new Graphic Design degree program was reviewed and 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 Univeity and Kwantlen Polytechnic University.

For more information, go to viu.ca/calendar or call the advising centre at 740-6410.