BOONE, N.C.—Morgan Batley, a senior graphic arts and imaging technology major from Mooresville, won a top prize in the 2016 Student Packaging Design Competition of the AICC, the Independent Packaging Association.

Her design, called “Party Pack for App State Homecoming,” placed first in the competition’s graphics category. She won $500 and this past October, she traveled to Orlando to accept a plaque at AICC’s SuperCorrExpo, the corrugated and packaging trade fair and conference.

“My goal was to be an advocate for the school,” Batley said. “This was my first professional conference, and it was great to meet other (competition) winners and learn more about their universities and programs as well.”

Batley created the “Party Pack” design this past spring as part of a project in Introduction to Packaging, a class taught by Dr. Mandy Wu, an assistant professor of graphic arts and imaging technology in Appalachian’s Department of Art.

Each of Wu’s students designed a party pack to hold such tailgating staples as drinks and snacks. Wu challenged her students to design for the AICC competition and told them she would submit the best pack design to the competition’s committee, which consists of AICC members who met this past August to evaluate design entries. (AICC stands for the Association of Independent Corrugated Converters.)

Batley approached her party pack design with some sense of what might contribute to a pleasant tailgating experience, having interned for Appalachian’s athletics office.

The pack includes space for snacks and drinks. “I went the extra step and added a space in my party pack for plates and napkins,” Batley said. “It’s all about the details.”

Wu said that Batley has an eye for detail.

“Morgan is a dedicated student who put a lot of time and thought into the project,” she said. “She spent hours outside of class with me to modify and finalize the project, and it’s that dedication and focused effort that propelled her to succeed in the competition.”

As a result of winning the 2016 Student Packaging Design Competition, Batley will enter “Party Pack for App State Homecoming” in a best-of-the-best contest to be held in February during the annual Careers in Corrugated Teleconference.

During the teleconference, first- and second-place category winners of the packaging design competition will pitch their entries via live broadcasts from their schools to students and faculty at many other colleges and universities that are offering packaging and related courses. The contestants will make their pitches as if they were selling their entries to prospective customers.

The teleconference is sponsored and organized by the International Corrugated Packaging Foundation.

Judges will select the four best presentations during the teleconference. The winners will each receive cash awards; these will range from $150 for fourth place to $500 for first place.

About the Department of Art

One of seven departments housed in the College of Fine and Applied Arts, the Department of Art at Appalachian State University prepares students to explore art, identity, expression and creative problem-solving while challenging them to go beyond their previous limits by discovering new connections to culture. The department offers degrees in art and visual culture, art education, graphic design, studio art, commercial photography and graphic arts and imaging technology, with minors in art history, studio art, commercial photography and graphic arts and imaging technology.

About Appalachian State University

As a premier public institution, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives. App State is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, with a national reputation for innovative teaching and opening access to a high-quality, affordable education for all. The university enrolls more than 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors at its Boone and Hickory campuses and through App State Online. Learn more at https://www.appstate.edu.

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