Graphic Design student Sam Godber won the award for Outstanding Achievement in Graphic Design and Art & Design at this year’s Stratford-upon-Avon College Student Awards ceremony.
The ceremony, which took place in June, had a new look this year. Due to the lockdown restrictions, it was held virtually, with staff and students logging in from their homes to find out who had won in a variety of award categories celebrating remarkable successes from across the college curriculum.
A delighted Sam, 21 from Evesham, is grateful that all his efforts have been recognised: “I felt like all the hard work I had put into this course had paid off, and I felt humbled that the College considered me worthy of receiving such a prestigious award. I was truly honoured to accept it.”
Sam – a keen YouTuber with his own YouTube channel, TheSammyGShow, which covers a wide range of content including film and TV reviews, animated discussions and storytelling, original music and song covers, and even cooking tutorials – explained his decision to study Graphic Design: “I wanted to make promotional content for myself as a music artist and YouTuber. I felt that the course would help me to improve my design work and make eye-catching material to promote myself as an artist.”
He is more than pleased with his decision to study at Stratford rather than attend sixth form – “The College setting allowed me to gain more independent skills. I was given the freedom to discover things for myself and practise techniques at my own pace until I achieved excellent results” – and feels that the Graphic Design course has helped him develop his understanding of the principles of design and animation as well as his skills in various design software applications such as Photoshop and Illustrator.
Graphic Design lecturer Colin Flint has nothing but praise for Sam and the effort he put into his work. “Sam is incredibly hard working and puts 110% into everything he does. His research and exploration into design work is the best I’ve seen during my 10 years at the College. It has been an absolute pleasure to teach Sam, to see him grow as a designer, and to witness his work progress so well.”
Seeing his YouTube channel as a stepping-stone to a career as animator and music artist, Sam, who will go on to study Animation at the University of Gloucestershire in September, has a very clear vision of his ultimate career goal: “I want to build an entertainment empire. I want to produce my own music, make my own animated movies and television shows, and continue to make a variety of content that all types of people can enjoy.”
His YouTube platform, and now his well-deserved Outstanding Achievement award, are certain to take him closer to that goal.
