News and Media

Article By: Amanda Tower
Published: Mar 2, 2009

Savannah College of Art and Design industrial design senior students Alex Marshall, Lizzie Harr and Adam Brodowski presented selections of their work at the JCB American Headquarters Feb. 25 in competition for the Industrial Designers Society of America Senior Merit Award.

While judges Michael Plummer, general manager of marketing communications, JCB Inc.; Nate Justiss, industrial designer with Philips Design; and Kurt Rampton, freelance designer and former Senior Merit Award winner, deliberated, a lecture was given by Ravi Sawhney, president and CEO of RKS Design. Also in attendance was Devin Moore, IDSA Atlanta Chapter chair and designer with Big Bang Design.

Marshall was announced as the winner, and will present his work at the IDSA Southern District conference April 3-5 in New Orleans. His presentation was a brief selection of his work based on the idea of visual thinking and visual communication as it relates to the way he designs.

"Winning this award is confirmation that I am a good designer, and assures me that I have the skills necessary to continue in this field that I love," said Marshall. "It is an honor to represent the SCAD industrial design department at the IDSA district conference."

Marshall is an officer in the IDSA student organization at SCAD, and is in the New Toy Design course sponsored by Kids II, where he and his fellow students are developing product designs for the toy manufacturer. In spring quarter, he will participate in the V-Tech sponsored senior studio course, which will take his class to Hong Kong to present their final concepts to company executives.

"I think getting as much professional experience before you graduate is essential," said Marshall. "While at SCAD I have completed one freelance position and two internships, participated in three sponsored projects and am currently freelancing for Case-Mate. These experiences have helped me grow in many ways and as a result helped prepare me to represent my school as the Student Merit Award winner."