Student design majors win at the ADDYS

On Saturday, Feb. 29, four Maryville College students attended the ADDYs in Knoxville, Tenn. and took home several awards and citations. Design majors Chloé Vaccaro, Alyssa Kral, Cassidy Forbes, and Christen Watson each submitted various projects for consideration. Design professors Adrienne Schwarte and Morgan Manning attended the awards as well.

An annual event, the ADDYs, also known as the American Advertising Awards, are hosted by a local sanction of the AAF or American Advertising Federation. With different ceremonies held all over the country, the ADDYs are a prevalent and fierce competition that recognizes all types of advertising media from print to video and everything in between.

This year, the Knoxville ADDYs were dubbed “The Roaring ADDYs.” Those who attended the event were free to dress to the theme, which was also visually present in the various promotional materials and certificates given out at the awards. The night included a reception like period for socializing followed by a dinner accompanying the ceremony.

Vaccaro received one Silver ADDY Award for an app design called “Pearl,” which was initially produced for a class project focused on “design for good.”

“It’s an app that I created for other women and females to make friends and find other female friends locally,” Vaccaro said. “With the Silver ADDY, I get to submit it [‘Pearl’] to go to regionals, so I am excited for that.” She also received four Bronze Citations of Excellence for other individual designs.

Vaccaro found the ADDYs are an excellent chance to see what’s out there in Knoxville’s local design scene and to meet new people.

“I got to meet and network with a lot of people,” Vaccaro said. “Since I’m graduating and staying local in Knoxville, it was a really good opportunity to see some of the design firms, what they are putting out, and what might fit best with where I want to be.”

Kral was given one Silver ADDY Award and one Bronze Citation of Excellence for an infographic she had originally made for the college’s bicentennial museum. The design focused specifically on Maryville College’s old farm. Kral enjoyed her time at the awards.

“The ADDYs were so much fun! The food, location, and people were all great,” Kral said. “We were able to network with other designers and companies there, and it was just a great atmosphere all around.” Kral also received an additional Bronze Citation for a photograph of the Golden Gate Bridge she took while in California.

Forbes picked up two Bronze Citations of Excellence for two different designs — one a stylized illustration of a Canon camera and the other an app design. Forbes’ app is titled “M.O.R.E. Skincare” and was created for the same class project Vaccaro made “Pearl” for.

“It is an app design that helps you scan cosmetic products, and it will tell you [about] all the harmful ingredients that are in them and where to buy safe products,” Forbes said. She too had a good time attending the awards.

“The experience was amazing, and I am incredibly proud of Chloe, Alyssa, and Christen,” Forbes said. “And [I am] thankful for Adrienne and Morgan for being great teachers.”

Watson received two Bronze Citations of Excellence for a Maryville College bicentennial related design and a piece called “Woven in Time.”

Congratulations to Vaccaro, Kral, Forbes, and Watson! As a design major myself, it is very neat to see others here at MC getting such good recognition at the ADDYs. Professors Schwarte and Manning are surely proud of you all.