Ladies & Gentlemen: The BIC Class of 2017
Congratulations to the BIC Class of 2017 -- our third graduating class. This amazing group of students entered two years ago and hail all the way from India to Taiwan. From Greece to China. From Spain to Scandinavia -- Denmark and Norway. Bangladesh, Russia and Sri Lanka. From Virginia all the way to New York City.
In two short years, these industrious BICsters have gone after and brought home:
Out of 19 awarded nationwide, three LAGRANT Foundation Scholarships were awarded to BICsters: Dalis Galvez, Priscilla Parra, and Melissa Julien.
Melissa also earned a MAIP internship at DigitasLBi.
Rocio Rivera Iglesias and Saif Ishtiaque were accepted into the Griffin Farley Beautiful Minds Planning Boot Camp over the summer.
Last year, BICsters earned First, Second and Third place (a clean sweep!) at the CCNY Grad Symposium for Naushi Perera, Karina Ramos Salce, Marta Mugica Telleria, Liana Pantzari, and Hank Lin.
BICsters shined remarkably bright at The One Club for Creative Excellence:
Ben Miftari, Enmanuel Vargas Tiburcio, Naushi, Karina, Marta, and Liana were all selected to be a part of an exclusive club: The One Show Client Pitch. In the last two years, BIC has won two GOLD Pencils. This was the result of campaigns submitted by six BICsters from the Class of 2017: Karina, Marta, Liana last year and Hank, Enmanuel, and Yulia Lesnichaya this year. Yulia was also part of the winning team at The ONE Club's Creative Boot Camp.
Naushi’s poster was honored at the CUNY Human Rights Competition. And Hank was part of a team that was awarded $5,000 at the Zahn Innovation Competition – plus selected as the Audience Choice Award for an extra $1,000.
As part of their graduation requirements, BICsters went to conferences all over NYC: Internet Week, Creative Week, Advertising Week, Social Media Week, Mobile Week – actually, it’s amazing to think that there were weeks when BICsters were in the classroom! In fact, some even PRESENTED at conferences: Marta and Rocio presented original papers at the Second International Conference on the Historical Links Between Spain and North America.
BICsters have already worked their tails off at places such as: Y&R, MBooth, QuinnPR, Digitas, SociedAD, and Campbell Ewald. They even helped rebrand CCNY for its 170th Anniversary and were feted by the President of City College at a gala in The Great Hall.
As capstoners, these grads tackled serious issues: they helped fight teen depression on behalf of the UJA. And changed the conversation about drinking OR driving for Heineken.
They "PiP-ed It" in the Spring and showed their portfolios-in-progress in speed dating style to recruiters from top notch agencies.
Just before donning their caps and gowns, they defended their BIC portfolios to a panel of professional judges -- and they all survived!!
After months of spending days and nights with each other, by the end of this first week in June, they will be flung far and wide. Doing the most amazing things. As Andrew Carnegie said: “Do your duty and a little more and the future will take care of itself.” That’s what these students came to BIC to do: a little more.
The future is in good hands. Congratulations to the BIC Class of 2017!!
