Submissions are made by applicants and adjudicated by a panel of CDP Certified designers and educators from across the country. Recipients receive financial awards that are applied directly to tuition fees.
The work below is by our 2021 scholarship recipients.
Project: Annual Report
School: Capilano University
Harlen is from the Fort Nelson First Nation
“My goal is to graduate from Capilano University with a Bachelor’s in Graphic Design and to work in the design industry in Vancouver, British Columbia. In addition, I also plan to provide graphic design consultation to the Fort Nelson First Nation as I have done in the past as a summer student.”—Harlen Betrand
Judge’s comments:
“Harlen’s illustrations are absolutely gorgeous and I really enjoy the Environment Concepts in particular.”
“Overall, very promising individual and I’m happy that he will receive the Cheryl Lynn Rutledge Northern Indigenous Student Award. Congratulations!”
Project: Reclaiming Indigenous Names
School: Capilano University
Instructor: Tom Duguid
I am applying for this scholarship because of my passion for design and love of what I’m studying. Unfortunately, school is expensive and with the intensity of my program I don’t have time to get a part time job during my studies.
“I believe design can make a huge impact on the world, and my dream is to work for an agency that contributes to social good and making the world a better, brighter place.”— Kathrin Teh
Judge’s comments:
“Great project; great use of research; a clear social awareness with a desire to uncover effective and resonant design.”
“I loved Teh’s poster executions.”
Project: Vagix
School: Capilano University
Instructor: Vida Juric
We need good design now more than ever. With information being consumed at such a great rate, we need to be able to communicate a message that is moving and touches a person even after seeing it.
“Good design starts a dialogue, and with some topics just coming into a conversation like sexuality and other inequalities that historically have been difficult to address, I want to be there to create a narrative and make these things less daunting so we as a society can grow and become a more welcoming space.”—Michelle Viet
Judge’s comments:
“Good presentation, great project.”
“I really enjoyed these concepts; at first glance I chuckled when I saw the shelled seafood. I loved the colours and execution.”
Project: Lookout Housing and Health Society
School: IDEA School of Design at Capilano University
In the past several years, homelessness in Vancouver has been on the rise. Lookout Society is a non-profit organization that helps support vulnerable individuals to get the help they need to live their life safely and securely off the streets. They offer various services such as housing, emergency shelters, health services (i.e. mental health, substance abuse, personal wellness, etc.), training programs, along with many resources that can help individuals get back on their feet.
Project: India FarmersProtest
School: Wilson School of Design @ KPU
Instructor: Michael Cober
For decades, farmers in India have been marginalized and pushed out of the very country they aim to feed. In 2020, the largest peaceful protest in human history began in India all while the Covid-19 pandemic ravaged the world and hit India hard. 250 million farmers and their families are protesting against their government to fight laws that will allow farmers to be held at the mercy of large corporations and devastate the already low-income lives they endure. Millions of farmers including both men and women ranging from 15-90 years of age have slept through storms, left their families, abandoned their education, have been starved, beaten, and tortured for the past eleven months to protect their livelihoods from a government that has historically never been on their side. These protests are still ongoing. This is a global issue that has received very little media attention past the initial few news cycles in 2020. People around the world are still crucial in providing donations, and spreading awareness since we have the ability and privilege to do so.
Project: In the Thick of the Smoke
School: Wilson School of Design @ KPU
Instructor: Marga Lopez
In the Thick of the Smoke is a video infographic meant to educate high school students about the severity and the grimness of Canada’s history with Residential Schools. The whole idea is that the video is to be used as an educational tool for teachers to show to their students. Since videos are an engaging way of communicating information, I found that it would be most helpful for students to learn about the history of Residential Schools this way.
The video highlights Thunderchild Residential School, which was one of many schools that burned down as resistance against the brutal system. It became a common means to fight the system and liberate themselves from suffering induced by those operating the schools. With the last school closed only 25 years ago, this part of Canada’s history is still quite fresh and it is important we teach the future generation about it.
Project: Radio Radical Reform Seminar
School: Capilano University, IDEA School of Design
Radio Radical Reform is a fictional seminar about bringing the medium of radio into the future. The design of the information booklet is based on 60s-70s audio device designs, and incorporates digital monospace typefaces to give it a retro-modern feel
Project: Tunefull
School: Emily Carr University
Tunefull is an innovative music discovery platform for music enthusiasts to explore their local music scene while allowing emerging musicians to host and promote their own shows. Our concept was inspired by multiple interviews with musicians who expressed that the live music industry standards challenge musicians to market themselves at little profit. By empowering musicians to host their own shows at unconventional venues accessible to them like backyards, parks, a friend’s gallery, or a restaurant, Tunefull puts musicians in control while creating opportunities to generate sustainable income and build a dedicated fan base. Tunefull also serves as a smart local music discovery app that recommends performances for fans based on music taste and previously seen shows. The app is packed with features that build on the spontaneous and exciting aspects of live music discovery, like instant tailored show lineups and the possibility to connect with other music fans.
We wanted Tunefull’s visual identity to embrace the human aspect of music, the spontaneous nature of live events, and a multitude of genres. The outcome is a dynamic identity, composed of a family of twenty-six icons to pair with the wordmark. The icons each represent a different music genre that we currently recognize. They were created using the same base grid, which allows us to make more as needed—this way, the brand evolves with the industry. The interconnection of shapes in the icons references the relationship between different genres and the connections that Tunefull facilitates between musicians and their fans.
Project: Zaytun
School: Wilson School of Design @ KPU
Instructor: John Belisle
Zaytun is a Palestinian fair-trade cooperative that specializes in organic goods, including olive oil and various grains. The primary target audience are consumers interested in authentic fair trade food. Zaytun supports farmers who live under a military occupation which consistently threatens their livelihood through such acts as uprooting ancient olive trees, and through forced evictions of their lands. A percentage of sales goes back to the replanting of new trees on these lands.
The inspiration of the rebrand is the iconic Islamic motifs that can be found on the ancient architecture of Palestine, such as the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem. The logo is also inspired by traditional Arabic calligraphy.