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March 2, 2010

STYLE YOUR SOLE EVENT TO PROVIDE SHOES FOR KIDS IN NEED
Participants to Decorate TOMS Shoes; Company to Match Every Sale with Charitable Donation

FRANKLIN - O'More College of Design and TOMS Shoes have designed a benefit event that combines art, fun, fashion and philanthropy - the Style Your Sole party on the College's campus Saturday, March 27 from 1 to 4 p.m. Participants will put their personal artistic touches on their sets of TOMS Shoes, and the company will send free pairs to children in need as part of their "One for One" program.

TOMS Shoes was founded on a simple premise: With every pair you purchase, TOMS will give a pair of new shoes to a child in need. One for One. Using the purchasing power of individuals to benefit the greater good is what they're all about. The company has provided hundreds of thousands of free shoes to children around the world, with a special focus on the people of Haiti since the devastating earthquakes earlier this year.

Students at O'More College of Design wanted to get involved, and thought it would be fun to provide the materials for community members to create a custom-designed pair for themselves. Participants can paint, draw, sew and add flourishes to their pairs of shoes. The benefit, of course, is the One for One program.

"When I heard about TOMS Shoes, I was so impressed with their mission that I wanted to get O'More involved," said Merissa Tomlinson, a senior visual communications student at O'More and the chair of the event. "At O'More, everything we do is creative, so we immediately were attracted to the Style Your Sole concept."

The deadline for ordering shoes is Monday, March 8. Various styles of TOMS Shoes can be ordered through the O'More Web site, at http://www.omorecollege.edu/content/toms-shoes.html.

Limited quantities and sizes will be provided by Nashville Clothing Company for purchase on the day of the event. To guarantee the size and color of your choice, please pre-order online.

Sponsors include Chick-Fil-A, Nashville Clothing Company and Smoopy's Vintage Bicycles. Entertainment will be provided by Stevierock & The Blues Connection.



February 26, 2010

O'MORE COLLEGE OF DESIGN WINS BIG AT ADDY AWARDS
Seven O'More VisCom Students Win 20 Awards from American Advertising Federation

FRANKLIN - O'More College of Design's Visual Communications department was well represented at the Nashville chapter of the American Advertising Federation's annual ADDY awards banquet on February 23. Seven students were among the winners in the 2010 Student ADDY Awards competition sponsored by AAF-Nashville, carrying home 20 gold and silver awards for outstanding work in the graphic design competition.

"The ADDYs is an extremely competitive competition, and I'm proud that our students' hard work and talent continues to be recognized," said Jeff Fuqua, Chair of Visual Communications at O'More College of Design. "Over the course of 40 years, O'More College has consistently attracted students of exceptional talent, and it has been a pleasure to watch this group grow into professional designers."

Joanna Arnold, Amy Davidson , Jaana Huusko, Kayce Singleton, Amanda Smith, Danny Summers and Elle Woodward combined to win four Gold and 16 Silver awards - the most earned in the College's 40-year history.

Students are judged on their work in various visual communications categories, such as advertising campaigns, corporate identities, editorial spreads, mixed media campaigns, web design and others. There were 486 entries in the competition, representing eight colleges and universities in Middle Tennessee.

The Nashville Student ADDY Competition is the first of three levels.  Nashville Gold and Silver winners will compete next at the district level against winners from Alabama, Georgia, Louisana, Mississippi and Tennessee. Winners from 14 AAF districts then go on to compete at the national level for National Student ADDYs, along with a chance to win Best of Show and a $1,000 prize.

Last year, O'More College of Design won 13 awards locally, with five moving on to win at the district level. O'More Class of 2009 graduate Sarah Bowers went on to win a national Student ADDY.

To view the winning entries, please visit www.omorecollege.edu/addy.



February 22, 2010

O'MORE COLLEGE ANNOUNCES ANNUAL SUMMER STUDIO FOR TEENS
Program Engages 7th-12th Grade Students in Digital Media, Design, and Fine Art

FRANKLIN - Registration has opened for O'More College of Design's annual Summer Studio program, a day camp that takes 7th-12th grade students to the next level of art education in digital media, design, and fine art.

