City of Orange College Student Earns $5,000 Tuition Scholarship in Hurley Design Competition

Candice Winer designed three articles of clothing that could be transformed into several different outfits

Candice Winer, an Industrial Design student at The Art Institute of California – Orange County, may be interested in a career in consumer design but her venture into the world of fashion paid off. Winer’s innovative clothing designs earned her a $5,000 tuition scholarship in the Hurley Design competition.

Current and incoming students across all programs were challenged to design a three-piece outfit that could take a person from zip lining through the jungle, surfing in the ocean to wandering a busy market on the island of Bali. The pieces would need to be sturdy and versatile enough to endure a month-long stay.

“She was very resourceful with her designs and each look had a unique twist,” said Catherine Redmond, a designer at Hurley who judged the competition. “The style was contemporary and crossed age groups so a lot of people could wear it.”

The base of Winer’s winning outfit was the reversible bikini that with two simple snaps could become a monokini. The second piece was a wrap made of wrinkle free fabric and could be used as a head scarf, hooked onto the swimsuit to create a dress or tied around the waste and used as a sarong. The final piece of the outfit was a pair of adjustable length shorts that could be tied to fit any occasion.

So is Winer considering a switch to the Fashion Design program?

"I enjoy fashion but I'd like to come up with ideas that can apply to all facets of design, from clothing to architecture."

The Art Institute of California – Orange County partners with industry leaders like Hurley to bring students real world work experience and scholarship opportunities. To learn more about the programs and scholarships offered at The Art Institute of California – Orange County, go to www.artinstitutes.edu/orangecounty.

Media Contacts

Tricia Cook, 714.338.1303 or tcook@aii.edu

Veronica Orozco, 714.830.0221 or vorozco@aii.edu

Industrial Design Student Earns $5,000 Scholarship

Industrial Design Student Candace Winer earned a $5,000 tuition scholarship in the Hurley design competition. To read more, check out the Hurley blog.

Interior Design Students Place First in Haute Couture Fashion Show

The International Interior Design Association Haute Couture Fashion Show put interior designer students’ fashion skills to the test. Contestants were challenged to create costumes using only interior design materials with the theme “Give my regards to Broadway.”

On April 2, the night of the event, the students were allowed to bring a small box of accessories but only had 45 minutes to select their materials and make their costumes. The team had to write a script describing their costumes and the materials used and set their show to music.

Interior Design instructor Sonin Lee teamed up with students Annie Harrison, Edgar Marin, Carly Murphy and Erynn Vogel. They decided to do a Broadway revue instead of a single show. The team won first place by recreating the Phantom of the Opera, Tracy from “Hairspray” (her plaid skirt was woven from paint samples), Grizzabella from “Cats,” Roxy Hart from “Chicago” and Audrey II, the carnivorous plant from “Little Shop of Horrors.”

The script and trophy are in the display case in the atrium of building A.

Advertising Students Recognized at the Orange County Ad Awards

Kylie McAdam, an Advertising student at The Art Institute of California – Orange County, received the Best of Show award at the Orange County Ad Awards on Saturday, March 21.

The Orange County Ad Awards are hosted by the OC Ad Federation to recognize the year’s best advertising from Orange County agencies.

”I feel very fortunate to have won Best of Show and Gold for the work I created for Orbis, a non-profit organization fighting blindness in underdeveloped countries,” McAdam said. “Advertising and art direction are my life. This recognition allows me to share my creative work with others while exploring their work too.”

McAdam also received a gold award but she was not the only The Art Institute of California-Orange County student recognized. Seven other students in Advertising Instructor Eva Finn’s Copy & Scriptwriting and Advanced Campaigns classes also received awards.

Kylie McAdam, Best of Show in Consumer or Trade Magazine Ad, Magazine Ad Campaign category and Gold for a Consumer or Trade Magazine Ad, Magazine Ad Campaign.
Alba Escarcega, Gold in Radio category.
Ellen Scott, Silver for Consumer or Trade Magazine Ad; Merit in Radio and Merit in Consumer or Trade Magazine Ad, 2 to 4 ads.
Kimberly Lorimer, Evan James, Brittany Kesler, Kajsa Frederick, Scott Sagan each received Merit awards in the Radio category.

Winners move on to the regional ADDY® awards where they may eventually earn a national ADDY. The ADDY’s are conducted by the American Advertising Federation and local competitions take place across the country.

“It was the first time we have entered the ADDY competition and certainly the start of big things to come from our Advertising program,” said Advertising and Graphic Design Academic Director Catherine Stickel. “I’m so proud of our students but have to give credit to Eva Finn, instructor for the Advanced Campaigns and Copy and Scriptwriting class, for coordinating the entrants.”

