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Art Institute Online announces winners

by: Sean Colleli -
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Congratulations to Orsolya Windhoffer and Katherine Anderson, the winners of the Art Institute Online's scholarship contest.  The judging panel had members of Midway and Rapid Reality Studios, and the prize was $10,000 toward the completion of a college education.  As a college student myself I can understand how helpful such a sum would be to alleviate tuition and other school expenses.  It's great to see game compaines helping out in activities like these--it's another good example in an industry fraught with controversy too much of the time. 

PITTSBURGH, PA— After receiving over 900 entries nationwide, The Art Institute Online, a division of The Art Institute of Pittsburgh, announced today, two winners in its “Live Your Creative Passion” scholarship competition (http://scholarship.aionline.edu).
    
The Current Student Scholarship Recipient is Orsolya Windhoffer, of Rockville, Maryland, a student in the Interactive Media Design online program.  Windhoffer said receiving the $10,000 scholarship will help her continue to pursue her bachelor’s degree.

“My creative passion lives in my ability to communicate, share ideas, educate, and incite action through my work,” said Windhoffer. “The Interactive Media Design program at The Art Institute Online will help me perfect my craft, and expand my skills to a new medium, so that I can use my voice to effectively communicate my views to the world.” Her submission can be viewed online at http://scholarship.aionline.edu/entry.aspx?id=828.
  
The Prospective Student Scholarship Recipient is Katherine Anderson, of Roscoe, Illinois, who currently works with kids after school at the Boys and Girls Club. Anderson says receiving this $10,000 scholarship will help her pursue a creative arts education and enjoy more creative freedom.

“I believe everyone has a vision of where they would like to see themselves in the future. My vision has not yet been accomplished. I have been doing art since the age of six. I want to embrace my talents and use them!” said Anderson. Her submission can be viewed online at http://scholarship.aionline.edu/entry.aspx?id=288.
  
The competition kicked off April 18, 2007, and was designed to encourage individuals to become excited about reaching their full creative potential through art. During the first round of judging, the public at large had an opportunity to vote online for their favorite entries. More than 50,000 people visited the scholarship Web site and voted for their favorite entries. The entries that received the top 10% of votes from the public were reviewed by a panel of distinguished judges who selected the two scholarship recipients.

HGTV television Host and Designer, Paige Rien, who is also a student at The Art Institute Online, a division of The Art Institute of Pittsburgh, served as one of the judges. She thought the competition brought out some very talented artists. 

“I was very impressed by the quality of work that was submitted, indeed, this was a really tough competition to judge because there were so many extraordinary entries.  I am honored to be part of this competition and truly moved by the talent and inspiring words of these participants. I think it's a fabulous competition that encourages drive, creativity and ingenuity,” Rien said.

Mark Stutzman, Illustrator and Designer at Eloqui, a former student of The Art Institute of Pittsburgh, and perhaps best known for his rendition of the young Elvis Presley stamp he created, also served as a judge. He felt the competition will help students move closer to their goal of becoming a creative force.

“My education at The Art Institute of Pittsburgh was a pivotal and memorable time for me. It was where I met my wife of 26 years; I started a career of 30 years and made life-long friends with fellow students. I hope the scholarship recipients will take full advantage of what the school has to offer to jump-start their careers as creative professionals,” said Stutzman. 

Mark Stutzman’s, wife, Laura, an Illustrator and Designer at Eloqui, also served as a judge.

Additional judges for the competition included:

George Pry, President- The Art Institute of Pittsburgh:
George L. Pry has been president of The Art Institute of Pittsburgh by since 1999. Mr. Pry launched his career with The Art Institutes at The Art Institute of Pittsburgh as a counselor in 1977. With 30 years experience, he has held several successful positions throughout The Art Institutes including the presidencies of The Art Institute of Houston and The Art Institute of Seattle.

Richard Rouse III, Director of Game Design - Midway Games; Richard is a game designer and writer who has worked in computer and video game development for more than a decade. Currently he is Director of Game Design at Midway Games, where he consults on a wide range of next-generation titles.  Most recently, he was Creative Director and Writer on the hit action/horror title The Suffering and its sequel, The Suffering: Ties That Bind.

DJ Cassell, Creative Director - Rapid Reality Studios; DJ has been delighting video game audiences world wide for more than 10 years. His gaming credits include “Rugrats: Search for Reptar,” “Die Hard Trilogy 2: Viva Las Vegas,” “Rugrats: Studio Tour,” “Duke Nukem: Land of the Babes,” “Danger Girl,” “Postal 2,” and “Medal of Honor: Allied Assault – Breakthrough.”

Tracy Spaight, Chief Operating Officer - Rapid Reality Studios; Tracy has been an avid observer of and participant in online games for more than a decadeTracy has given talks on life on the cyber frontier at the 2003 and 2005 State of Play conference at New York Law School, as well as the Integrated Media Association conference in 2006.

 

 

 

About The Art Institute Online, a division of The Art Institute of Pittsburgh
The Art Institute Online, a division of The Art Institute of Pittsburgh, delivers education in the creative arts through the Internet, extending the opportunity for learning to all students desiring classes by eliminating geographic, lifestyle, or physical constraints. Programs available fully online through The Art Institute Online, a division of The Art Institute of Pittsburgh, include associate’s and bachelor’s degree programs in Graphic Design and Interactive Media Design; bachelor’s degree programs in Advertising, Fashion & Retail Management, Game Art & Design, Hotel & Restaurant Management, Interior Design, and Media Arts & Animation; a bachelor’s degree completion program in Culinary Management; and diploma programs in Digital Design, Residential Planning, and Web Design. For more information call 1-877-872-8869 or visit http://www.aionline.edu.