The American Advertising Federation (AAF) announced the winners of its American Advertising Awards on May 31st in Salt Lake City, Utah, at the 2024 Awards Gala and Celebration. The Modern College of Design celebrates the achievements of both a current student and several alumni who were honored with Silver ADDY Awards.

Mariya Dydyk, a current Modern student, won a Silver Student ADDY for her Strongsville City Branding project. This achievement is a testament to her dedication and creativity, highlighting a project that began in her first year at The Modern and was refined and perfected during her portfolio class in her second year. Instructor Clancy Boyer was also recognized for his guidance and support in Mariya’s work.

Additionally, alumni from The Modern, Aryn Landes and Tony Wartinger, who are both part of the web design agency Jetpack, won a Silver ADDY for their Holiday Client Gift. Aryn, who also serves as an instructor at The Modern, and Tony, one of the owners of Jetpack, have demonstrated their continued excellence in the field. Jetpack, based in downtown Dayton, Ohio, has over 30 years of combined experience and has worked with both locally-owned businesses and national brands, bringing passion and dedication to every project they undertake.

According to the organization, the American Advertising Awards is the industry’s largest and most representative competition, attracting over 30,000 entries yearly in local AAF Ad Club competitions. Selection of the most creative entry in each category is determined by a rigorous scoring process in which a panel of judges evaluates several creative dimensions of every entry.

“We are incredibly proud of Mariya for being recognized at the national level of the American Advertising Awards,” stated Jessica Barry, President of The Modern. “It is inspiring to see a project that Mariya started for her hometown of Strongsville evolve into one of her standout portfolio pieces and receive such a prestigious honor. Additionally, we are thrilled to see our alumni from Jetpack achieve recognition for their outstanding work. Their success showcases the high-quality design education provided at The Modern College of Design and its lasting impact on our graduates.”

Mariya’s Strongsville City Branding project reflects her personal connection to her hometown and showcases the exceptional design education provided at The Modern College of Design. Similarly, the Jetpack team’s award-winning Holiday Client Gift highlights their creative excellence and commitment to delivering unique solutions for their clients.