Art students place sixth in multi-state 
competition in graphic design

The students in the Art Department at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro recently competed in a graphic design portfolio competition in Texas where they placed in the top 10 percent among competing schools.

The competition, “Design in the Fast Lane,” was held in the atrium of the Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture at the University of Houston and was sponsored by the Dallas and Austin chapters of American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA).

Portfolio entries were displayed for viewing during the AIGA conference and were judged from invited speakers. School grants were awarded to the top three portfolios.

The Design in the Fast Lane portfolio competition was a school exhibition and not an individual juried show. Portfolios of student artwork from two- and four-year schools and universities within the state of Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas and Oklahoma were eligible for submission.

The design faculty from each school selected 10 pieces for submission. Kim Vickrey, associate professor of design, and Kendra Coggin, assistant professor of design, selected student work representing ASU.

The top three schools that won, the University of North Texas, Texas Tech University and the University of Houston, all have large departments (with between five and 10 full-time design faculty) and are primarily-advertising oriented programs.

ASU offers the only bachelor of fine art in graphic design in Arkansas. The degree was first offered on campus in August 2004, making ASU the only school in Arkansas to have an accredited graphic design program. This was the first competition of their design program.

The purpose of AIGA is to set the national agenda for the role of design in its economic, social, political and cultural contexts. AIGA is the oldest and largest membership association for professionals engaged in the discipline, practice and culture of designing.