UAlbany Students Design Happy Holiday Wishes

The winner of the President’s Office holiday card contest was not the only unveiling at the Dec. 7 community coffee hour with students, faculty and staff.

President Havidán Rodríguez went undercover as Damien the Great Dane at the event, greeting campus community members, and even his wife, Rosy, who all had no idea it was him under the mascot costume. The president revealed himself just in time to display UAlbany’s holiday card for this season.

“We want to wish you a very, very happy holiday season,” said President Rodríguez, while still in the Damien costume. “We want to wish you feliz navidad y próspero año nuevo, and today we’re also beginning a new tradition, which is the president’s holiday card.”

President Havidán Rodríguez went undercover as Damien the Great Dane.

To showcase the creativity and artistic talent of UAlbany students, the President’s Office held its inaugural holiday card contest this year, offering $1,000 and $500 scholarships for the best designs.

The contest was open to all UAlbany students in good academic and judicial standing. They were asked to submit one piece of artwork to be reviewed by a panel of judges. After receiving dozens of submissions, the winning designs were chosen by the President’s Office based on creativity and artistic merit.

Anna Pellicone, MFA ’20, won the contest. Her card is an illustration of the Uptown Campus, featuring the UAlbany Carillon turned into a signpost with directional arrows pointing to other campuses, buildings and locations connected to the University. The card reads, “Wherever the season takes you, may you find peace, hope and joy.”

The two runner-ups, also announced at the Dec. 7 coffee hour, were S. Jennifer Owens and Clara Meyer. Owen’s design also featured the UAlbany Carillon, against a star-filled sky, while Meyer’s design depicted a chickadee pulling on a thread in a purple and gold UAlbany hat.

Pellicone’s winning design was shared with the entire UAlbany community this week as a holiday greeting.