BICsters Defend 33 Portfolios to 25 Pros

With eleven students defending in each track (Creative, Management/Planning, and Public Relations), BICsters presented digital portfolios that demonstrated both mastery of discipline and interdisciplinary finesse. BIC Program Director Nancy R. Tag challenged this year's Class of 2019 to be ambitious in concept and execution. Afterwords, she commented that this year's portfolios were not just spectacular professional presentations of product, process, and personality, but yielded new theories of best practices in the communications industry.


Judged by powerhouse professionals who held students to high standards, this year’s portfolios showcased projects on behalf of Sandy Hook Promise, the United Nations, Diageo's Baileys Almande, the Grove School of Engineering, and the Citibike, among others. The most powerful aspects of the BIC portfolio are not just the amazing real-life projects BICsters work on or the clients that they interact with; it's that students are required to repackage and elevate course material through their own professional lens in ways that spotlight personal strengths and talent. This gives each BICster a truly unique portfolio -- distinct from their classmates as well as within the industry.


Starting at 8:30AM on Tuesday, May 28th, students presented in 25 minute sessions that included 18 minutes of presentation and 7 minutes of judge’s questions, comments, and push back. The judges praised not only the depth of expertise exhibited in the portfolios, but also the students’ passion and professionalism.

Congrats to the Class of 2019: All BICsters passed the Defense and celebrated the following day by marching in the divisional graduation ceremony. Top scoring BICsters in each track were recognized at the BIC Grad party later that day. Honors went to Emily Herrera (Creative), Nai Chen Liu (Management/Planning) and Matt Hamilton (Public Relations). Special thanks to all the BIC faculty who helped support the BICsters throughout their time in the program -- especially the faculty who taught the Portfolio Thesis Electives this year: Katina Scott, Gerardo Blumenkrantz, and Nancy R. Tag.

This year, BIC invited 25 communications professionals to judge in six different sessions. A BIG BIC thanks to them all. You were tireless, considerate, and AWESOME:

Management/Planning:  Singleton Beato, Global Chief of Diversity & Engagement, McCann Worldgroup, Michael Doody, Founder and Chief Strategy Officer, The _____ Project, Rolando Leal (BIC '16), Account Supervisor, Ogilvy, John Noe, Founder and CEO, ROKKAN, Stinson Parks, Global Head of Social Media, American Express, Michelle Rowley, Group Planning Director, Deutsch, Liz Scordato, Director of Project Management, Strawberry Frog, Chip Walker, Head of Strategy, Strawberry Frog, Nicole Wasserman, Head of Client Services, PureRED

Public Relations: Abisola Adekoya, CSR Strategist, Salterbaxter, Amber Micala Arnold, Account Director, MWWPR, Diana Friedman (BIC '17), Director of External Affairs, Research to Prevent Blindness, Michael Marinello, former SVP Strategic Comms, Turner, Mitch Markson, Creator, Markson IdeaCraft, Kate McShane, Principal, KLM Communications, Donna Renella, President, ABW Solutions, Bjorn Trowery, Director of Communications & Brand Public Relations, Heineken.

Creative: John Colquhoun, Art Director, Meghan Dailey, ACD, Burns Group, Whitley Edwards, ACD Burns Group, Jake Kahana, Cofounder, Caveday, Michael Parrott, Group Creative Director, mcgarrybowen, Ken Sheldon (BIC '16), Senior Art Director, Weber Shandwick, Ricard Valero, Creative Director, Ogilvy and Mather, Susan Young, Executive Creative Director, BBDO.