Career Launcher Prize Winners
Toronto, ON, July 16, 2024 – Format, the leading portfolio website provider for creative professionals, is expanding its Educational Outreach initiatives with OCAD University (OCADU), the largest university for arts and design in Canada.
In collaboration with OCADU’s RBC Center for Emerging Artists and Designers, two students were awarded the second annual Format Career Launcher Prize.
Nina Iglesias, an artist in the OCADU Department of Material Art and Design, and Jennifer Stewart, a graphic designer in the Department of Design, were each awarded a monetary Format Career Launcher Prize, along with a free Format Pro Plus lifetime subscription and a one-on-one consultation with the Format Expert Site Building Team. Two runners-up, including multi-disciplinary artist Pixel Heller and UX designer Anson Zheng, each received a free, one-year Format subscription.
The awarding of the Format Career Launcher Prize is the culmination of a creative opportunity offered only to OCADU’s graduating class of 2024. The call for submissions began in January 2024 and required that each applicant present their creative work with a Format portfolio website. Submissions were judged by OCADU and Format staff on both the quality of that work and how well applicants conveyed the narrative of their creative practice through their Format website.
John Loughlin, CEO of Format’s parent company, Zenfolio Inc., said the awards reflect Format’s and Zenfolio’s continuing commitment to creative arts education. “We’ve seen first-hand how a beautifully crafted portfolio website can help recent grads start successful careers immediately after graduation. That’s why we pledged to provide $1 million of free student website subscriptions back in 2022. And that’s why we’re so pleased to have advanced our now twelve-year partnership with OCADU through the Format Career Launcher Prize.”
Throughout the academic year, Format hosts free webinars and workshops where OCADU students learn the foundations of building a portfolio and other professional practice principles. Format also provides all registered OCADU students with a free Format account while they are enrolled and for six months after graduation. Additionally, all OCADU alumni receive a 25% ongoing discount on Format annual plans to help support and build their professional careers.
Zev Farber, OCADU Director of the RBC Center for Emerging Artists & Designers, acknowledged the impact of the Format Career Launcher Prize. “Format provides OCAD University students with access to an easy-to-use, professional-grade platform that not only enhances the online profile of an individual’s creative practice, but also measurably improves employment outcomes and other important markers of career success. The new Format Prize for graduating students further demonstrates Format’s exceptional commitment to and support of the OCADU community.”
