Student Achievement & Success Stories

Student Achievement

Wrenn Revelas Medium Present Tense Talk on 7/22

Wrenn was invited to give an artist talk in the Medium Present Tense series. It was a great opportunity. Wrenn did fantastic while presenting to the audience and answering questions.

Present Tense Artist Talk #2, July 22, 2024, 5:30 – 8:00pm

Wrenn Revelas: Our Southwestern College student presenter was selected by photography faculty which includes Micajah Truitt, John Pickelle, and Lamia Khorshid. Follow Wrenn on Instagram and learn more on their website.
San Diego County Fair

Southwestern College won 15 out of a possible 19 categories, which is the most for a single school.
We also had 148 entries which is also the highest number of entries by any school for the SD Fair.

All 148 entries and winners will be on display at the student art gallery from August 29th - September 8th.

All entry fees, printing & mounting materials for all 148 entries were provided free to the students with the help of a Grant from the Southwestern College Mini-grant Foundation.

Best of Division & Best of Class
Chris DeGuzman - Action Black & White Photography - Instructor Micajah Truitt
Enrique Velez Garcia - Action Color Photography - Instructor Jesse Sutton Hough

Ivanna Niebla - Digital Photo Composite Image - Steven Dejoy

Carlos Moreno - Other - Color Photography - Instructor Jesse Sutton Hough

Best of Class
Joanna Gonzales - Urban Landscapes, B&W Photography - Instructor Christopher Ferreria

Noah Schwartz - People, Color Photography - Instructor Christopher Ferreria

Ross Cummings - Scenic Color Photography - Instructor Christopher Ferreria

Ross Cummings - Fair Theme Photography - Instructor Christopher Ferreria

Miguel Topete - Scenic Black & White Photography - Instructor Jesse Sutton Hough

Julyun Cabogason - Traditional Dark Room Black & White Images - Instructor John Pickelle

Malika Charles - Digital Manipulation of a Photograph - Instructor John Pickelle

Marissa Sandoval - San Diego County Living - Instructor John Pickelle

Abigail Estrada - Digital Photo Composite Image 2 - Instructor Rebekkah Walker
Chris DeGuzman - Macro - Color Photography - Instructor Micajah Truitt

Group Project 108 Drone Class - Urban Landscapes, Color Photography - Instructor Micajah Truitt

Special Selection Award
Carlos Espinosa - People, Color Photography - Instructor John Pickelle

Awards Ribbons
74 - 1st place ribbons
62 - 2nd place ribbons
12 - 3rd Place ribbons
San Diego County Fair

We had 63 total student entries under photography by Southwestern College students. Here were the award winners:

1 Donated Award from North County Photo Society

Malika Charles

7 Best in Class Awards

Violet Catajola- Macro Color

Malika Charles -Digital Manipulation

Malika Charles- Digital Composite

Miguel Topete - Scenic Black & White

Shawn Fampulme - San Diego County

Araceli Marceleno - Scenic Color

Max Rottenstein - Other Black & White

1 Fair Themed Special Ribbon

Violet Catajola

In addition, there were...

