Four of NIC’s graphic design majors set sail for victory at Spokane’s annual ADDY Awards.
NIC took home a record number of wins at this year’s nautically themed “Oscars” of graphic design.
“We won more gold, more silver than in previous years,” said graphic design instructor Philippe Valle. “It was a very good showing and is a testimonial to how good this program at North Idaho College is.”
Lauren Brandt, 21, Coeur d’Alene, took home the most awards of the night, with two Silver ADDYs, a Gold ADDY and a Toni M. Robideaux Scholarship for excellence in advertising arts and student achievement.
“I got my first Silver ADDY and I starting shaking,” Brandt said. “I almost fell down as I was trying to walk up to the stage because I was shaking so bad. It was really incredible.”
Brandt received her ADDYs for advertisements she designed for NIC, including a Trestle Creek review cover design, a poster for a student play and a logo for the college’s aerospace program.
Brandt and classmate Hannah Shields knew in advance that they were to receive Robideaux scholarships, but the outcome of the ADDYs remained a secret. “I was really hoping to win [an ADDY] but it was also a big surprise,” Brandt said.
Ernie Bauer, 46, Priest River, also took home a Gold and Silver ADDY.
“I’m overwhelmed, honestly,” Bauer said. “I feel incredible, I’m really surprised about the gold.”
Bauer won the gold for his poetry flipbook, “The Kiss,” and the silver for his Paris Hilton perfume campaign redesign, “Foxy.”
“‘The Kiss’ was fun because that was a completely non-traditional piece to do,” said Carl Heidle, an adjunct NIC graphic design instructor. “I think some of the students here have really raised the bar on what we can do.”
Many of the student’s entries started as class projects, such as 21-year old Ryan Maskell’s Silver ADDY Award winning “Nightwatch” logo design.
“It just kind of started out as something I wasn’t so enthused to do originally, I really didn’t want to do the assignment,” Maskell said. “A lot of times with designs, they kind of bring themselves to fruition so the design just kind of works its way up and you’re the instrument that is working through. It just kind of comes to life by itself. I realized that it was starting to bloom into something pretty quickly.”
Heidle, who has competed and won ADDYs at a national level, said the experience is priceless for students.
“It’s a huge kudos to you and it’s a great way to launch yourself into a job,” Heidle said.
The ADDYs are held at a local level, with Gold and Silver winners going on to be judged at a district level, with the best of the best from across the country meeting in Washington, D.C., for a final competition.
“It looks like its just a little awards show sometimes, but its actually a really big competition, especially for students,” Heidle said.Heidle, who also teaches in Spokane, said he’s noticed a big change in the program’s competitiveness.
“From teaching at two different schools, it been really fun for me to see here how this program has kind of raised up. You’re seeing some really great talent coming up,” Heidle said. “Whereas ten years ago it wasn’t really on the radar and now it is.”
