Visualization Students Earn Honors And Scholarships at Annual Viz-a-GoGo Showcase
Visualization students were awarded “Vizzies” for their creative works and research showcased during the 32nd annual Viz-a-GoGo award ceremony on May 2 at the Rudder Tower Complex.
Viz-a-GoGo is student-run and features the best work from the summer, fall and spring semesters. Several students also received scholarships from the college and industry leaders.
The event included an art exhibition, interactive/gaming showcase, research symposium and a screening in Rudder Theatre. According to Anna Keniston, co-curation lead for Viz-a-GoGo and a second-year student in Visualization’s Master of Science program, the event featured 380 works across the exhibition and main screening.
This year’s screening theme was “Vizcation: A Visualization Vacation,” which featured filmed comedy segments interspersed throughout the screening. To fit the theme, the Vizzie awards were designed with sunglasses and floaties.
The Vizzies
Best in Photography: “Thoughts” by Sera Albers.
Best in Sculpture: “Destructive Interference” by Nik Aberle; and “Dystopian Bunker” by Ashlynn Smith.
Best in Digital Flatwork: “Art and the Machine” by Gabbi Levy.
Best in Traditional Flatwork: “Smirnoff” by Sydney Lemmon.
Best in Graphic Design: “Propagation” by Callie Hanna.
Best in Technical Art: “Asset Builder HDA” by Diego Romero; and “Victorian Ball Gown Tool Breakdown” by Jenna Aguilar.
Best in CG Rendering: “Threads of the Andes” by Anna Keniston.
Best in Interactive Design: “Blue Light” by Kate Catalena, Natalie Almoumar, Tilly Hillje, Drew Schmidt and Jake Walls.
Best in Game Design: “Rawrmageddon” by Ally Reaves, Andrew Oh, Wyatt Ferguson, Zachary Taylor and Nick Nguyen.
Students’ Choice in Exhibition: “Kimi the Joyful Mascot” by Audrey Yang; and “Evil Eyes” by Sydney Lemmon.
Best in Time-Based Media: “Cardboard Camelot” by Rachel Barner, Madelin Duran, Alex Ford, Vidushi Gupta and Hayden Hanna; and “Cubeland” by Gus McClain.
Best in Show: “Victorian Ball Gown” by Jenna Aguilar.
Best in Undergraduate Research and Creative Works: Lauren Waters.
Best in Graduate Research and Creative Works: Graciela Camacho Fidalgo
Scholarships
Andrew Olds received the Best Body of Work scholarship at the undergraduate level; and Jais George was awarded at the graduate level. Drew Turner received the “Raving Award” — Rising Aggie Vizzer in Animation at the undergraduate level, and Robert Garza at the graduate level.
Diego Romero received the DreamWorks Alumni scholarship; Jenna Aguilar received the Pixar Alumni scholarship; Ashley Smith, Lauren Waters and Cruz Diego Gonzales received Disney Alumni scholarships; and Anthony Le and Kylie Thomas received Electronic Arts Alumni scholarships.
Tessa De La Fuente received the Arenas Strittmatter Foundation Excellence Award in Visualization. Outstanding Undergraduate Student went to Sarah Maggie Lloyd, and Outstanding Graduate Student went to Gus McClain. Morgan Taton received the Bill Jenks Viz Lab Spirit award; Anthony Le received the Chandler Studios Aggie Alumni Award.
