On Saturday, May 2, on the eve of the 2015 FTA Annual Forum in Nashville TN, 53 students from nine different North American colleges and universities were honored at the 8th annual Phoenix Challenge college competition. Founded in 1998, the Phoenix Challenge Foundation (PCF) is an all-volunteer not-for-profit organization of industry professionals dedicated to the recruitment and development of the future workforce for flexography.

During the competition, each team showcased their problem-solving skills and knowledge of graphic arts and flexography, presenting their months-long projects in professional business presentations to a host of seven judges. The competition requires students to develop, create and present a full solution roadmap of research, design and printed/converted execution to a viable business-centric problem. The projects take form over an entire college semester and allow each student team to apply their business acumen, analysis, design creativity and flexography knowledge. It comes to a conclusion when each team presents their project during the all-day presentation and evaluation event.

Winners of the categories were honored the next day and presented with trophies and scholarships to aid in further pursuing a future in flexography.

This year’s winners:

Overall Winners – Clemson University: Nona Woolbright (Instructor) Summer Long, Caroline Weaver, Jason Cagle, Becky Bunch, Kariahlyn Lindsey, Jon Kalshoven

Graphics & Concept – California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly): Colleen Twoney (Instructor), Meredith Stewart, Mikayla Byars, Isabella Baldwin, Hannah Giorgi, Kristen Minischmidt, Taylor Fenster

Execution – Ryerson University: Ian Baitz (Instructor), Elina Shafigullina, Vanessa Blum, Kim Sipkens, Dennis Soler, Darren Brandt, Daniel Langsford

Research – Central Missouri State University: Mark Rankin (Instructor), Andrew Kniest, Caitlin Stauffer, Jordan Surber, Jen Tran, Lauren Hadley, Jack Wrisinger

“We are so proud of our competitors this year. All the judges commented on the superior knowledge and creativity of each of the teams. We are honored to call this group of students the future of the flexo industry,” said Bettlylyn Krafft, chairman of the Phoenix Challenge Foundation.

Major sponsors of this year’s event included: Harper Corporation of America, Anderson & Vreeland, Mark Andy, Esko, Sun Chemical, TEST-FFTA, All Printing Resources, ALC Group, 3M, Bryce Corporation, and FFTA.

For more photos of the 2015 PCF winners, as well as some of the entries, check out the L&NW slideshow.

To purchase a sponsorship to next year’s or any other PCF event, contact Bettylyn Krafft at 704-309-3748, or visit phoenixchallenge.org for more information.

The team members from Clemson University accept the Overall Winners Award from Bettylyn Krafft of PCF and Joe Tuccitto of the FTA.