"The Summer Studio at O'More launches students into art and design at a point of engagement beyond the average summer art program, in a way that introduces knowledge, expands the level of experience, and develops a heightened appreciation of the arts," said Summer Studio Director Breckon Pennell. "Students learn from professionals working in the art and digital media fields, and from seasoned art educators and professors, in the real-­world application of aesthetics, design, and creativity."

A diverse course schedule ranging from intermediate drawing and painting to fashion design to digital self-­portraits enables each student to craft a summer schedule tailored to their personal needs and interests. At the end of each session, students leave the Summer Studio with high quality art and design pieces worthy of a student portfolio. Weekly sessions of half or full-day camps will be held June 7-11 and July 12-15.

In addition, a culminating Summer Studio Gallery event allows students to experience the privilege of having their work shown to others. Judges select the best overall pieces for scholarships, financial awards, and other prizes.

For more information, to register or to apply for a scholarship, please visit www.omorecollege.edu/summerstudio.



January 20, 2010

O'MORE COLLEGE OF DESIGN CELEBRATES 40th ANNIVERSARY
Year-long Celebration to Include Alumni Hall of Fame Event

FRANKLIN - O'More College of Design - founded in 1970 with a handful of students taking interior design courses in the Victorian home of Mrs. Eloise Pitts O'More - is celebrating 40 years of continued growth and design innovation.

Today, the College enrolls approximately 200 students from all over the nation and around the world. Graduates enter the design industries with a bachelor of fine arts degree in interior design, fashion design or visual communications, and the College has earned a national reputation for producing highly talented and forward-thinking professional designers.

"Our intensive design curriculum is taught by a faculty of professional educators and leading designers, and the results have shown," said O'More President Mark Hilliard. "We've kept the College small intentionally, offering intimate class sizes and professional opportunities that students can't find at other design schools. Our graduates are leading the design industries across the nation."

The 40th Anniversary Celebration will build toward the College's annual Design Week May 1-8, 2010, which includes the 10th Annual Eloise Fashion Show, a professionally produced, New York-style runway event that showcases the designs of O'More fashion design students.

Interior design and visual communications students play host to departmental shows of their own, and all have become highly anticipated displays of the latest innovations coming out of the O'More studios.

In recognition of the 40th Anniversary, the College will announce inaugural members of the O'More College of Design Alumni Hall of Fame at a special event held during Design Week. One outstanding member of each class will be recognized for significant contributions to the design industries. Alumni, friends and the general public are encouraged to submit nominations to Tammy Smith, director of community relations, via email at tsmith@omorecollege.edu.

"We have accomplished a lot in 40 years, and we like to think that we have fulfilled Mrs. O'More's vision of a world-class design institution," Hilliard said. "We have big plans for the next 40 years."



January 11, 2010

O'MORE CALLS FOR SACRED SPACES IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY
Submissions to Be Studied by O'More Research Academy

FRANKLIN - O'More College of Design is asking the public to submit lists of spaces they consider sacred for a study to be done by the O'More Research Academy (ORA).

The ORA is part of the Hilliard Institute for Educational Wellness at O'More College of Design. The program introduces undergraduate students to one-on-one art, design, or scientific research with the assistance of faculty and practicing professionals, of whom most are Oxford University or O'More College research fellows or scholars.

"Our study will involve a collection of historical data on various sites; photography of unique components of selected sites; site renderings and paintings; a study of why individuals consider sites to be sacred; and, finally, research into the artistic, scientific, and spiritual support for the authenticity of the sacredness of each selected site," said O'More President Dr. Mark Hilliard.

"This research is critical to our design students, as it helps them better understand and appreciate the significance of a place," said Hilliard. "During the 1970s and ‘80s, homes and other buildings became commonplace or sterile; even our churches took on an appearance of the mundane and the feel of an ordinary business-like institution. People in the 21st century are craving new spaces that are more aesthetically pleasing, but they are also looking for the authentic ability of a space to inspire and awaken a deeper sense of awe and meaning. All of that affects the way in which a space is designed."

The spring semester's topic of research is Sacred Places and Spaces of Williamson County. The Sacred Sites Research Team consists of Dr. Hilliard, who is also a professor of education, wellness, and spirituality; two interior design student research associates; one visual communications student research associate; and Julian Wayne Hagan, O'More's spring 2010 artist in residence.

