GRAPHICS GURU

Barr Earns 2022 Academic Excellence Award

By Megan Crotty

“It was quite beneficial as a younger student to learn alongside people who actually seemed to care about their education, rather than your typical high school student,” he said. “When I learned about the Advertising and Graphic Design [AGD] Program at RCC, I decided that spending an extra year after high school would benefit me more than a regular [Associate in Arts]. This step truly altered the direction of my career.”

While a student, Barr was also a Production Assistant for Core Supply Graphics, Visual Designer for Sunday Social, a Graphic Designer for Vintage Church, and a Graphic Designer for Stir Social. Always wanting to learn more, at the end of the Summer Semester in 2021, he asked his instructors if there were any new design programs the class would be learning in the fall. Barr spent his break learning Adobe XD — a website prototyping tool — to be a step ahead in the coming semester. He credits his RCC instructors and the AGD Program for fostering his love for art and design and helping him launch his career further than he ever thought possible.

“I never truly knew design until enrolling into the Advertising and Graphic Design Program at RCC,” he said. “Through the program, I have grown both as a person and as a designer. I have learned everything from the basic elements of design to the complexity of owning and operating a design agency. These classes were more than just a grade; they were teaching me the foundation of design philosophy.”

Barr’s hard work, talent, and drive did not go unnoticed — even by faculty outside of his major.

“I wish all of my students had the drive and effort that Shawn has,” Photographic Technology Instructor Dan Whittaker wrote. “As one of my youngest students and my only student who did not take the photography prerequisite before taking the videography class, he is attentive during class, excelling, and always putting in extra effort in his assignments. He currently has the best grade of any of my students, and his additional effort is allowing him to create school videos that are worthy of paid work. I am grateful to have him as a student, and his optimistic attitude and drive shine bright.”

In 2022, he was the College’s Academic Excellence Award winner, which is awarded to a currently enrolled student who has completed at least 12 semester hours in a curriculum degree program, nine hours in a diploma program, or six hours in a certificate program and who has a cumulative grade point average of no less than 3.25. Several faculty members and fellow students submitted recommendations on his behalf, including a classmate who credits Barr for making them more confident in their own work.

“While some project it to uplift themselves, others project confidence to help others rise from good to great,” a classmate wrote. “The latter is how I would define Shawn Barr. Under piles of work and stress, he remained adaptable, empathetic, and genuine. He was never willing to sacrifice his relationship with his team for a more comfortable position on a project. Shawn was always willing to share knowledge and translate constructive criticism with humility and respect. To be talented is one thing, but to be talented and have good character is what makes a leader — it's what makes Shawn.”

Barr admitted he did not know the award existed until he was the recipient.

“I felt truly humbled,” he said. “Not only did the award provide me a sense of validation for my work up to this point, but it also was a source of pride and motivation for my future endeavors.”

In 2022, Barr graduated from RCC. In March, he started classes at Savannah College of Art and Design in Georgia — and kept promoting his craft at www.shawnbarr.design.

“I am forever grateful to all of my department heads, instructors, and fellow students for propelling me along this journey,” he said.