Staff and students from Saginaw Valley State University (SVSU) have been recognized for their creativity in marketing and advertising.
This honor comes as students and staff received 14 ADDY awards in the American Advertising Federation (AAF) Great Lakes Bay’s annual American Advertising Award competition.
The ADDY awards aim to acknowledge and reward the creative spirit that fuels the art of advertising.
The AAF Great Lakes Bay’s annual American Advertising Award competition is only the first step. Recipients of Silver or Gold ADDY awards at this local contest are able to advance to the next level of competition, which is the district level.
Eventually, the largest advertising competition will take place as the national American Advertising Awards. In the professional division of the competition, SVSU’s Office of University Communications won one Gold ADDY and six Silver ADDY awards.
The individuals who were honored for their creative work include Jill Miller, director of enrollment marketing and creative services; Michael Randolph, marketing specialist for videography and photography; and Jason
Swackhamer, social media and digital content specialist. Student interns assisted professional staff in their advertising work.
According to a press release by SVSU, “Haley-Jane Harms, of Yale, Michigan, assisted Miller on the Gold ADDY-winning entry, SVSU playing cards. Harms graduated in May 2022 with a degree in graphic design and is now employed at Access Intelligence.”
Furthermore, Swackhamer received assistance from student interns Joy Bonk, Alyssa McMillian, Andrew Richard, Zoey Schwab, and Walker Wenzel on the “Cardinal Voices” podcast which was awarded Silver recognition.
In the student division of the AAF Great Lakes Bay annual American Advertising Award competition, four individual SVSU students were recognized with Gold or Silver ADDY awards. Their entries were either work created for class projects or for external clients.
Jessica McInerney, a senior graphic design major from Fairgrove, will be graduating in May. McInerney received two Gold ADDY awards and one Silver ADDY award.
McInerney is grateful to have
had the chance to receive these
awards.
“I feel so happy and excited, it’s
something new for me,” McInerney said. “I’m so thankful to
have the opportunity to receive an
award like this for my work.”
McInerney submitted two projects into the competition. One was a mock magazine advertisement and the other was a mock billboard advertisement.
As far as design goes, McInerney enjoys the complex process of bringing many parts together to create a final product.
“My favorite part is when it all comes together, with design, sometimes it’s like a puzzle with all the different elements,” McInerney said. “Once it’s all together, you see the big picture and it’s so cool to have a finished piece.”
For McInerney, competing in the AAF Great Lakes Bay’s annual American Advertising Award competition was a fun opportunity and a great way to connect with the industry.
“I highly encourage other graphic design students to submit their own projects in next year’s competition,” McInerney adds.
Carina Quirin, a graphic design major from Birch Run, won two Silver ADDY awards.
Haley Smathers, a graphic design major from Howell, won a Silver ADDY award.
Elissa Mughannem, a senior graphic design major, will also be graduating in May. She was excited and surprised to win two Silver ADDY awards.
“I am very happy to win an award,” Mughannem said. “I initially just put in a few pieces to see the process, how to enter art pieces, how to label them, how to send them, etc. I did not expect to win anything.”
Mughannem received the Silver ADDY awards for illustration projects. Her favorite part about entering illustrations was the ability for her to showcase her own art style.
SVSU’s Gold ADDY winning entries will advance to the district level of competition. Winners at the district level will then move on to the national contest.
- Student employees need to be paid a living wage - 17 Apr 2023
- Review: “Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” - 17 Apr 2023
- Climate Stick Club invites speakers to campus - 10 Apr 2023
Categories: Uncategorized