Last semester, after months of study, the ORA's Sacred Sites Team created their own definition of the words "sacred" and "sacred places or spaces." The group established that, for something to be "sacred," it must meet one of the following criteria: 

Dr. Hilliard relates this definition to "place and space" by stating that "sacred places and sacred spaces tend to draw us in, entice us, or touch us; they connect with the deepest level of our senses and create a sensation of awe or peace. Sacred spaces are on the level of the holy and divine, rather than the physical, mundane, or ordinary."

He continues by differentiating sacred from haunted: "ORA's examination of sacred places is not about the study of the paranormal, or sites considered to be haunted, but rather about places that nourish the human spirit. This nourishment may be as simple as scientific or artistic aspects of various elements of a site, or it may have more of a metaphysical or spiritual foundation; these aspects are what we wish to examine."

With this in mind, O'More College asks local residents to consider places that create such feelings of awe, reverence, or peace; places that are set apart individually or by groups for God or for other meaningful, higher purposes, or spaces considered for a variety of reasons to be spiritual, holy, or sacred. These places may be church buildings, land or water sites, homes, unique spaces, or places where exceptional historic events took place.

Residents are asked to submit information on prospective Williamson County sites, including the location, name and contact information, and specific details relating to why the site may be considered sacred. All submissions will be reviewed, and ORA will select approximately four sites to research this semester. Send submissions by mail to O'More College of Design, Sacred Sites Research Team, 423 South Margin Street, Franklin, Tennessee 37064, or by email to mhilliard@omorecollege.edu.



November 17, 2009

O’MORE COLLEGE OF DESIGN ANNOUNCES SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
Non-traditional Students Have An Opportunity to Earn a Bachelors Degree

FRANKLIN – O’More College of Design announced today that scholarship dollars are available to talented and dedicated non-traditional students seeking to earn a bachelor of fine arts degree in Interior Design, Fashion Design, or Visual Communications.

“The current economic conditions have made the job market highly competitive, and we’ve found that many people are looking for opportunities to finish a degree,” said O’More President Mark Hilliard. “We have set aside scholarship dollars for non-traditional students in an effort to help provide those opportunities to aspiring professional designers.”

Limited opportunities exist for the spring semester, which starts January 11, 2010. In addition to the non-traditional scholarship funds, other forms of financial assistance – including Pell Grants, work-study funds and the Tennessee HOPE Scholarship – are available to those who qualify.

Interested applicants should contact Chris Lee, vice president of enrollment, at (615) 794-4254, x232, or via email at clee@omorecollege.edu. 



November 2, 2009

O’MORE COLLEGE OF DESIGN ADDS BOARD MEMBERS, ELECTS CHAIRMAN
Scott Williams Named Chairman; Karol Lahrman and Rhonda Kemp Added as Trustees

FRANKLIN – O’More College of Design announced today that Scott C. Williams has been elected Chairman of the Board, and that Karol Lahrman and Rhonda Kemp have been added as members of the College’s Board of Trustees.

Williams is a partner at the law firm of Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis, LLP, practicing primarily in the field of financial services. He has been a member of the O’More Board of Trustees since January 2007.

Lahrman is owner of the Reflection Model and Talent Agency, where she develops and manages models and actors for long-term success in print, catalog, runway, television, commercial, industrial and film media. She is also director of the O’More Image Conservatory, an extra-curricular program that offers students insights into career advancement strategies through a series of seminars and guest speakers.

Kemp is president of Rhonda Kemp & Associates, a production management company based in Franklin. She serves as the Board’s liaison to O’More’s Global Studies programs.



September 16, 2009

A VINTAGE AFFAIR TEAMS WITH O'MORE COLLEGE TO CREATE FELLOWSHIP
Two O'More Students Receive Scholarships, Will Work on A Fashion Affair

FRANKLIN - A Vintage Affair, a non-profit organization that funds charity programs through a series of fund-raising events, has partnered with O'More College of Design to provide fellowship awards for two O'More students.

The fashion design students - Jessica Jones of Huntsville, Ala., and Shima Mojouni of Nashville - will receive scholarships in exchange for their work in planning and executing A Fashion Affair and the other AVA events in April 2010.

"O'More College of Design is an asset to the community, and the work the students do is phenomenal," said Ralph Drury, founder of A Vintage Affair. "We wanted to tap into that resource while assisting deserving students. It's a perfect dovetail that teams up two local non-profits as we continue to grow A Fashion Affair and the other AVA events."

