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For the past five years, Launch has awarded $1,000 scholarships to the top design and art direction portfolios at University of North Texas’ College of Art and Design. Based on a portfolio review, these scholarships are given to the design and art direction majors whom Launch representatives and UNT faculty recognize as having achieved an outstanding body of creative work. David Wilgus, agency principal and creative director, was on hand for the judging and to meet the winning students.
This year Aaron Kotara (left) was the winner of the 2011 Launch Agency award in Art Direction and Ashley Ayer (right) was the winner of the Graphic Design award. Eric Ligon (center) is the Associate Dean at the College of Visual Art and Design.
Kotara, Ligon and Ayer at UNT
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Launch Agency has once again added creative firepower with intern Jeffrey Rodriguez, aka “J-Rod 2.” (Art director Joanna Rodriguez has already claimed the original “J-Rod” moniker). A recent graduate from the University of North Texas, Jeffrey joins the team bringing with him his passion for graphic design.
A native of the Lone Star State, Jeffrey grew up in Plano, Texas. The Communication Design major studied typography, graphic design, packaging, publication design, art direction and AfterEffects motion in earning his degree.
Jeffrey’s other interests include discovering new music, hanging out with friends, working out, and — believe it or not — cleaning and organizing. He will also be Launch’s “go to” man when it comes to smooth R&B and Top 40 music.
We interrogated Jeffrey to figure out how this “neurotic” (his words, not ours) designer works:
Q: Most unique talent?
A: I’d like to think I’m a good whistler. Name a song!
Jeffrey Rodriquez, Launch Agency's cleanest creative
Q: Favorite kind of games? Board games, mind games, video games…?
A: I LOVE Scrabble/ or Words with Friends — any kind of word game.
Q: What is your favorite piece of art?
A: “The Great Wave of Kanagawa” by Hokusai
Q: Celebrity you’d most like to meet.
A: Beyonce Knowles
Q: What is your favorite children’s movie?
A: Disney Pixar’s “Up”
Q: Favorite inspirational rocket/space related saying?
A: “Shoot for the moon! Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.”
Please join us in welcoming Jeffrey, along with his eye for graphic design and tidiness, to Launch.
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Launch principal David Wilgus has served on the University of North Texas CVAD board for the past two years.
“I’ve been a big fan of the school over the years,” UNT alum Wilgus said. “We’ve hired several art directors from their award-winning design program, and I’m always impressed by the talented students they produce.”
UNT’s College of Arts and Design is considered one of the best art schools in the southwest, offering 30 undergraduate and graduate degree programs.
Wilgus has been closely involved in helping the school launch its new Design Research Center (DRC) in downtown Dallas. The DRC opened in January to serve as an “urban laboratory” where graduate students and faculty members can spark and sustain design-driven solutions to real world problems.
To learn more about UNT’s College of Visual Arts and Design visit http://www.art.unt.edu.
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Art Director Madison McDaniel rounds out the Launch summer intern team (Copywriter, Account Service, and AD) as her student portfolio and design skills landed her the art director internship. Madison joins us from UNT’s Communication Design program where she also earned this year’s Launch Outstanding Achievement Scholarship for Art Direction. See for yourself how good she is on her portfolio site.
We gave Madison a break from computer layouts just long enough to ask some telling questions:
![Madison 1[5]](http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4071/4700473992_2e6dbdceef.jpg)
Q: Are you an ocean
or lake person?
A: Ocean.
Q: Pen or pencil?
A: Pen.
Q: Favorite video game?
A: Mario Kart.
Q: Which platform?
A: N64.
Q: Favorite color?
A: Black.
When asked what her favorite flower was, Madison couldn’t think of one. (Perhaps this has something to do with her favorite color. After all, we’ve never seen a black flower.)
Q: Are you on Twitter?
A: Yes. @/_sealion.
Q: So you like sea lions?
A: It’s a Fiest song . . .
Q: So you like Fiest?
A: Yes.
Q: What do you want to accomplish at Launch?
A: I’d really like to go on a photo shoot, but I mostly want to immerse myself in the agency environment.
Well, good news for this small town (Brock, Texas), Johnny Cash-loving girl turned art director: she’ll become more immersed in agency life than she ever could have imagined. Welcome aboard, Madison!
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The University of North Texas held its 2010 Communication Design Senior Graduation Event in Dallas, on May 14, at the Hayworth Showroom in the Republic Center. Over 200 friends, family members, and faculty came to celebrate the 28 graduating CommDesign seniors.
As part of the celebration, Launch Agency awarded $1,000 scholarships to two students with outstanding junior portfolios in art direction and design. This year, the Outstanding Achievement Scholarship in Design went to Max Barkhatou. The Outstanding Achievement Scholarship for Art Direction went to Madison McDaniel. Congratulations to Madison and Max on their outstanding work!
Launch has awarded scholarships to outstanding UNT junior designers and art directors since 2007. Launch principal/creative director, David Wilgus, himself a UNT graduate, knows first-hand the extraordinary talent in the CommDesign program.
Check out some of Madison’s winning portfolio:
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Welcome to our newest Art Director, Joanna Rodriguez. A native Texan, Joanna hails from Houston and has been in Dallas for the past six years. Joanna graduated from the University of North Texas in May of ‘09 with a Bachelor’s in Communication Design, making her the 4th UNT alum at Launch.
After interning at two Dallas Agencies, Dieste and IMC2, Joanna joined Launch for her first full-time job as an art director. Joanna is fluent in Spanish and “semi-fluent” in French. “I studied French for 12 years, so you’d think I’d be able to speak it. That’s not the case.” Joanna said.
The Mac-loving, cat-hating, Whataburger-craving, 23 year old is the oldest of three kids. (She has one sister and one brother.) She currently lives with her brother stating it has its “ups and downs.”
Q&A with Joanna Rodriguez
Q: Favorite Blog
A: It’s kinda nerdy but, the UNT Communication Design blog
Q: New stuff on your iPod playlist
A: Also kinda nerdy but, Abba
Q: Best Movie
A: Ever? Casablanca; recently, Up in the Air with George Clooney
Finally, when asked how she was handling the crazy work atmosphere at Launch she laughed and said, “It gets better every day!”
¡Bienvenidos a Launch, Joanna!
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Each year, to inspire and reward creative excellence at the University of North Texas’ College of Visual Arts & Design, Launch Agency awards two student scholarships. After the UNT faculty narrowed the field to eight outstanding juniors, Launch’s very own UNT alumni — David Wilgus (Launch Principal, Creative Director) and Reuben Miller (Creative Service) — carefully reviewed the portfolios and selected this year’s winners.
“This is the third year of our involvement,” informed Wilgus. “UNT has a great program. We are excited to recognize and assist some of the terrific students in Visual Arts & Design.”
Graphic design student, Daniel Fuhrer, and Jason Perez, an art direction student, will each receive $1,000 scholarships. Both exhibited strong conceptual thinking and brought their ideas to life with impressive execution.
Check out some of Daniel’s winning portfolio.
http://www.flickr.com/apps/slideshow/show.swf?v=71649
