PGAV Destinations is proud to award Aly Strubberg, recent graduate of Washington University’s Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts, 2013’s Spot Experiential Scholarship.
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Ms. Strubberg’s scholarship entails an all-expenses-paid educational trip to the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC, where PGAV has overseen a 10-year master plan and the creation of the Antler Hill Village. She chose this option out of four potential offerings, including Discovery Cove in Orlando, FL, The Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, GA, and Space Shuttle Atlantis at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex outside of Orlando, FL – all attractions designed by PGAV Destinations. She intends to visit the exceptional site in mid July with her mother.
The first-of-its-kind scholarship was launched in early spring 2013, and challenged upcoming and recent graduates in any discipline from US universities to assemble the origami version of PGAV Destination’s staff mascot, Spot the Zebra. Entrants were then asked to place him in an environment of their design, unlimited in their creative bounds of setting or in what medium they chose to submit – photos, videos, models, sketches, paintings, or other.
Ms. Strubberg’s winning submission, titled “SPOT and the Attack of the Monster Chair” pitted Spot the Zebra against an impressive, spider-like chair of Strubberg’s creation in a three-panel comic book story. In the adventure, Spot stops the chair from turning the world into grayscale, leveraging his colorful powers. “I had a great deal of fun making the comic strip and taking the pictures of my monster chair and Spot!” she said. “Your company and the work that you do are very exciting.” Her complete submission can be enjoyed on PGAV Destinations’ blog.
Ms. Strubberg graduated with honors in May 2013 with her BFA in Sculpture and a minor in art history and archeology. While a student at Wash. U., Aly was a leader in campus ministry, intramural sports, an after school arts program, and coached sixth grade volleyball. Her artwork generally involves furniture, design, construction, and public sculpture installation, when she’s not playing volleyball, reading, or spending time with friends and family.
As a native St. Louisian she plans on staying in St. Louis and is currently searching for full time work in creative problem solving and designing products and places for people to use.
“We wanted to devise a program which challenged candidates’ ability to take an existing identity and adapt it in a new, creative way in a specific time-frame, something very common in our destination design practice, ” said Ned Diestelkamp, VP at PGAV Destinations. “Aly’s integration of visual storytelling and creative graphic design was both entertaining and visually appealing, exceeding that challenge perfectly.”
About PGAV Destinations
PGAV Destinations is a global leader in the planning and design of unique destinations. Now in its fifth decade, the practice has evolved to become the ideal destination-consulting partner, skilled at developing growth-oriented master plans and translating those plans into successful projects. No other firm offers such an integrated approach to destination planning.
PGAV’s key clients include industry leaders such as Delaware North Companies, SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment, the Biltmore Companies, Bass Pro Shops, Ameristar Casinos, Universal Studios, The Gettysburg Foundation, the St. Louis Zoo, and many others. Recent assignments include planning and design at many of the world’s “must see” destinations, including the Grand Canyon, Biltmore Estate, NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, Hearst Castle, the Georgia Aquarium, the Hoover Dam, and SeaWorld Adventure Parks.
