SC4 Graphic Design student, Tara VanConant, of Peck, won the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD) Student Graphic Design contest. This is the third straight year an SC4 student has won the contest.
VanConant’s poster design, which will be used by NISOD to promote their annual teacher’s conference, competed against 35 other schools in a blind competition. VanConant was selected as a representative for St. Clair County Community College because of her extensive and consistently excellent design portfolio. Tara will receive $1,000, five poster-size copies of her artwork, and her artwork will serve as the theme for NISOD’s 2019 conference graphics. Tara also will receive up to $400 in airfare, three nights lodging, and complimentary conference registration to attend the 2018 International Conference on Teaching and Leadership Excellence in Austin, Texas. SC4 will receive a complimentary 2018-19 NISOD membership.
“We are very proud of Ms. VanConant’s impressive work and accomplishments. It is an honor to have Tara represent the college.” Said Julie Armstrong, CAO/Vice President of Academic Services at St. Clair County Community College. “The fact that SC4 students have won this national award three years running speaks to the excellent tutelage of the faculty in our Graphics Design program. Congratulations to Ms. VanConant and the Graphics Design faculty!”
VanConant is a second-year student who will graduate with her associate degree in Graphic Design in fall 2018. Ms. VanConant is an active member of the SC4 campus and is the current production and managerial editor for the Erie Square Gazette. She also was selected as the layout coordinator for the 60th edition of the Patterns magazine and designed the logo for the SC4 Writing Center.
“During her time at SC4, Tara has been recognized numerous times for her amazing layouts and logo designs,” added Sarah Flatter, Visual Arts and Graphic Design Academic Lead at SC4. “We are so proud of Tara for all her accomplishments and excited to have won this competition three years in a row!”
VanConant’s poster design includes a powerful message about the STEM and STEAM controversy that concern many educators.
“I am motivated by the art that influences my everyday life.” Said Tara VanConant. “STEM is represented by the beaker for science, the magnet for technology, the ruler for engineering, and the numerals for mathematics. These core components of education are supported by a well-rounded education, which includes the arts, making it STEAM. The arts are represented with the pencils. Surrounding these elements is the Texas landscape, which is the location of the annual NISOD teacher conference.”
Past winners for NISOD include SC4 Graphic Design alumni, Brittany Burt (2017) and Jason Grill (2016). Both Burt and Grill were selected to represent SC4 because of their excellence in illustration. Grill graduated with a Bachelor’s in Graphic Design from Wayne State University in 2017 and was awarded a summer internship as a designer with Amazon in Seattle. Upon completion of his bachelor’s degree, he was hired as a permanent employee of Amazon.
