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  • AAF Winners

SJMC students win big at AAF awards

Posted March 5, 2020
By Rebekah Friedman, communications manager, rebekahb@mailbox.sc.edu, 803-576-7270
Top photo: (front: l to r) 
Madison Rathburn, Hil Howle, Emily Schoonover, Matthew Taylor, Savannah Cerniglia, Olivia Griffin, Kailee Kokes, Maggie Gosiger ; (back: l to r) )Simeon Roberts and Melaney Mottsey

University of South Carolina students, including many from the School of Journalism and Mass Communications, took home nearly 20 awards at the American Advertising Federation of the Midlands’ annual gala on Feb. 22. 

Nineteen awards were presented to South Carolina students, including one Best of Show Award, one Special Judges’ Award, five Gold Student ADDY Awards and 12 Silver Student ADDY Awards.

“It was another amazing showing for our students this year,” says Tara Mortensen, an associate professor who leads the J-school’s visual communications sequence. “It makes me so happy to see students recognized for their hard work and have their pieces displayed next to those of area professionals. It was all very well-deserved!”

Gold winners will advance to regional competitions; those who place there will advance to the national level.

“I am really proud of our students, they are creative, talented and dedicated,” says assistant professor Sabrina Habib, also part of the visual communications sequence. “Faculty mentors work closely with them to ensure that every entry is ready, which means students often have to perform several revisions to their work during finals week. These awards are truly impressive, and they are a reflection of our program.” 

Grace Steptoe, a 2019 visual communications alumna who now works as art director for Student Media, says it was no surprise that her major and Student Media swept the awards. 

“These programs do such a good job of not only providing the skills students need to be successful, but also encouraging them to be creative and innovative,” Steptoe says. “Some of the work that students are producing is on the same level as professional work. The community sees that just because they’re students doesn’t mean they are not ready to work in the industry.” 

BEST OF SHOW

Cinematography
Charleston Tea Plantation »
Savannah Cerniglia and Sophie Bello, visual communications
Mentor: Sabrina Habib


SPECIAL JUDGES’ AWARD

Special Events Material
May: Mental Health Awareness Month Informational Graphic
Simeon Roberts, visual communications
Mentor: Tara Mortensen


SALES AND MARKETING 

Gold ADDY Award
Special Event Materials
Simeon Roberts, visual communications
May: Mental Health Awareness Month Informational Graphic
Mentor: Tara Mortensen

Gold ADDY Award
Cover/Editorial Spread or Feature: Series
Office of Student Media: Garnet & Black Staff
Garnet & Black 2019 Covers

Silver ADDY Award
Stationary Package
Hannah Rose Damico, visual communications
Charleston Tea Stationary Set
Mentor: Tara Mortensen


OUT OF HOME & AMBIENT MEDIA

Out-of-home poster

Silver ADDY Award
Pedal Parlor Poster
Kai Kokes, visual communications
Mentor: Tara Mortensen

Silver ADDY Award
Slightly Stoopid Gig Poster
Margaret Gosiger, visual communications (2019 alumna)
Mentor: Tara Mortensen


ONLINE & INTERACTIVE

Silver ADDY Award
Know When to Write a Thank you Note
Emily Schoonover and Dejon Johnson, visual communications
Mentor: Jason Porter

Silver ADDY Award
Garnet Media Advertising Guide
Emily Schoonover, visual communications and Student Media 


FILM, VIDEO AND SOUND

Silver ADDY Award
Television Advertising, “One roll at a time
Margaret Gosiger, visual communications (2019 alumna)
Mentor: Sabrina Habib


CROSS-PLATFORM

Integrated Brand Identity System

Gold ADDY Award
Pancho Santa Fe
Melaney Mottsey, visual communications (2019 alumna)
Mentor: Tara Mortensen

Gold ADDY Award
Pedal Parlor Re-brand
Hilton Howle, visual communications
Mentor: Tara Mortensen

Silver ADDY Award
Sustainable Carolina
Madison Rathburn, visual communications
Mentor: Tara Mortensen

Cinematography

Gold ADDY Award
Charleston Tea Plantation
Savannah Cerniglia and Sophie Bello, visual communications
Mentor: Sabrina Habib

Silver ADDY Award
Soda City Barbers »
Matthew Taylor and Kelly Teseny, visual communications
Mentor: Sabrina Habib

Silver ADDY Award
The Big Mo »
Margaret Gosiger (2019 alumna) and Olivia Griffin, visual communications
Mentor: Sabrina Habib

Animation or Special Effects

Silver ADDY Award
Know When to Write a Thank you Note »
Emily Schoonover, visual communications, and Dejon Johnson, media arts
Mentor: Jason Porter

Silver ADDY Award
How to Design a Nighttime Garden »
Benjamin Buttles (2019 alumnus) and Krista Larson, media arts
Mentor: Jason Porter

Silver ADDY Award
Atomic Coffee »
Savannah Cerniglia, visual communications
Mentor: Sabrina Habib


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