Swinburne student wins Overall Graduate of the Year Award
In Summary
Swinburne University of Technology design graduates have been recognised as some of the nations best designers, with a number of graduates winning awards at the prestigious 2013 Design Institute of Australia (DIA) Graduate of the Year Awards.
Bachelor of Interior Design (Hons) graduate Anna Pogorelova took out the top design award at last night’s awards, being named as the Victorian and Tasmanian Overall Graduate of the Year. She was also named as the Interior Design Graduate of the Year.
Ms Pogorelova, who made the trip from Singapore for the awards ceremony, said that she was thrilled to receive the award.
“I actually couldn’t believe it! I was so happy. It felt as though the last four years of long hours and hard work had paid off,” Ms Pogorelova said.
“To receive not only the Interior Design Graduate of the Year, but also the Overall Graduate of the Year has been the perfect ending to my four years at Swinburne.”
Ms Pogorelova credits her success to the design teachers at Swinburne University, saying that she wouldn’t be where she is today, if it wasn’t for her dedicated lecturers and tutors.
“This award is really all thanks to Swinburne. My teachers have been great mentors and supporters over the duration of my course. Every teacher along the way has taught me something,” she said.
Professor Scott Thompson-Whiteside, Swinburne Dean of Design, said that receiving the award was an exciting step in Ms Pogorelova’s career.
“The DIA Graduate of the Year Awards are the most prestigious student design awards in Australia, and to receive one is a testament to Anna’s dedication and commitment to her course,” Dr Thompson-Whiteside said.
“Receiving an award like this demonstrates to the design industry that you are not only talented, but also a passionate designer with an exciting career ahead of you.”
As part of wining the Victoria Tasmanian Overall Graduate of the Year 2013, Ms Pogorelava received 12 months interior design mentoring and $500. She will now be entered into the DIA Australasian Graduate of the Year Awards, which will be announced in Sydney at designEx in May 2014.
Ms Pogorelova, who is now working at Interior Design firm MMOSER Associates in Singapore, will finish her whirlwind trip to Melbourne next Thursday, when she attends her Swinburne graduation ceremony before returning to Singapore.
Swinburne also dominated the Graphic Design category of the DIA Awards. Communication Design graduate James Silvestro received the 2013 Graphic Design Graduate of the Year Award, while Communication Design graduate Will McKenzie was named as Runner Up Graphic Design Graduate for 2013.
Winners were chosen by a panel of judges from each design discipline, by assessing anonymous portfolios in the fields of Graphic Design, Industrial Design, Furniture Design, Jewellery Design, Textile & Fashion Design, Interior Design and Interior Design & Decoration. Each portfolio was evaluated on apparent design solutions, transferrable workplace skills and the graduates’ predicted impact on the Australian design industry.