12 First Place Ribbons

29 Second place Ribbons

22 Third Place Ribbons
San Diego County Fair
- Dominique Jean Pierre won "Best In Class" for 2nd year college, Division 4701 Color Photography
  Instructor: Shane Anderson
- Karina Mazon won "Best In Class" for 2nd year college, Division 4704 Photo Restoration
  Instructor: Bekkah Walker
- Rosario Aranda won "Best In Class" for 2nd year college, Division 4706 Portrait Photography
  Instructor: Shane Anderson
- Ruth Higuera won "Best In Class" for 2nd year college, Division 4711 Digital Manipulation of a Photography
  Instructor: Bekkah Walker
San Diego County Fair
- Emadeleine Miranda won "Best In Class" for 2nd year college, Division: 4704 Photo Restoration
- Natalie Mosqueda won "Best In Class" for 2nd year college, Division: 4709 Sports / Action / News
- Tony Guerrero won "Best In Class" for 1st year college and "Best of Show", Division 4709 Sports / Action / News
37th Annual Student Photography Contest
- Finalists for the 37th Annual Student Photography Contest sponsored by Nikon and hosted by Photographer’s Forum Magazine:
  Monik Gutierrez
  Ted Perez
  Jorge Poveda
  Sergey Sinin
- Martha Andrade won Best In Show for Photography in the SWC Spring Student Show.
- Don Manali won an honorable mention for Photography in the SWC Spring Student Show.
- Jose Islas and Miriam Figueroa became official photographers for Comicon 2016
  San Diego Fair, Summer 2016
- Quintin Carson won "Best In Show" for Photography in the Spring Student Show.
San Diego County Fair
- Kent Li (Art 207 student from Micajah Truitt’s class) was accepted into the Professional Photography Division.
- Fernando Ramirez (Art 205 student from Todd Stand’s class) was accepted into the Professional Photography Division.
- Lisa Ostrowski (Art 206 student from Micajah Truitt’s class) won Best In Class for one of her photographs in the Monochrome Division.
- Alejandro Barajas (Art 205 student from Neil Kendrick’s class) won Best In Class for one of his photographs in the San Diego Lifestyles Division.
- Over 100 students had photographs and digital art on display at the San Diego Fair.
- Isel Estrada (former student from the program) won a ASO Campus Involvement Scholarship Award.
- Alejandro Barajas, was accepted into the SD City Beat;s Annual Photo Contest, and was published in SD City Beat’s print version and website version of the publication.
- Fidel Cante (student from John Pickell’s class) won an honorable mention in the 2012 Spring Another Space Student Show for his image titled “Color of Night”.
- Alejandro Barajas won first place in the photography division in the 2012 Another Space Student Show for his image.
San Diego County Fair
- Kent Li was accepted into the Professional Photography Division.
- Over 120 student had photographs and digital art on display at the San Diego Fair Student Showcase.
- Juliet Kardell (Art 122 student from Todd Stand’s Class) served as the president of the Photo Club and the Jewelry Club. She also won a Student of Distinction Award and an ASO Academic Excellence Award.
- Kathia Sanchez (Art 121 student from Juan Pacheco’s class) was chosen to attend the UCLA Film School. Out of 600 applications they narrowed it down to 30 and she was chosen as one of the 15 who will be attending classes at UCLA in Fall 2011.
- Erika Azul Gonzales (Art 121 student from Juan Pacheco’s class) received a $300 scholarship award from the San Diego Association of Black Journalists.
- Isel Estrada won the John & Adeline Valenzuela Memorial Scholarship. This scholarship is awarded in memory of John Valenzuela, who gave up his dream of going to college when he had to drop out of high school to help support his widowed mother and siblings. The family migrated to the United States from Mexico in 1914 to escape the violence of the Mexican Revolution. Regardless of his limited formal education John had a very successful career in retail and the wholesale foods industry. John was a very hard worker with a formidable memory who would not compromise his principles. He passed away in 2001 at the age of 91.
- Kent Li has 3 photographs accepted into the Professional Photography division of the San Diego Fair.
- 3 Photography students won ribbons at the “Another Space 3” student show sponsored by the Third Avenue Association in Chula Vista, CA
Over 60 photography and digital imaging students had work at the show. Here were the winners:
- Edward Honaker - 1st Place
- Fidel Cante - Honorable Mention
- Over 20 students were featured at the “Another Space 2” Show sponsored by the Third Avenue Association in Chula Vista, CA.
- Over 100 students were featured at the San Diego Fair Student Showcase.
- Over 20 students were featured at the “Another Space” Show sponsored by the Third Avenue Association in Chula Vista, CA.
- Over 100 students were featured at the San Diego Fair Student Showcase.
San Diego County Fair
- Over 120 students were featured at the San Diego Fair Student Showcase.
- Caroline Andrews placed as a finalist in the 27th Annual Student Photography Contest sponsored by Nikon and hosted by Photographer’s Forum Magazine.
San Diego County Fair
- Over 105 students were featured at the San Diego Fair Student Showcase.
San Diego County Fair
- Chris Parker received the Best of Class Award for his entry in the 4628 category called “San Diego County Lifestyles”.
- Over 100 students were featured at the San Diego Fair Student Showcase.

