FEATURED STORY
Bobcat Banners
Student Banners Give Fresh Look to Campus
BY TY DEMARTINO ’90
With a new look coming to the Frostburg State skyline, a plan to refresh the campus light pole banners was proposed to complement the changes. President Nowaczyk insisted they look no further than the creativity of the student body for the designs.
“I knew our FSU students would come up with interesting and creative ideas. The talent on our campus is incredible,” said Nowaczyk. “And who better than our students to represent the University through design? It’s their campus.” Nowaczyk suggested a contest to select the top designs.
A total of 24 entries were submitted, and seven designs were ultimately chosen. Those chosen also received $100 gift cards to Starbucks or the University Store.
Dr. Travis English, chair of Visual Arts, was pleased that the University gave young artists chances to showcase their work instead of consulting an outside design firm.
“I am so proud of the great work of our students. These banners exemplify their talents and show what students value about Frostburg, whether it be our setting, our campus landmarks or the diversity of our academic community,” said English. “These banners are superior to anything that would be developed by an expensive marketing firm or brand consultants.”
Visual Arts faculty members Susan Dodge and Jamison Odone assisted students on design specifications and marketing guidelines. The call for entries fell during fall of 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Faculty said the contest allowed students to feel connected with campus while they were taking many classes virtually.
“The students have a medium hand in how their surroundings look,” said Odone. “For the few that were chosen – that must be a nice feather in the cap of any student.”
Dodge agreed. “I think it is always important to have student work visible on campus, including all of the disciplines in the arts and sciences. To me, clip art and cliché imagery does nothing to add to a sense of a real, engaged, vibrant student community. Student artwork does.”
The banners are ready to greet students and visitors in the fall. English hopes this collaboration will be a catalyst for more student input.
“I look forward to more projects and opportunities for student creative engagement in shaping the image of FSU,” he added.
Students Share Their Visions
Grace Easterday
“The end goal … was to highlight some of the most iconic portions of the FSU campus. The bobcat and clock tower are certainly great identifiers for FSU for students and visitors alike, in addition to our school colors (red/white/black) and the layers of gorgeous hills that surround campus and Frostburg. It is a balance of textures, colors and patterns, showing how many different aspects, much like the diverse FSU community, can come together in unique ways to form a unified vision.”
Duncan Groff
“The clock tower has always stood out to me as one of the most unique and interesting elements of FSU’s campus. … I wanted to pair its simple shape with the bold Frostburg colors to create an eye-catching design that is recognizable to students and faculty alike.”
Paige Koerbel
“I was aiming for a minimalistic design that people could recognize and say, ‘This is Frostburg.’ I picked the bobcat statue since it’s so prominently displayed on campus. ‘Frostburg red’ was chosen as the main color because it stands out and can be seen from far away. When you see the bobcat and that bold red, you can easily think, ‘I’m at Frostburg.’”
Cassidy Mark
“My banner depicts the racial inclusion and diversity our University encompasses with its students. I also wanted to show the strength of equality and acceptance to anyone regardless of race, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation or gender. Everyone deserves to feel loved by their community.”
Trent Montgomery (formerly Martin)
“The clock tower is a central point at Frostburg State, which is why the focus of the design is on the clock tower. I used many shapes and lines to create a stained-glass look for the background but also a gradient to represent the sky and how everyone at FSU has a very scenic view of sunrises and sunsets.”
David Whitaker
“When first starting your journey at a new university, it can be very overwhelming and daunting. … You are just another face in the crowd. But with all that uncertainty comes the revelation that others have the same feelings as well. So push to create new experiences with the people around you. It can lead to lifelong friendships or timeless opportunities for personal and professional growth. Whether an older or newer generation, we are all unified under the symbol of the bobcat.”
