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Recent University of Hawaiʻi at 惭ā苍辞补 graduates Chloe Lavigne and Rachel Wong earned multiple honors at the 2026 Pele Awards, one of 贬补飞补颈ʻ颈’蝉 top advertising and design competitions.
Lavigne’s “Deconstruct Exhibition Campaign” received Best of Show–College and a Gold Pele in the integrated advertising campaign category. Her “Deconstruct App” also earned a Gold Pele. Lavigne and Wong additionally received a Bronze Pele for their “Synergy BFA Showcase Invitation.”
“My time in the BFA program taught me to think and produce like a designer through design history, concept development, and hands-on technical skills, pushing me to make research-driven, intentional decisions rather than choices based purely on aesthetics,” Lavigne said.
Visual storytelling
Lavigne grew up in Vermont, where she was surrounded by small local businesses and first became interested in visual storytelling through scrapbooking in middle school.
“I was instantly drawn to documenting lived experiences and experimenting with how different photos, materials, colors and compositions could shape a story,” Lavigne said.
Her award-winning “Deconstruct” project imagined a fictional exhibition for street artist Shepard Fairey at the Honolulu Museum of Art. The campaign included posters, invitations, exhibition materials, a mobile app and even a branded skateboard.
The project encouraged viewers to think critically about media, persuasion and power while creating a more interactive museum experience.
Industry success
Chae Ho Lee, a design professor in 东精影业 惭ā苍辞补’s , said the students’ commitment and openness to feedback helped make the projects successful.
“Both students worked tirelessly on several design drafts and were very open to constructive feedback,” Lee said.
Lee said 东精影业 惭ā苍辞补 students continue to perform strongly in the highly competitive Pele Awards.
“With an 86% career placement rate, the 东精影业 惭ā苍辞补 graphic design program prepares students for the competitive design industry,” Lee said. “The curriculum merges historical and theoretical foundations with hands-on, industry-aligned training.”
The Department of Art and Art History is housed in the .