Nov. 14, 2007

STUDENT DESIGNS COLLEGE’S FIRST HOLIDAY GREETING CARD
Stephanie Kilper, a 22-year-old sophomore from St. Peters, has designed the first St. Charles Community College holiday greeting card in a contest showcasing work by SCC art students.

Kilper’s snowflake design was the top selection in what is to become an annual competition for SCC art students, sponsored by the SCC Foundation. The college and the Foundation will use the greeting cards this year, and a tradition will begin that offers the cards for sale in the bookstore in the holiday season following the newest design, according to Edie Kirk, executive director of the SCC Foundation.

“We are delighted at the response from art students at the college, and we couldn’t have come up with a more beautiful design in our first year of the holiday card competition. Stephanie is truly a talented young artist with a promising future,” Kirk said. She said proceeds from future sales of the cards would support the Foundation’s scholarship fund.

Kilper, who will graduate from SCC in May 2008 with a degree in graphic design, said she plans to integrate her love of photography with her growing interest and skill in digital imagery. She is currently taking an independent study course in digital photography, and she is considering continuing her studies at the Kansas City Art Institute with the goal of someday teaching art.

“I love the new Visual Arts Building at the college. The photo dark rooms are huge, there are separate studios for every type of art discipline, and the student lockers are great for storing portfolios and other art materials,” Kilper said.

“I’ve learned so much here. The instructors have such patience, and I have the utmost respect for the help and attention they give to students. Katie Sanker, associate professor of art, has been my mentor, coaching me and guiding me to take that extra step that will make the most of my talents.”

“It is students like Stephanie who make coming to school every day worthwhile. She is dedicated, hungry, and innovative. Her leadership with the Art Club is outstanding, her artwork grows and expands on a daily basis, and her heart is wide open,” Sanker said. “She is going to go far with that kind of determination and passion.”

The holiday card Kilper designed began with basic star shapes, adjusted with Adobe Illustrator computer software into snowflakes with a depth that seems to make them come off the page. “As a takeoff on the traditional snowflake, I chose a black background to make it more modern, and the flakes come outside the boundaries of the card. It’s a twist that gives the card an updated look,” Kilper said.

Kilper, a 2003 graduate of St. Dominic High School, hopes to eventually earn a master’s degree in teaching, although she may spend a year or two working in her field before continuing her education. “I think I would love teaching because art communicates with kids and provides more interaction between teacher and student than many other subjects. I have been able to bond with my art instructors, and that has helped me to learn."

Kilper also has become active in campus activities, including serving this year as president of the Art Club. Her photographic work recently took third place in campuswide art competition. “Photography has become a passion of mine, and I love to create art that is also a narrative, a story, such as a graphic novel or comic strip,” Kilper said.

Kilper said her classes at SCC also have helped her prepare for connecting with clients in the workplace, including creating photography, design layouts for advertising, logos, and stationery. “My teachers think I have potential, and that is encouraging to me. They push me in the right direction. Entering this contest is just a start; with the confidence I have gained, I know I can do more creative work on my own.”

Jordan Mogerman, associate professor of art who heads the college’s graphic design program, sees a bright future for Kilper. “Stephanie uses input from her personal life, her readings, and her classes to inform her artwork,” Mogerman said, “focusing a lot of energy into what she wants to create artistically. Her skills, interests, and eclectic nature give her many options for the future.  Whether it’s photography, graphic design, teaching, or any combination, I think she can do just about anything she wants.”

For information on the St. Charles Community College graphic design program, call Mogerman at 636-922-8418. To inquire about photography or any of the college’s other art disciplines, call the Division of Arts & Humanities at 636-922-8254.

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