DENTON (UNT), Texas -- Seventeen communication design students and faculty from the University of North Texas took home top prizes from the National Student Show and Conference, the largest student creative competition in the United States.
UNT earned the “Best School Award” in the competition, whose winners were announced at a banquet on April 14. Professors Troy Abel, Clinton Carlson, Karen Dorff, Michael Gibson, Jude Landry, Doug May, Keith Owens and David Wolske were all named in the honor.
“As faculty, we work hard to challenge and develop our students in the classroom and sometimes forget to look up and see the success of our graduates and the incredible people that they become,” Carlson, who also is the communication design undergraduate program coordinator, said. “This award and the student show helps us to take a moment to celebrate and remind ourselves of that bigger picture. It's another tangible thing that we can point to as evidence of the quality of design education at UNT.”
A panel of professional designers, illustrators and photographers juried the conference and selected 159 entries from 25 universities and schools across the nation. Of those, 50 projects belonged to UNT students.
“To see students, who have struggled and worked extremely hard, get rewarded and recognized is incredibly rewarding for us as educators,” Carlson said. “We've seen the National Student Show springboard careers for many students over the years – giving them direct internship or job opportunities that they wouldn't have had without the exposure to the larger design industry.”
 
Best of Category Awards ($250 each)
•    Packaging Design: Laurel Tauben for Ökocat: Packaging – Professor: Karen Dorff
•    Brochure Design: Jordan Grimminger for Idea Box: Brochure – Professor: Karen Dorff
•    Typography: Mary Grace Garcia for Homeward Bound: Typography Poster – Professor: Karen Dorff
•    Website Design: Mark Baker Sanchez for Showcase of International Fashion Artists (SIFA): Website – Professor: Michael Gibson
•    Mobile App Design: Annie Diaz for CattleTrack: App – Professor: Clinton Carlson
•    Illustration: Chien Lin (Mia) for The Owl: Illustration/Poster – Professor: Karen Dorff
•    Use of Interactive: Annie Diaz for CattleTrack: App – Professor: Clinton Carlson 
•    Miscellaneous: Jordan Grimminger for No F**cking Way: Publication – Professor: Karen Dorff
 
Special Awards ($500 each)
•    Best Concept: Laurel Tauben for Ökocat: Packaging – Professor: Karen Dorff
 
Judge’s Choice Awards ($500 each)
•    Mary Grace Garcia for Homeward Bound: Typography Poster – Professor: Karen Dorff
•    Laurel Tauben for Ökocat: Packaging – Professor: Karen Dorff
 
Portfolio Awards
•    1st Place Senior Portfolio: Julieta Moran ($3,000)
•    2nd Place Senior Portfolio: Kimberly Hanson ($2,000)
•    3rd Place Senior Portfolio: Michael Wood ($1,000)
•    1st Place Junior Portfolio: Jordan Grimminger ($2,000)
 
Educator’s Award 
•    Allen Khazan for Mean Eyed Cat Poster – Professor: Alex Egner
 
Best School Award ($1,000): 
•    University of North Texas