For samples of McAdams work, visit www.kycreative.com To learn more about the Advertising program at The Art Institute of California – Orange County, call 714.830.0200 or visit www.artinsitutes.edu/orangecounty.

Eight Students Awarded $28,000 in Scholarships

The EDMC Education Foundation is a nonprofit organization that collects and distributes scholarship money for students within The Art Institutes system of schools. The scholarship competition was open to all students at The Art Institute of California – Orange County who were at least half-way through their program, had a minimum 3.0 GPA and could demonstrate financial need. Students were required to write a short essay about their goals and submit a letter of recommendation from a faculty member.

A scholarship committee made up of staff reviewed all entries and selected the recipients based on evidence of financial need and the clarity, composition and creativity of the written essay.

“The majority of the $28,000 we distributed in this competition was donated by our own faculty and staff through payroll deductions and fundraising events,” said Daniel Levinson, President of The Art Institute of California – Orange County and the EDMC Education Foundation. “Right now, people have to be more selective when it comes to making charitable contributions so it’s comforting to know that the funds go to the students they work with everyday.”

In their own words - quotes from the students' essays:

Carleen Carrasco, Interior Design - Huntington Beach
Carrasco, a single mother, said her daughter’s pursuit of a Graphic Design degree from The Art Institute opened her eyes to the possibility of realizing her own goal of a creative career.

“Observing my daughter’s achievements encouraged me to focus on my own dreams so a year after my daughter started school, I became a part-time evening student in the Interior Design program,” Carrasco said. “As an adult, returning to evening college has been financially challenging but I’m excited to finally change professional careers and work in a creative environment.”

Danny Hunsaker, Graphic Design - Santa Ana
Hunsaker said his goal was to start his own design firm where he would hire Art Institute students to give them the opportunity to gain valuable work experience.

“I am confident in the level of work that my fellow senior students can produce so I have no doubt that future Art Institute graduates will be just as capable,” Hunsaker said. “My design firm could be the launching pad for the next generation of influential designers.”

Eliza Khachtryan, Interior Design - Santa Ana
Khachtryan’s interest in interior design was sparked when her forward thinking father transformed their family food store into a furniture store.

“My father saw how our country, Armenia, was growing in terms of construction and thought it would be wise to start planning to meet future needs. He thought that interiors were the best measure of quality of life,” Khachtryan said. “I agree with my Dad that transforming spaces can transform lives but I don’t think great design is limited to the most affluent sector of society.”

Alisha Klein, Media Arts & Animation - Costa Mesa
Klein said one of the goals that drives her is the desire to be the first person in her family to graduate from college. Moving to Southern California from the Midwest on her own was the first of many accomplishments on the road to a degree.

“I have never missed a single class, turned in any work late and I was only late to class once,” Klein said. “In high school I was not the best student but now that I have a goal in sight, I am pushing myself to do my absolute best.”

Sarah Labrecque, Media Arts & Animation - Long Beach
Labrecque said being homeschooled for most of her life, made her feel uncomfortable in social situations. She was also intimidated by the level of talent at The Art Institutes.

“I was always told I was talented and I was determined to unlock my potential,” Labrecque said. “I have become a stronger, more independent person than I was when I started the program three years ago. I communicate better and my determination has not faltered.”

Mori Love, Industrial Design - Santa Ana
Love learned his craft from his grandfather, a spy for the Israeli government who was instrumental in bringing Nazi war criminals to justice.

“My grandfather was a master craftsman and taught me everything I knew up until the age of 12,” Love said. “Sadly, I lost him a little over a year ago but I would still like to make him proud by becoming a successful designer.

Jean Simmons, Interior Design - Laguna Niguel
Simmons said her seven years in the workforce, three of them in the financial industry, prepared her for the daunting task of juggling a full course load with a full time job.

“I went through my first nine quarters as a robot – understand your task, break it into manageable components, set up a system, complete the task, repeat,” Simmons said. “In my tenth quarter, it hit me that design isn’t just about efficiency. Design is about caring for people and the environment and rising to the challenge of meeting the demands of both.”

Deborah Tomoguchi, Web Design & Interactive Media - Irvine
Tomoguchi, an avid softball player, said that during her first college experience, she was forced to set aside her passion for art to meet the demands of collegiate sports.

“Five years after graduating, I enrolled in school again but this time I was doing it for me,” Tomoguchi said. “All of my instructors have had such an impact on me and I am grateful for all their help and encouragement. I never experienced a bond like this in a university setting.”