MSU senior wins Kennedy Center regional award for work on Theatre MSU original production
Contact: Sarah Nicholas
STARKVILLE, Miss.âA Mississippi ´ķĪķAPP senior has bested applicants from more than 10 states in the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival competition, winning the top prize in technical drafting for his lighting design in MSUâs fall production of âBanner: A Sea Turtle Saga.â
Paul T. Sullivan, a business information systems major with a minor in theater, won the Vectorworks Award in Design, Technology and Management at the recently held KC/ACTF Region IV awards ceremony. His award includes a professional license for industry-standard drafting software, Vectorworks, valued at $3,000.
âPaulâs award recognizes the best examples of technical drawing at the festivalâan award commonly won by graduate students,â said Matthew Webb, an assistant clinical professor in MSUâs Department of Communication and design faculty for Theatre MSU. âObviously, we couldnât be prouder of Paulâs work, both regionally and in his lighting designs for last springâs student showcase and fallâs âBanner: A Sea Turtle Saga.ââ
Last fall, Webb coordinated a directed, individual study course for Sullivan to help develop his drafting skills with Vectorworks software.
âWinning this award showed me that industry professionals agreed and validated the quality of my work. It was a reminder that I completed this objective and that I am on the right track,â said Sullivan, a native of Destrehan, Louisiana who is graduating this week. âMy hope is to take a year or two to work and gain more professional experience before pursuing an MFA in lighting design. After grad school, I hope to have a career as a Broadway lighting designer and theater technology consultant.â
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