A dozen students and alumni from OSU Institute of Technology School of Visual Communications took home awards at Graphex 48, an annual competition that honors creative professionals in the areas of design, advertising and marketing.

Graphex is presented by the Art Directors Club of Tulsa, a nonprofit professional organization for those in the visual communications field.

At this year’s awards ceremony, three alumni were recognized in the professional division and nine current students or recent graduates were given awards in the student division.

James McCullough, dean of the School of Visual Communications, said 66 awards were given out in the student division alone with OSUIT students winning about a third of them.

“I’m pleased overall. It shows we’re competitive,” McCullough said. “We swept the photography category. And we’re competing with four, even five year programs.”

It’s always great to win, McCullough said, but pushing students to enter competitions like Graphex is just another way to prepare students for the working world.

“A lot of students would rather not put their stuff out there,” he said. “Your work is constantly going to be judged in the industry. Competitions are more of a reality check. You’ve got to show your work to clients; you might as well get comfortable with it.”

But McCullough also tells students that winning competitions isn’t everything but to take the opportunity at events like Graphex to see what others are doing and use it as inspiration.

“Don’t get caught up in the win or loss. Showing your work and getting used to that, that’s the most important part,” he said.

 Graphex 48 Winning OSUIT Alumni & Students

Professional Division

Shane Brown

Camera operator, Fire Thief Productions LLC

Graphex Award- Motion

Jordan Coon

Art director, Sapien Brand Experience

Two Graphex Awards- Identity

James Ward

Designer, Hogan Assessments

Best-Of Graphex Award- Interactive

Student Division

Amy Chapman

Graphex Award- Photography

Jayme Cochran

Graphex Award- Illustration

Ricky Cuellar

Two Graphex Awards- Photography and Portfolio

Kelly Edwards

Two Graphex Awards- Photography

Bailey Ewin

Two Graphex Awards- Identity

Leah McGlothlin

Graphex Award- Advertising

Kelsey Nowlin

Graphex Award- Interactive

Sara Roberts

Graphex Award- Photography

Josh Walker

Two Graphex Awards- Packaging and Portfolio

Kierstin Wise

Graphex Award- Identity