FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 13, 2017
Vancouver, B.C. - Vancouver Film School (VFS) and The Graphic Designers of Canada (GDC) BC Chapter are honored to announce the VFS and GDC Maria Kennedy Digital Design Scholarship; established to celebrate the principle of education-through-mentorship that Maria Kennedy, a thought-leader, visionary creative, and attentive advisor embodied throughout her career as a professional art director, designer, creative director and president and in her years as a teacher and mentor.
One $5,000 scholarship will be awarded each year from 2017-2019 to a new student enrolling in the VFS Digital Design program. It will be augmented by a one-year Student Membership to the GDC during their year of study and a one-year Professional Membership after graduation. The BC Chapter of the GDC will also pair this student with a mentor who will provide support and guidance while they are enrolled in Digital Design. The successful candidate will be a creative person who demonstrates a strong portfolio of identity/branding concepts with a desire to learn and apply storytelling, interactive design, and motion graphics principles to better their work and take their career in a new direction.
The first scholarship will be open to applicants starting January 1, 2017. The deadline to submit is April 15, 2017. The recipient’s name will be announced in May 2017 at the Salazar Awards for Excellence in Student Design. It is open to Canadian Citizen (and PR status) students registering to commence the Digital Design program in September 2017 or in January or May 2018. Two additional scholarships will be announced in May 2018 and May 2019 following a similar application process.
Maria Kennedy will be remembered and celebrated as an inspirational and transformative force within Vancouver’s Design community. Her more than a quarter-century of advertising and design experience included the roles of Creative Director with Karacters Design Group and DDB, Founder at Seed Ideas and Managing Director, National Design Director at Grey Canada. She produced incredible work for clients such as Shopper’s Drug Mart, Sobeys, Vancity, McDonald’s Sunripe and VANOC. In 2008 she joined the Faculty of the Digital Design program at VFS teaching Branding, mentoring students on award-winning design projects, and inspiring a new generation of creatives! Her achievements and leadership as a Canadian woman in a male-dominated industry will be recognized by a posthumous nomination as a Fellow of GDC (FGDC) at the GDC National AGM in June 2017.
Vancouver Film School (VFS) is proud to offer Digital Design, a one-year program that immerses students fully in the world of design, teaching the tools and processes that allow students to make positive impacts on the way people interact with the world through technology. With instructors and mentors who are also working professionals with real-world experience, the program is designed to give students the skills, contacts and confidence to kick start their careers.
Since 1956, Graphic Designers of Canada (GDC) has been Canada’s national professional association and certification body for graphic and communication design. With nine Chapters throughout the country, membership in GDC connects designers to Canada’s national community of creative leaders, professionals, educators, students and supporters.
To apply for the VFS/GDC Maria Kennedy Digital Design Scholarship, click here.
The application deadline is April 15, 2017.