AAF Buffalo announced the winners of its annual Don Nichols Scholarship Competition last week. Three of Villa’s graphic design students were awarded first, second and third place and three more received honorable mentions. This marks the fifth consecutive year in which Villa students have claimed the top spot in the competition, and the sixth consecutive year in which at least two students have placed.
This year’s theme was 1960s design and advertising. According to AAF Buffalo, in the 1960s, color and psychedelia were at their height and earth tones and experimentation were the new norm. Boundaries were pushed with color, type, and tone. Students were asked to share their best take on the groovy era’s signature style.
Entries ranged from music albums and movie posters re-imagined to political messages, print ads for products of the times, murals, a video about the 60s, and more. The competition was open to all Western New York undergraduates in design, writing, communications, illustration, photography, and fine arts. Entries were judged by a panel of professionals from Crowley Webb.
This year’s winners are: Emily Kaczynski, ’20 (first place), Michael Csizmadia, ’19 (second place), and Ana Echeverria, ’19 (third place). Their award-winning entries can be seen below. Nicole Plucinski, ’22, Tim Winterhalter, ’20, and Lindsay Neilson, ’21, received honorable mentions.
Emily Kaczynski, ’20, 1st place
Michael Csizmadia, ’19, 2nd place
Ana Echeverria, ’19, 3rd place
