Released on = March 22, 2007, 12:15 pm

Press Release Author = Anj Kozel

Industry = Education

Press Release Summary = Minnesota High School senior, Nicollazzi Xiong, will be
participating with 31 high school students from across North America in Poster
Design Scholarship competition.

Press Release Body = Minneapolis, MN - Thirty-one high school students from across
North America interested in a graphic design career have placed first in local
competitions in the Poster Design Scholarship Competition, sponsored by The Art
Institutes and Americans for the Arts. Students created original poster artwork
that expresses the slogan \"Life is Better with Art in It\" and wrote designer
statements explaining their poster concept and why they want to enter the graphic
design field.

The final stage of the contest, which begins in April, is a virtual competition with
a panel of industry professionals determining the winners of the tuition
scholarships. More than $200,000 in scholarships will be awarded, with the first
place prize-winning student receiving a $25,000 scholarship to study design at one
of 34 Art Institutes locations throughout North America.

Brooklyn Park resident and Osseo Senior High School senior, Nicollazzi Xiong, will
be representing The Art Institutes International Minnesota at the national
competition. This is the first time a Minnesota resident will be participating in
the national level of the Americans for the Arts and The Art Institutes Poster
Design Competition.

Nicollazzi is a self-taught graphic designer. During middle school, Nicollazzi
began experimenting with Adobe Photoshop and utilized the software to enhance her
own creativity. By high school, she wanted to pursue a career in Graphic Design.
Nicollazzi has the emotional support of her friends and family; they encourage her
to follow her dreams and continue to support her. Nicollazzi says that two teachers
have had an impact on her skills. Kathy Brown and Deb Scranton of Osseo Senior High
School. According to Nicollazzi, "They pushed me further, they gave me the respect
and motivation I needed." Nicollazzi was excited and surprised when she found out
she was a finalist for the national competition. Upon opening the letter,
Nicollazzi read the first sentence, screamed in disbelief, ran to her room and
jumped on top of her bed. She read the letter again and began calling her friends
and family to tell them the news.

The first-place winner from the local competition will have their entries placed
into consideration for the final stage and national judging, which takes place in
April. The first-place winner and all preliminary competition winners\' work will be
used in a promotional calendar for Americans for the Arts, to be distributed to high
schools across North America. In addition, Americans for the Arts will create an
online gallery of all scholarship winning artwork on its web site
http://www.americansforthearts.org./ More than $200,000 in scholarships will be
awarded, with the first-place prize-winning student receiving a $25,000 scholarship
to study design at one of The Art Institutes locations throughout North America.

According to Joseph L. Marzano, president of The Art Institutes International
Minnesota, "High school seniors interested in art often want to find where their
talents can take them in their lives and careers. We are excited this poster design
competition recognizes, rewards and encourages young designers to follow their
talent to an education in the graphic design field.

The contest was for graduating high school seniors interested in pursuing a career
in design. Students must submit an original poster design, a current high school
transcript and a statement describing their design process, and why they would want
to attend one of The Art Institutes. In April, an industry panel of judges selected
by Americans for the Arts and The Art Institutes will assess each student\'s poster
based on the specified criteria. The National contestants will be notified of their
winnings by May 11, 2007.

Participating locations include: The Art Institute of Atlanta, The Art Institute of
California - Inland Empire, The Art Institute of California - Los Angeles, The Art
Institute of California -- Orange, The Art Institute of California-San Diego, The
Art Institute of California-San Francisco, The Art Institute of Charlotte, The Art
Institute of Colorado, The Art Institute of Dallas, The Art Institute of Fort
Lauderdale, The Art Institute of Houston, The Art Institute of Indianapolis, The Art
Institute of Las Vegas, The Art Institutes International Minnesota, The Art
Institute of New York City, The Art Institute of Ohio- Cincinnati, The Art Institute
Online (a division of The Art Institute of Pittsburgh), The Art Institute of
Philadelphia, The Art Institute of Phoenix, The Art Institute of Pittsburgh, The Art
Institute of Portland, The Art Institute of Seattle, The Art Institute of Tampa,
The Art Institute of Toronto, The Art Institute of Vancouver, The Art Institute of
Washington, Bradley Academy for the Visual Arts, California Design College (Los
Angeles), The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago, The Illinois Institute of
Art-Schaumburg, Miami International University of Art & Design, The New England
Institute of Art.

For more information on the competition or an application, visit
www.artinstitutes.edu/poster.

Founded in 1964 as Lowthian College, The Art Institutes International Minnesota is a
diverse, dynamic institution of higher education whose mission is to educate
students for creative careers. The Art Institutes International Minnesota is part of
Education Management Corporation (www.edmc.com). The website for The Art Institutes
International Minnesota can be found at www.artinstitutes.edu/minneapolis.

About Americans for the Arts
Americans for the Arts is the nation\'s leading nonprofit organization for advancing
the arts in America. With more than 40 years of service, we are dedicated to
representing and serving local communities and creating opportunities for every
American to participate in and appreciate all forms of the arts. Visit
http://www.AmericansForTheArts.org for more information.


Web Site = http://

Contact Details = Anj Kozel, Director of Communications
15 South 9th Street
Minneapolis, MN 55402
P: 612.656.6862
F: 612.338.2417
akozel@aii.edu