Announcing the 2021 Graduation Award Winners
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Thirty students received graduation awards in acknowledgement of their exceptional work and accomplishments.
The Class of 2021 had an unprecedented final year, defined by the COVID-19 pandemic. While they were unable to gather in person with their peers, our students continued to develop their creative practices through hybrid and online learning. In addition to a small on-campus exhibition limited to graduating students and their families, their exceptional graduation work can be viewed at , an online interactive platform showcasing their diverse and stunning talents.
Forty-three graduation awards and honourable mentions were bestowed on these students for their remarkable achievements by our esteemed judges. In total, 30 students received awards valued at $26,090 based on their works in the show, their GPAs, or a combination of the two.
Several students received multiple honours:
- Lauren Thu (BDes) received the DESIS Radical Sustainability Award and the John C. Kerr Chancellor Emeritus Award for Excellence in Design for her graduation project .
- Delaney Soumang (BFA) received the Chick Rice Award for Excellence in Photography and the Saralee James Memorial Award for , and was also featured in a celebrating 2021 Canadian photography graduates.
- Sydney Pickering (BFA) received an honourable mention for the É«¿âTV Graduation Award for Anti-Racism and Social Justice (Visual Arts) as well as the Vancouver Art Attack Award for Excellence in Visual Arts for her project . In addition to a cash award from Vancouver Art Attack, Sydney will also have a solo exhibition at Beaumont Studios B1 Gallery in August.
- Melina Bishop (MFA), the 2021 Graduation Student Speaker, received honourable mentions for the Opus Art Supplies award and the Renée Van Halm + Pietro Widmer Graduation Award for Visual Arts for her project .
- Levi Nelson (BFA) received an honourable mention for the É«¿âTV Graduation Award for Anti-Racism + Social Justice (Visual Arts) and the John C. Kerr Chancellor Emeritus Award for Excellence in Visual Arts for his work, .
- Kaiwen Yang (BDes) received an honourable mention for the É«¿âTV Graduation Award for Anti-Racism + Social Justice (Design) and the WA Architects Ltd Master of Design Graduation Award for his project .
- Kajill Aujla (MFA) received the Renée Van Halm + Pietro Widmer Graduation Award for Visual Arts and an honourable mention for the Opus Art Supplies Award for .
Particularly in these challenging times, we are especially thankful for our donors who make it possible to offer many of our awards in support of emerging artists. Selections were made by juries comprised of industry experts, curators and art collectors. Thirteen students were also selected to receive honourable mentions.
We are grateful to our distinguished jurors and everyone who assisted in the awards process. View the full list of honorees below.
2021 Graduation Award Winners + Honourable Mentions
Master of Design + Bachelor of Design
DESIS Radical Sustainability Award |
(BDes) |
Award Recipient |
DESIS Radical Sustainability Award |
(BDes) |
Honourable Mention |
Ecological Design Graduation Award |
(BDes) |
Award Recipient |
É«¿âTV Graduation Award for Anti-Racism + Social Justice – Design |
(MDes) |
Award Recipient |
É«¿âTV Graduation Award for Anti-Racism + Social Justice – Design |
(BDes) |
Honourable Mention |
É«¿âTV Graduation Award for Anti-Racism + Social Justice – Design |
(MDes) |
Honourable Mention |
É«¿âTV Health Design Award for Innovation |
(BDes) |
Award Recipient |
É«¿âTV Health Design Award for Innovation |
(BDes) |
Honourable Mention |
Glenmore Custom Print + Packaging Design Award |
(BDes) |
Award Recipient |
John C. Kerr Chancellor Emeritus Award for Excellence in Design |
(BDes) |
Award Recipient |
John C. Kerr Chancellor Emeritus Awards for Excellence in Design |
(BDes) |
Honourable Mention |
WA Architects Ltd Master of Design Graduation Award |
(MDes) |
Award Recipient |
The Wood Co-Op/Forestry Innovation Investment in Wood Design Industrial Design Graduation Award |
(BDes) |
Award Recipient |
Bachelor of Media Arts
Basically Good Media Lab Graduation Award |
(BMA) |
Award Recipient |
Sophie Burnett Memorial Award |
(BMA) |
Award Recipient |
É«¿âTV Graduation Award for Anti-Racism + Social Justice – Media |
(BMA) |
Award Recipient |
Emily Carr Alumni Association Graduation Award for Community Engagement |
(BMA) |
Award Recipient |
John C. Kerr Chancellor Emeritus Award for Excellence in Media Arts |
(BMA) |
Award Recipient |
The President’s Media Awards for Excellence – Best in 3D Computer Animation |
(BMA) |
Award Recipient |
The President’s Media Awards for Excellence – Best in 3D Computer Animation |
(BMA) |
Award Recipient |
The President’s Media Awards for Excellence – Best in 2D or Experimental Animation |
(BMA) |
Award Recipient |
The President’s Media Awards for Excellence – Best in Film/Live Action |
(BMA) |
Award Recipient |
The President’s Media Awards for Excellence – Best in New Media/Sound Arts |
(BMA) |
Award Recipient |
VIVO Distribution Award |
Ethan Rhodes (BMA) |
Award Recipient |
Master of Fine Arts and Bachelor of Fine Arts
É«¿âTV Graduation Award for Anti-Racism + Social Justice – Visual Arts |
(BFA) |
Award Recipient |
É«¿âTV Graduation Award for Anti-Racism + Social Justice – Visual Arts |
(BFA) |
Honourable Mention |
É«¿âTV Graduation Award for Anti-Racism + Social Justice – Visual Arts |
(BFA) |
Honourable Mention |
Saralee James Memorial Award |
(BFA) |
Award Recipient |
John C. Kerr Chancellor Emeritus Award for Excellence in Visual Arts |
(BFA) |
Award Recipient |
Landon Mackenzie Graduation Award for Visual Arts |
(BFA) |
Award Recipient |
Landon Mackenzie Graduation Award for Visual Arts |
(BFA) |
Honourable Mention |
Opus Art Supplies Graduation Award BFA |
(BFA) |
Award Recipient |
Opus Art Supplies Graduation Award BFA |
(BFA) |
Honourable Mention |
Opus Art Supplies Graduation MFA |
(MFA) |
Award Recipient |
Opus Art Supplies Graduation MFA |
(MFA) |
Honourable Mention |
Opus Art Supplies Graduation MFA |
(MFA) |
Honourable Mention |
Mary Plumb Blade Award |
(BFA) |
Award Recipient |
The Chick Rice Award for Excellence in Photography |
(BFA) |
Award Recipient |
Renée Van Halm + Pietro Widmer Graduation Award for Visual Arts |
(MFA) |
Award Recipient |
Renée Van Halm + Pietro Widmer Graduation Award for Visual Arts |
(MFA) |
Honourable Mention |
Vancouver Art Attack Award for Excellence in Visual Arts |
(BFA) |
Award Recipient |
Vancouver Art Attack Award for Excellence in Visual Arts |
(MFA) |
Honourable Mention |
Judith Warren Painting Award |
(BFA) |
Award Recipient |