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 05/28/2008
SCAD holds commencement ceremony May 31: Vogue magazine editor-at-large will deliver commencement address
SAVANNAH, Ga. -- Approximately 1,350 graduates will participate in the 28th commencement ceremony of the Savannah College of Art and Design Saturday, May 31, 9 a.m., in the Savannah Civic Center Martin Luther King Jr. Arena, 301 W. Oglethorpe Ave. Renowned Vogue magazine editor-at-large André Leon Talley will deliver the address, and SCAD will present him with an honorary Doctor of Humanities degree. Tickets are required for the ceremony.
SCAD will honor the following students as the 2008 Excelsus Laureate, Valedictorian and Salutatorian:
 Michelle "Mia" Paluzzi has always loved the accessibility and power of the comic book storytelling art form, which led her to pursue both Bachelor of Fine Arts and Master of Fine Arts degrees in sequential art at SCAD. Previously, she studied literature and Japanese in her home state of Michigan. Shortly after completing the B.F.A., Paluzzi was recruited to produce her first graphic novel, "Paintings of You," for Iris Print, an achievement she credits to her experiences at SCAD. During the past two years, she has continued to work professionally in the comics field as a writer, colorist and letterer, and has collaborated on comics projects with several SCAD students of various majors.
This summer, Paluzzi's work will appear in several publications, including "Short Stack" from Angry Gnome Studios, "Coin-operated Boy" from 803 Studios, "The Twilight Zone" graphic novel series from Walker Publishing and Paul Sizer's "B.P.M." graphic novel. Paluzzi also is producing an original graphic novel series, "Cross Check," which is in production for release later this year. After earning an M.F.A. this spring, Paluzzi will continue working in the comics field while actively pursing a teaching career in comic book storytelling. Her goal is to assist others in achieving their dreams as the SCAD professors helped her achieve her own.
 Kyle Nicholas Kastranec grew up in Berea Ohio, where his interest in art and love of typography began in elementary school. He came to SCAD to pursue a degree in graphic design. Kastranec said that he believes that image and language are intrinsically linked, and that when those elements are combined with wit and craft, uncommon work results. During summer and winter breaks, Kastranec served as a creative/production intern at Hitchcock, Fleming & Associates, Akron, Ohio. A fan of James Joyce and Ernest Hemingway, Kastranec worked at the used bookstore Book On Habersham while attending SCAD. He also has produced freelance work for the American Diabetes Association, Carter Lumber and Goodyear, and participated in SCAD intramural sports programs.
Kastranec's work has been featured in several exhibitions including "Re-Defined: Found Objects" at the Red Gallery, Savannah, Ga., "40/40" at the University of Madras, Chennai, India, and "Alexander Ink" in Alexander Hall, Savannah, Ga. He was awarded a Combined Honors Scholarship to attend SCAD and was on the dean's list with a 4.0 GPA all four years at SCAD. He also participated in the National Student Portfolio Review at the Art Directors Club, New York, N.Y., in May 2008. This spring, Kastranec earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in graphic design.
 Ashley Elizabeth Blakely grew up in Marietta, Ga., where as a child she loved the theater and the work of Andrew Lloyd Webber. She knew she wanted to pursue art at an early age, and SCAD was her top choice of colleges. At SCAD, Blakely has studied fibers, concentrating on repeat pattern design. She has produced two portfolios, one entirely of hand-painted gouache patterns and the other of computer-aided repeat patterns.
Her work has been featured in several exhibitions, including the SURTEX art and design show in New York, N.Y., the D'Antoni Project in Dallas, Texas, the SCAD Fibers Open House in Savannah, and the Georgia State University Sculpture Exhibition in Atlanta. Her work also has been commissioned by schools, private homes and business around the United States. She also has volunteered for Best Friends Animal Sanctuary and served as president of Save the Savannah Strays. Blakely was awarded a Combined Honors Scholarship when she transferred to SCAD in 2006, and was a HOPE scholarship recipient. In Winter 2008, she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in fibers.
Note: Media who plan to cover the commencement ceremony should use the Montgomery Street entrance to the Savannah Civic Center and meet a SCAD communications representative to obtain a media pass. For more information, contact Laura Duttenhaver at 912.525.5263. On Saturday, call 912.713.2235.
Named one of Kaplan's "25 cutting-edge schools with an eye toward the future," the Savannah College of Art and Design is a private, nonprofit, accredited institution with locations in Atlanta and Savannah, Ga., and in Lacoste, France. Undergraduate and graduate degree programs also are offered online through SCAD-eLearning. The college offers Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Master of Architecture, Master of Arts, Master of Arts in Teaching, Master of Fine Arts, and Master of Urban Design degrees.
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