Article By: Staff
Every year, the University of North Georgia's (UNG) art students compete for top honors during the Hal B. Rhodes III Student Exhibition Awards as well as other artistic and scholarship awards on UNG's Dahlonega Campus. This year was no different with five students being recognized in the exhibition and 13 students receiving other accolades and scholarships.
Earning the crown as the Department of Visual Arts' Student of the Year was Ashley Blankenship.
"I was a little surprised, but I was certainly honored," said Blankenship, who graduated in December 2017 with a Bachelor of Science in art marketing.
The Student of the Year has demonstrated excellence in all areas of scholarship, artistic form, media expertise, conceptual sophistication, community engagement, and meritorious service. It also includes the senior who has scored high on his or her senior exhibition.
Craig Wilson, assistant professor of visual arts at UNG, explained the faculty begin the selection process with about 60 recent graduates and narrow it down to two or three.
"Then the faculty panel of seven or eight vote to pick the best," Wilson said. "And Ashley came out on top this year."
Winning the Faculty of the Year award was Alexandra Kraft, assistant professor of visual arts at UNG.
Winners from the Hal B. Rhodes III Student Exhibition were:
Other awards and recognitions were: