CBU design students, professors and alumni triumph at ADDY Awards

Riverside, Calif. (March 29, 2023) – A total of 77 medals — including Best of Show — were awarded to California Baptist University at this year’s Inland Empire American Advertising Awards gala.

This year’s highlights include CBU design students winning a remarkable 58 awards including all 12 of the student Gold awards of the evening. CBU design professors and alumni also won a total of 19 awards including eight Gold awards in the professional categories.

Created as an opportunity to recognize and reward creative excellence in the art of advertising, the ADDYs have become the most respected creative competition in the industry. The Inland Empire’s annual gala was held at Riverside’s Mission Inn on March 10.

“To be acknowledged in this way by professionals in our discipline is a testament to the exceptional academic standards we uphold in our program, and the dedication and creativity of our students and professors,” said Dirk Dallas, program lead for graphic design and visual experience at CBU.

In the student award category, CBU Students won a total of 58 awards, with Lexi Birdsell winning “Best of Show” – the top award of the entire night. Gwen Godfrey was presented with the important “Mosaic Award” – awarded for her commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion through creative work and advocacy. Anne Sowers won the most individual awards, receiving five Gold: “Forge Protein Shake” and “Stellar Airlines,” both for Integrated Brand Identity Campaign; “SanDisk. A sea of storage,” Photography; “CAVAD Christmas Card,” Illustration; “Illustricon,” Special Events Materials.

“Winning an ADDY is a prestigious achievement demonstrating exceptional creativity, skill, and professionalism in advertising and design,” Dallas said. “Having this listed on their resume is a big way to help students rise above the competition and stand out to potential employers.”

Students credited CBU’s College of Architecture, Visual Arts and Design professors for helping them by supporting their creativity.

“Professor Dallas and Professor [Christopher] Wright taught the classes I created the projects in, and I learned a lot of new techniques and concepts in those classes. Without their ideas and suggestions, I would not have been able to produce the work I did,” said Sowers, a junior double majoring in illustration and graphic design.

In addition to student awards, Michael Berger, professor of graphic design, and Christopher Wright, assistant professor of graphic design and visual experience, won a total of 17 awards in the professional awards category, with seven being gold. Two CBU alumni also won in the professional category, with one of them being a Gold award.

All winners from the Inland Empire ADDY awards now advance to the District level competition.