RECAP: Don Nichols Scholarship 2024

AAF Buffalo hosts the Don Nichols Scholarship Competition annually to honor the late Buffalo great Don Nichols. Don Nichols began teaching at the Albright Art School and founded its Graphic Design Program in 1950. He then brought it to UB, where he served as the program’s head until his death on July 7, 1987. He was an extraordinarily dedicated teacher who educated hundreds of graphic designers, several of whom attained national prominence. Nichols received the Osborn Award for Creative Excellence from Buffalo’s Art Directors/Communicators and the Chancellor’s Award for Teaching from UB in 1982.

This scholarship competition presents students studying fine arts, marketing & communications, design, photography, writing arts, and illustration with a theme and encourages them to submit work that comments on that theme. This year’s theme focused on artificial intelligence. Below is this year’s prompt:

“Artificial intelligence has taken the world by storm and the industry of communication and design is not exempt. We’re all scrambling to get a handle on what this well mean for our skills and ultimately our jobs. Yet, the theory that this is merely a new tool in our toolbox seems to be more pervasive and reassuring. But using it correctly is the next challenge. What’s your take on AI and how it’ll shape our world in the next few years? Bring to life your thoughts and opinions in any medium you choose.”

After reviewing submissions, the AAF Buffalo Board tallied the votes and is excited to congratulate this year’s Don Nichols Scholarship Competition winners.

1st: William Ankarberg, Villa Maria College

2nd: Laila Adeyola, Villa Maria College

3rd: Tyleek Sevor, Daemen University