Hye Sharzhoom Armenian Action
Staff Report
When the students in the Graphic Design class (GD 178)were given an assignment to design a logo for the upcoming Armenian Genocide Centennial, very few of them were aware of just what the Armenian Genocide was.
Prof. Barlow Der Mugrdechian, Director of the Armenian Studies Program, was invited to speak to the Graphic Design class on Tuesday, September 23, to introduce students to the history and significance of the Armenian Genocide and the upcoming Centennial on April 24, 1915.
The challenge for students was to develop informational materials, a logo, a poster, a website design, and a design for a mailer, that would be used by the Armenian Studies Program to bring wider attention to the Armenian Genocide. Students were given a month to develop their ideas, before presenting them to class faculty Rebecca Barnes and Martin Valencia, as well as to Prof. Barlow Der Mugrdechian.
There was a buzz in the atmosphere on Thursday, October 23, when thirteen students presented the results of their work. The competition was extraordinary, and the student projects were outstanding. After much deliberation, Christopher Orozco, a senior working towards his BFA degree in Graphic Design, was chosen as the student whose work best represented the goals of the competition.
Orozco has always been interested in art and in computer technology, combining the two interests into graphic design. His concept of the logo combined the flame from the Armenian Genocide Monument in Yerevan, Armenia, with the Armenian symbol of eternal life.
The Graphic Design class typically takes on several clients for the semester. This semester they took on challenges such as developing a branding strategy for an energy drink, a project to design labels for the Fresno State winery, and promotional materials for the Fresno Advertising Federation for their American Advertising “ADDY” Awards.
The Armenian Studies Program thanks all of the students who participated, as the judging was very close with many excellent concepts. Orozco’s designs will appear in the upcoming months in Hye Sharzhoom, as well as in Armenian Studies Program posters and mailers. Special thanks to Professors Rebecca Barnes and Martin Valencia for accepting the Armenian Genocide Centennial project for their students.