The Yardsticks competition is an awesome opportunity to work with a real client, real deadlines, and receive real feedback from the pros of Grand Rapids. When I competed two years ago I didn't make it to the final round but the motivation and drive I walked away with is something I might not have learned if I was just handed the chance to win. It was my first year in advertisement with only one class under my belt, I jumped both feet into a competition I knew nothing about. It was a risky chance for failure and possibly embarrassment but I geared my mind in a learning environment. And through the experience I gained so much insight in the field of both Advertisement and Public Relations that is helped shape the avenue I am on today. The support from Grand Valley professors and opportunities to participate and simply attend events such as Yardsticks makes students one step closer to a successful career. Congrats to all of those who participated this year, it takes a lot of confidence to put yourself out there and showcase your work to the public. Now I am feeling more prepared than ever to give my pitch at Yardsticks 2015. #MeasureupGR
Work up. Measure up. Move up. Yesterday marks my third year being a part of the Yardsticks, a college creative advertisement competition open to all colleges. Last night the competition was held in the gorgeous ballroom at the Amway Grand Hotel in Grand Rapids, MI. Over the course of the three years I have lived in Grand Rapids, I have played three roles in Yardsticks as a competitor, audience member, and this year a volunteer. Each year I continue to be blown away with the creativity and innovative ideas presented by college students. From traditional to social media the range of opportunities are endless in this competition. This year the client was The Hotel Kitchen a company connected with the Amway Grand creating gourmet dressings and sauces to create top notch dishes in your own kitchen. I got to cheer on a lot of good friends in this years competition and watched 3 of them win the final round with provided them the chance to work with The Hotel Kitchen in creating one campaign that will launch near April. The Yardsticks competition is an awesome opportunity to work with a real client, real deadlines, and receive real feedback from the pros of Grand Rapids. When I competed two years ago I didn't make it to the final round but the motivation and drive I walked away with is something I might not have learned if I was just handed the chance to win. It was my first year in advertisement with only one class under my belt, I jumped both feet into a competition I knew nothing about. It was a risky chance for failure and possibly embarrassment but I geared my mind in a learning environment. And through the experience I gained so much insight in the field of both Advertisement and Public Relations that is helped shape the avenue I am on today. The support from Grand Valley professors and opportunities to participate and simply attend events such as Yardsticks makes students one step closer to a successful career. Congrats to all of those who participated this year, it takes a lot of confidence to put yourself out there and showcase your work to the public. Now I am feeling more prepared than ever to give my pitch at Yardsticks 2015. #MeasureupGR
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The street vendors are shouting '$2 Hotdogs', the line at the GRAM is wrapped around the corner, and the jazz band is playing in the Rosa Parks, the warmth of the city is beaming during ArtPrize 2014. For 19 days within a three mile radius of downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan, artists from around the world share their voice in artworks ranging in all shapes, forms, and sizes. This international art competition has been a part of the heart of Grand Rapids since 2009 and continues to bring crowds of people from all over who share a common interest to discover what is art. This year was my third year attending ArtPrize and every year I am eager to get back next year, it's an event that everyone wishes occurred all year round.
Through the ArtPrize app and website the public has the capability to vote of their favorite pieces, ArtPrize 2014 had 1.536 art entires and received 398,714 public votes. Throughout the 19 days there are Kid Craft Days, Founder's Brewery in the park, art disclosure discussions, and free admission to all museums and art galleries. It's the most wonderful time of the year for anyone to spend a day in GR without truly spending a dime. (Although I do recommend checking out a few of the restaurants downtown, you won't regret it) And the winner is... Intersections by artist Anila Quayyum Agha. A 3-D installation box made of laser cut wood panels that cast a geometric pattern on every inch of space within the room. As you step into the room inside the GRAM, you leave this mind set of being inside an art museum and enter a space of endless possibilities and the exploration of light. The inspiration behind this piece is based upon the experience of the artist growing up in Pakistan. The element of light is an expression of both wonder and exclusion that women would experience within a community. Agha quoted 'My intent with this installation was to give substance to mutualism, exploring the binaries of public and private, light and shadow, and static and dynamic.' Based upon the interaction and communication buzz this piece created through the city was an indication in itself why she was chosen as the ArtPrize winner. My personal favorite installation was SiTE:LAB, a vacant 90 year old hotel once called The Morton that was transformed into a exhibition of site specific installations by Paul Amenta. The vacant hotel once had a grand entry lobby, abandoned restaurants, commercial space and 1,500 square foot bank vault that provided interesting and mind blogging installations. The large hotel space had multiple floors, a multitude of winding staircases and tiny tucked rooms around corners that made each room a whole new