Winners announced in 2011 Student Design Competition

Winners in the College's first "Imagine Carthage" student design competition were announced last month at Celebration of Scholars, an exposition of student and faculty research, scholarship and creativity held during Spring Family Weekend.

"Imagine Carthage" — a student design competition held by the Carthage Business Office and Quality of Life Committee — challenged students to create ways to better connect the campus to its natural surroundings, especially Lake Michigan and the Pike River.

The competition attracted 24 submissions and more than 50 student participants.

"We were very pleased not only with the number of submissions and the number of students participating, but also with the high quality of the entries we received," said Thomas Powers, associate professor of Great Ideas and political science. "The competition generated a number of suggestions for doing more to enhance Carthage's connection to Lake Michigan, to the Pike River, and to the green space we have."

Suggestions in the competition included walking trails, an outdoor classroom and/or amphitheater, public gathering spaces, a reflecting pool and/or tranquility garden, environmental education and research projects, outdoor sports and recreation areas, and a terrace along Lake Michigan.

There were three $500 first prizes, three $250 second prizes, and four $50 honorable mention awards. Prizes were awarded in three categories: Artistic Vision; Resource Management Vision: Campus-wide Concepts; and Resource Management Vision: Site-specific Concepts.

Artistic Vision

First prize

Re-Imagining Lake Michigan (A Terrace Between Lentz Hall and Straz Center), by Emily Nickel, '13; Bill Hellyer, '11; and Jacob DeBlois, '14.

Second prize

The Carthage Bat Garden, by Brianne Birsa, '11; Buck Hoover, '11; and Caitlin Lee, '13.

Honorable Mentions

Stripes of Serenity, by Alex Matzinger, '11; Rachel Ryan, '12; Jimmy Samargis, '13.

The Flight of the Indigo Bunting, by Adam Glover, '12; Amy Wille, '12; Katerine Williams.

View from the Fox Den, by Kathleen Brandstatt, '12; Kerri Hoehn, '14; and Erica Urban, '12.

Resource Management: Campuswide Concepts

First prize

Natural Area Implementation and Restoration Design, by Brian Boehm, '12; Tommaso Ignesti, '14; Mitch Labunski, '14; and Rachel Ryan, '12.

Second prize

Connecting Carthage, by Kristopher Kordek, '12

Resource Management: Site-specific Concepts

First prize

Enhancing the Aesthetic Appeal of Carthage: The Multipurpose Outdoor Classroom, by Akinyi Ooko-Ombaka, '14; Charles Hoover, '11' and Shelby Wise, '14.

Second prize

Gardens and Amphitheatre, by Caroline Dolan, '11

Honorable mention

The Carthage College Center for Ecological and Sustainability Research, by Chris Brucher, '12

Sustainability at Carthage

Carthage pursues responsible practices in construction, landscaping, energy use and recycling to contribute to a cleaner, sustainable environment. Read more.

About Carthage

Carthage is a private college of the liberal arts and sciences, affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Located midway between Chicago and Milwaukee, Carthage's picturesque campus on the Lake Michigan shore is home to approximately 2,500 full-time and 900 part-time students. more...