This year marked the beginning of an annual honor for two student artists of distinction attending Villa Maria College.  Nominated by the Art Department faculty and selected by Sandra Reicis, Art Department Chair,  the featured student artists for the 2013/2014 academic year are Valerie Kasinski from Photography and Bonnie Mack from Graphic Design.  This program of recognition is a celebration of excellence in Art and Design.  At a recent reception a year-long student exhibit was officially opened and Valerie and Bonnie each received the Chair Award.  Pictured above is President Sister Marcella Marie Garus (center) with Bonnie Mack (left) and Valerie Kasinski (right). These students serve as role-models for their fellow peers and ambassadors for the art and design programs at Villa Maria College.  The year long displays are in the East and West Reception Rooms located adjacent to the main lobby of the college.  Pictured at right is one of Valerie’s photographs entitled Whitney, Mount Baldy, CA. Featured at right is Bonnie Blues, a Visual Communications Branding Project for a fictitious clothing company, designed and fabricated by Bonnie Mack.  The call for next year’s featured artists has gone out.  All students in a Villa Maria College Art Department Program are eligible to be nominated.