Ottawa ON –The GDC Foundation is pleased to announce a new educational scholarship for design students. The Ray Hrynkow Scholarship is to be awarded to a third year student in a four-year design degree program. The award will go to a candidate showing great promise as a “thinking” designer — one who demonstrates an understanding of sociology and anthropology in their work.

The scholarship will award $500 this year, through the GDC National Scholarship program which is judged in April.

The Scholarship is named for Ray Hrynkow CGD, FGDC, a Vancouver design professional who was awarded Fellowship in the Society Graphic Designers of Canada in 2011. He is president of Herrainco Brand Strategy & Design in Vancouver, BC, which he established with his wife, Casey Hrynkow CGD, FGDC, in 1986. He is a graduate of the Vancouver School of Art and later Emily Carr University of Art + Design, and has worked in a broad range of retail, editorial, and financial design which has fuelled his passion & love of strategic branding & design.

The Scholarship both honours Ray’s career and promotes “intelligent design,” which has been fundamental to his practise and something he always encouraged in students and young designers.

“The scholarship is for the thinking designer,” said Ray. “This could range from an understanding of how to better motivate human beings to honour their planet, to understanding what it means to be a single parent, to anything in between. It doesn't necessarily have to be altruistic, simply intelligent and not materialistic.”

Ray began his career after graduating with a diploma in Graphic Design from Vancouver School of Art in 1977, working as a designer with Westworld Magazine in 1978. He became it’s art director shortly thereafter, and built the magazine’s reputation, winning awards for art direction and design. The firm grew to a complement of 10 designers and support staff by 1995. He began designing award winning annual reports, first with MacMillan Bloedel and then with many more of British Columbia and Canada's largest companies. His annual reports for Nisga’a Lisims Government were judged to be in the top 100 three years in a row by the American AR100 show. His knowledge of design and design process has launched successful brands and communications for companies as diverse as AOL/Tegic, Aboriginal Tourism BC, City of Coquitlam, Petro-Canada, Methanex Corporation, Citizens Bank of Canada, Nisga’a Lisms Government and the University of British Columbia, Escents Aromatherapy, Granville Eyeland, City of Coquitlam and the Aboriginal Tourism Association of BC.

He has frequently served on national design panels and judging committees, and actively volunteered to the GDC BC Chapter executive. He has often served as a mentor to young designers who work to achieve GDC certification and guidance on ethics and professional best practices.

The Scholarship represents the GDC Foundation’s commitment to provide scholarships for designers. This is the Foundation’s first named scholarship.

For more information regarding the GDC Scholarship program click here: http://www.gdc.net/education/scholarships_and_awards/articles/91.php

Click here to download a scholarship application form in English. 

Click here to download a scholarship application in French.

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About the GDC Foundation:
The Society of Graphic Designers of Canada Foundation is building a fund to help designers, educators, students and researchers. It will fund research, special projects, scholarships for students and professional designers, and offer short-term financial assistance for designers experiencing career-challenging difficulty. The Foundation is currently raising its initial capital through donations and bequests from designers, sponsors, educators and others in related fields.

For more information,
or to make a donation to the Ray Hrynkow Scholarship Fund
or to the GDC Foundation
contact Peggy Cady CGD, FGDC
GDC Foundation Committee Chair
Email:
Web: http://www.gdc.net/about/foundation.htm

Donate online: www.gdc.net/about/store.php
Click "Donate" at the GDC Store and click through to make your donation.
When you receive your email receipt, reply to the email (info@gdc.net)
to  request that your donation be applied to the GDC Foundation Ray Hrynkow Scholarship fund. (problems? call toll free 1-877-496-4453)