The fellowship is a one-year scholarship. Recipients must meet certain criteria and are required to complete a designated amount of volunteer hours with AVA.

"These two fellowships are the first to be awarded under the new O'More Society of Fellows and Scholars program," said Dr. Mark Hilliard, president of O'More College of Design. "Faculty and students receiving this honor must be persons of exceptional academic ability, creativity, and imagination - they must also demonstrate a high level of intellectual achievement. A Vintage Affair has become a model for community-focused philanthropy, and it is an ideal way for our students to learn about giving back while gaining additional exposure to fashion design outside of the classroom."

As a recipient of the A Vintage Affair Fellowship, the student's main objective will be to work with the A Fashion Affair Chairperson, Stephanie Williams of the Dan Agency, and her committee by helping to plan and subsequently work at the fashion show. The student will also assist the Board with the Spring AVA line up of events as needed.

"This is a great opportunity for me as I look toward my career in fashion design," said Mojouni. "Working on A Fashion Affair allows me to interact with fashion professionals and models and to learn more about the real-world merchandising side of the industry."

About A Vintage Affair
A Vintage Affair is a non profit 501 (c) (3) organization that is dedicated to raising money for Williamson County charities that benefit women and children in need. AVA hosts various events throughout the year in order to fulfill the goal of fundraising for the community. Since its inception in 2001, AVA has contributed over three quarters of a million dollars to local non profit organizations.



September 1, 2009

STUDIO ON THE SQUARE PROJECT OFFERS DESIGN IDEAS, HOPE IN PULASKI
O'More College of Design Students Pitch Visions to Public Square Businesses 

FRANKLIN - Eight interior design students from O'More College of Design spent a week redesigning businesses on the Public Square in Pulaski, Tenn., as part of the College's annual Studio on the Square summer project.

Studio on the Square is a week-long, intensive design charrette experience that offers students an opportunity to engage with real clients in small towns where the historic town centers are struggling to thrive. The class is an immersion into conceptualization, cooperative design, programming, sketching, modeling, and creative presentation formats. O'More students Alex Sloan, Josh Blay, Tina Hofer, Mattie Ogden, Amber Bay, Betsy Sanchez, Stori Springman and Lauren Devens took part in this year's project.

"As an instructor and designer, I am aware of the necessity and educational value of serving communities in need of revitalization," said Rebecca Andrews, an assistant professor of interior design at O'More who, along with Assistant Professor Kelly Gore, oversaw the process.

"Studio on the Square offers something very special and unique - an intimate connection with the small-town retailer who is in need of big changes, but has no means of beginning the process. The students are making a difference by providing business owners with a plan, and the business owners in turn give the design students a chance to see how their classroom knowledge can be applied in the real world."

Planning begins approximately eight months prior to the first day on-site. After consulting with city officials, the instructors select the most appropriate businesses to participate in the project. Advance interviews with business owners - which included an opera house, law offices, a coffee shop and the Chamber of Commerce - provide students with details on the functionality of the space, a budget, and other pertinent information.

On the first day of the charrette, students meet and interview their clients, create as-built drawings, determine a concept and start designing. The students show their proposed ideas to the client on day two to determine whether they are meeting their client's expectations. By the end of day five, the public is invited to a formal presentation, where students show how they transformed the client's space while staying within the budget.

Donna Baker, executive director of the Giles County Chamber of Commerce, was impressed by the creativity and execution of the plan for her facility's space.

"The students did a wonderful job and were very professional," Baker said. "They had some ideas on the front end, but they didn't push them on us - they listened and incorporated our ideas with theirs, and I was very pleased with the result. They really had some fantastic ideas, and the presentation of the drawings and the actual sample materials was astounding."

Studio on the Square is partially funded through a Helping Hand Fund grant from the Planning and Visual Education Partnership (PAVE). Founded in 1992, PAVE has grown into the retail design, planning and visual merchandising industry's premier educational foundation, and a recognized advocate for design students. These students are the future of the industry - PAVE's mission is to help them gain exposure and funds to further their educations and their careers. The PAVE Helping Hand Fund provides grant funds to accredited educational institutions to enhance the quality of programs and services to students entering into careers in the design industries.



