Graphic design student wins new award for emerging talent

Michelle Lawton won the new Plymouth Design Forum (PDF) Student of the Year award
Graphic Design student Michelle Lawton awarded Plymouth Design Forum Student of the Year Award
Plymouth Design Forum
A graphic design student from the University of Plymouth has been named the first winner of a local competition recognising outstanding talent in the sector.
Michelle Lawton, who has just completed her final year of study, won the new Plymouth Design Forum (PDF) Student of the Year award, which includes a two-week placement with local design agencies and a cash prize.
The PDF, which represents Plymouth’s professional design community, launched the award to recognise graphic design students at the University of Plymouth and Arts University Plymouth, crowning one winner from each institution to help support and kickstart their career.
The award was judged independently by members of PDF, with students assessed based on their final major project and their professional portfolio, presented during the summer’s graduate degree shows.
The winners needed to demonstrate originality, creative excellence, attention to detail and thought-provoking ideas, all of which aligned with the criteria provided to the panel of judges from PDF.
Michelle's design focused on a sewing kit for sanitary towels to 'cut out period poverty'.
Cut out period poverty Michelle Lawton design prize
Michelle Lawton receiving her PDF prize
PDF prize for design student Michelle Lawton

I’m very honoured to receive the award from PDF.

The internship is a great opportunity to learn from the fantastic design community within Plymouth and gain invaluable experience working in studio environments. I can’t wait to get started. My time studying at the University of Plymouth has helped me to grow as a designer, so I’m looking forward to creating a piece of work that will give something back to the city.
BA (Hons) Graphic Design student, Michelle Lawton 

Michelle’s project, designing a campaign to help combat period poverty in East Africa, demonstrated high levels of professionalism, imagination and creativity.

I am delighted she has received recognition for her hard work and would like to thank PDF for supporting University of Plymouth students in this way.

James BrocklehurstMr James Brocklehurst
Associate Head of School - Marketing, Recruitment and Admissions

It has been our aim, since PDF’s inception, to find a way to recognise and elevate the incredible talent that emerges from our two amazing universities, and we have finally been able to realise this vision with the creation of our ‘Plymouth Design Forum Student of the Year’ awards.

This wouldn’t have been possible without the incredible support of PDF’s event partners, GF Smith and Eat Work Art, as well as the community who attend our events and the generosity of the speakers who visit our great city. 
We’d like to thank everyone for helping us make this happen and we look forward to these awards becoming a sought-after and desirable award for all of the two universities’ graphic design students for many years to come.
Darren Foley, Co-Founder of the Plymouth Design Forum 
3D design piece 2018 degree show