Student Competition
01.29.15
#TBT: SPD-U Throws it Back to 2008 Student Competition Winner Jason Sfetko
As part of SPD's 50th Anniversary celebration, we're looking back at our past Student Competition winners (see galleries of past winning work here on the blog). A few of them were kind enough to speak with us about what they've been up to since their wins and how the competition affected them. In 2008 as part of our 10th Student Competition, Jason Sfetko won First Honorable Mention for his work as a student at the Rochester Institute of Technology under instructor Chris Lyons (see Jason's award-winning work here).
Jason's competition win earned him an internship at Martha Stewart Living magazine. From there, he worked at Complex, Tennis Magazine and then as a designer at GQ. He's now at the New York Times Magazine where we caught up with him for a few quick words...
Image above: Feature for The New York Times Magazine. Design Director: Gail Bichler
Feature layout for GQ. Design Director: Fred Woodward
(Click image for larger view.)
SPD-U: What are you currently up to and how can you best describe your day-to-day?
JASON: I'm Deputy Art Director for The New York Times Magazine. As a weekly magazine, my duties vary from day to day, but mainly I oversee the front-of-book section of the magazine assigning illustrations, maintaining the brand within those pages, and making sure all specs are consistent. Also, I collaborate with photographers, illustrators and editors daily; conceptualize ideas for feature stories and special issues; design them and then adapt them for our digital platforms.
Feature layout for The New York Times Magazine. Design Director: Arem Duplessis. Art Director: Gail Bichler
(Click image for larger view.)
Feature layout for The New York Times Magazine. Design Director: Gail Bichler
(Click image for larger view.)
SPD-U: What do you consider the greatest achievements thus far in your career?
JASON: I would say it's being one of the SPD Student Design Competition Winners my senior year at RIT. My career path wasn't solidified yet at that point, and being one of the winners fast-tracked my career. I was offered a summer internship here in New York, found a job shortly after, and here I am now!
SPD-U: What advice would you give someone trying to get into the industry now?
JASON: I'd say make sure you are passionate about what you do. Try to do as many internships as you can before you graduate. Also, knowing that the surroundings you experience is the catalyst to our creativity, ensure that you're feeding your mind with things that inspire you, and ultimately your work -- museums, found art, nature, etc.
You can see more of Jason's work here:
PORTFOLIO: jasonsfetko.com
Be sure to check back in with us often this spring for more galleries of past Student Competition work, and every Thursday for more Throwback Thursday interviews with past winners. And get the details on how to enter this year's competition here ... you could be on your way to a fast-tracked career of your own!
#TBT series produced and edited by Jamie Feld and Alyssa Clare Hoersten