Student Success Stories

- Last attend Southwestern College
  Summer of 2005
- Education
  Transferred to SDSU and completed her B.A. in Art Education in 2008
- Employment
  Teaches art and photography at Zamorano Fine Arts Academy & freelance photography and art business at www.kyndevibes.com.
- How did the SWC Art Department and the SWC Photography & Digital Program help you get to where you are now?
  “The art professors at SWC helped prepare me to become an artist and entrepreneur by encouraging me to think outside the box, and giving me the tools to apply my curiosity.”
- Any advice to students?
  “Always shoot high. You are meant to do what you love. If you love art, become the artist within.”
- Anything Else?
  “My true love is darkroom photography.”
- Biography
  I am Danielle Guimond Clark and I am a San Diego native. I currently teach art along with darkroom and digital photography in Southeast San Diego. I had always felt a connection with the visual arts. When I was ten years old, my father taught me how to use his old 35mm Canon AE-1. From that day on, the camera became my tool for self expression and my creativity began to blossom. I find photography intriguing because of it's natural ability to quietly borrow moments of time. I am a photographer and freelance artist who is on a constant quest for learning and applying new techniques to my craft. My passions range from printing black and white photos in the darkroom to photo transfers onto textiles; clay wall hangings and imprinted wood collages, as well as jewelry crafting. My inspirations stem from the diverse cultures, places and people that I have connected and crossed paths with throughout my journey. I find beauty in each conversation and moment I share with my subjects. While traveling provides harmony and balance to my life, creating art is what keeps me grounded. As my work continues to evolve through each new experience, I try to maintain a positive focus as I embrace and spread da kyndevibes.
- More Information
  www.kyndevibes.com
Work
- Mujer de Maya
  Photo transfer on wood, mixed media, 7x7 in.
  Antigua, Guatemala, 2008
- Smiling Buddha
  Photo transfer on wood, mixed media, 12x14 in.
  Sukothai, Thailand, 2007
- Wat Bayon
  Photo transfer on wood, mixed media, 12x14 in.
  Angkor Wat, Cambodia, 2007
- Last attend Southwestern College
  Spring 2009
- Education
  Transferred to USC, currently a major in Animation and Digital Arts.
- Employment
  USC campus, Animation Library
- How did the SWC Art Department and the SWC Photography & Digital Program help you get to where you are now?
  “The professors at SWC, especially those in the Art and Photography programs, helped me to realize what my goals were and gave me an outstanding skill set. I will always be grateful for the amount of effort the professors put into their classes. I left SWC with a great foundation which is helping me to achieve my dreams now.”
- Any advice to students?
  “Small successes have a tendency of snowballing into larger ones.”
- Anything Else?
  “Watch 2001 A Space Odyssey.”
- Biography
  I'm Jesse R. Doyle, a full time student at the School of Cinematic Arts at USC. I ride my bike to campus. I'm currently focused on preparing for ideation and pre-production for my thesis film. There's nothing like college life on a university campus, it's vibrant with learning and people with positive and progressive attitudes, and I'm loving every minute of it. I was always interested in art as a kid, especially drawing, and I loved cartoons like Felix the Cat or Looney Toons, and movies like Star Wars and Indiana Jones. When I started to learn digital art, I was amazed to find how in-depth an art form it was and how many varying outcomes could be achieved with it. I'm inspired by the idea of creating a likeness to reality with digital art, with the freedom to tell a unique story. I'm currently pushing forward with the medium, learning as much as I can, with a common goal I've had from the beginning; to conceptualize my thoughts and ideas into visual form in an effective way. When I graduate from USC, I plan to work in the film industry and to travel.
- More Information
  www.increality.com

Student Achievement

Student Success Stories

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