August 20, 2009

SISTER CITIES AND O'MORE COLLEGE PRESENT CELEBRATION OF NATIONS
Food, Wares and Performances from an Array of Cultures to be Featured

FRANKLIN - The 2nd Annual Celebration of Nations - An Evening Open-Air Market - will be held on Saturday, Sept. 19 from 5 p.m to 9 p.m. on the campus of O'More College of Design at 423 South Margin Street in historic downtown Franklin.

Jointly presented by Sister Cities of Franklin and Williamson County and O'More College of Design, the Celebration of Nations will feature at least 20 booths showcasing the culinary delights, hand-crafted wares, art and indiginous performances of dozens of countries and cultures. Admission to the family-friendly event is free, and visitors can shop the open-air bazaar while sampling foods and enjoying the slate of performances.

"Sister Cities and O'More had a common goal of celebrating all of the unique cultural influences that other nations have brought to America," said Lauren Elrod, international coordinator at O'More College of Design. "This is a unique event in Williamson County, and we are excited to offer people the opportunity to be exposed to cultures they may never get to see across the globe, but can experience right here in their own community. It's a real sensory delight to be on our wonderful campus amidst the sights, sounds, smells and tastes of all of the ethnic offerings."

The mission of the Celebration of Nations event is to create global and cultural passion, beginning with a personal understanding of the interconnectedness of people universally. One way to accomplish this goal is through genuine artistic and sensory representations of various cultures.

Sister Cities of Franklin and Williamson County is committed to creating a network designed to encourage partnerships between the City of Franklin and Williamson County and the international community to promote goodwill, to share culture and history, and to stimulate economic development.

O'More College of Design is an institution of higher education that intellectually and expressively prepares students to become innovative artists and designers with the capacity to create authentic beauty - designers equipped with the skills, knowledge, ability, creativity and desire to constructively benefit the local and global society and environment through purposeful design.

Sponsors include Del Rio Wine & Spirits, The Tennessee Foreign Language Institute, The Williamson Herald, CAO International and Uptown's Smoke Shop.

For more information on Celebration of Nations, contact O'More College of Design International Coordinator Lauren Elrod at (615) 794-4254, x294, or by email at lelrod@omorecollege.edu. To learn more about O'More College of Design, visit the College's Web site at www.omorecollege.edu.



July 29, 2009

O'MORE COLLEGE NAMES DAVID KOELLEIN CHAIR OF INTERIOR DESIGN
Former Urban Planner Earned Masters from Harvard's Graduate School of Design

FRANKLIN - Middle Tennessee native David Koellein, an urban designer and planner who most recently worked with Nashville-based Giarratana Development, Inc., has been named chair of the interior design department at O'More College of Design in Franklin.

"O'More's interior design program is on the cutting edge of the industry," said Koellein. "The curriculum encompasses so much more than ‘interiors' - it teaches the art and science of creating built space that is functional, aesthetically pleasing, and meaningful. Beyond residential and commercial spaces, our students focus on design as it relates to civic, institutional, environmental and other applications. It is an honor to serve in this role, and I am looking forward to shaping the talent of our outstanding student designers to produce the next generation of leaders in the field."

Koellein has been an instructor at the College since 2007, while he worked professionally as a design associate with Giarratana Development. Previously, he was a development program manager with the Metropolitan (Nashville) Development and Housing Authority, where he managed redevelopment districts and oversaw the design review process for applicants seeking to build or renovate within those designated districts.  He currently serves on the board of the Nashville Civic Design Center.

He earned a bachelor of arts degree in political science and urban studies from Lipscomb University in 1999, where he was a National Merit Scholar and valedictorian. After graduation, he served as an intern in the City of Franklin's Planning Department before being accepted into the Harvard University Graduate School of Design, where he was awarded a master's degree in urban planning in 2002.

O'More College of Design President Dr. Mark Hilliard is excited to offer Koellein's knowledge and experience to the College's students. "When David joined the faculty in 2007, we immediately recognized his level of expertise in the latest design concepts and in connecting the dots between individual pieces of a built environment," said Hilliard. "This is a great opportunity to take the interior design department to the next level."

Barbara Blumin, who has been chair of O'More's interior design department since 1998, is retiring from academia and returning to private practice. An alumnus of the Parsons New School of Design in New York, NY, Blumin led the advancement of O'More's interior design department over the last decade.