experience. Exploring each room and feeling eager to see what the next room displayed created a fun house for adults to wander and get lost in an abandoned hotel. With real thick bank vault doors, a mini skateboarding park in the basement, and bungee cords creating a optical illusion, the SiTE:LAB was an exhibit I was thrilled we stumbled across. The rooms were chilly, dismantled, and sometimes spooky but overall that's what kept the publics attention and the idea to keep searching for more. Check out their website for more history info and images from the installation. Next years ArtPrize is already in full planning mode, expected to take place September 23 – October 11, 2015. So mark your calendars! This is an inspiring and beautiful event that Grand Rapids is pleased to promote and host year after year. It was yet another successful and enjoyful ArtPrize and I can't wait to see what next year has in store. If you attended ArtPrize this year, what was your favorite piece? #ArtPrize2014 1. Michael Buble referred to me as his girlfriend at the Rockefeller Center in New York City. Grand Valley Homecoming 2014, A L aker Leg acy is definitely one for the books or at least for my portfolio! Since April I have been working with the Alumni Relations team and this year I got to play a part in creating promotional material for events, volunteers and media leading up to the big game. It has been a crazy few weeks leading up to Homecoming. The Alumni Relations staff has been busy gathering alumni volunteers and students to join in a hand helping with the various events happening throughout the week and weekend. From comedy shows, 5K run/walk, pancake breakfast, golf outing, documentary speaker, tailgating and more, there is something to do for all ages! It' s a great opportunity for alumni to return to campus for a walk down memory lane and for current students to bring family and friends to show off some Laker Pride. Below are a few examples of promotional items I designed in preparation for Homecoming Day.
Do you have a better understanding of your personal strengths or your personal weaknesses? It seems like a very easy question but when I was asked this same question during a StrengthsQuest seminar I wasn't entirely sure of my answer. The thoughts that popped up in my head was I can do this but need a little work in some areas here and I am getting better at that, but I never once thought of a solid answer to something I was definitely good at. It was in essence a sad realization and a good reflection of our society. As it is a tough question, most would argue to focus on improving your weakness so they can become a part of your strengths, this seems like a logical reasoning. Rather I would focus on using your personal strengths and try to control your weaknesses. It becomes a tough balance but I acquired good insight while analyzing my strengths that it's important to always put these attributes forward.
In our society, I have noticed our abilities are analyzed based upon what we need to learn, build, and perfect rather than the strong contribution we can provide. Recently in my drawing class I made a decision to incorporate fabric within my still-life because it's something that doesn't come easily. My intention was "practice makes perfect" and if I worked hard on something I wasn't good at it was come easier to me. Although I was wrong. Instead I was questioned by my professor why I included something in my drawing that I wasn't good. At first it didn't make sense to me, I wanted to prove to myself that I could perfect my fabric drawings abilities. But after going through a StrengthsQuest seminar a few weeks again I have a better understanding where to focus on. Within the StrengthsQuest seminar, I was asked a series of questions and based upon my answers I was given my top 5 strengths to capitalize on through academic, career, and personal success. My top 5 strengths were Achiever, Woo, Communication Strategic, and Includer. Below is a short description of the following strengths. Achiever: People who are especially talented in the Achiever theme have a great deal of stamina and work hard. They take great satisfaction from being busy and productive. Communication: People who are especially talented in the Communication theme generally find it easy to put their thoughts into words. They are good conversationalists and presenters. Includer: People who are especially talented in the Includer theme are accepting of others. They show awareness of those who feel left out, and make an effort to include them. Strategic: People who are especially talented in the Strategic theme create alternative ways to proceed. Faced with any given scenario, they can quickly spot the relevant patterns and issues. Woo: People who are especially talented in the Woo theme love the challenge of meeting new people and winning them over. They derive satisfaction from breaking the ice and making a connection with another person. During the seminar after receiving and analyzing these strengths we were put into different scenarios of what strengths we look for in others while working in groups or during crisis situations. I found it interesting that those who shared the same strengths as me utilized and perceived the strength different than myself based upon personal qualities, past experiences, and outside situations. How you perceive yourself and present these strengths is pivotal for interviews and the way you present yourself to employers. Employers look for what attributes you can contribute to the business. If you are ever presented with the opportunity to take a strengths test of any type I encourage you too. For the seminar might be a long seminar taking up most of your Saturday afternoon, the results you get are extremely educational for yourself. Knowing your personal strengths and weaknesses can give you a lot of insights in understanding and changing yourself. And it will help you to make the right decisions. #FindStrength I always encourage you to do what you do best and put your best effort forward. |