UHV announces winners of president’s holiday card contest
A graduate student studying creative writing and publishing at the University of Houston-Victoria won first place in the third annual UHV President’s Holiday Card contest and will receive a $1,000 university scholarship for her artwork.
Sadie Atha of Winnie placed first out of 19 art submissions. Atha’s winning design will be featured on the front of the president’s holiday card. Elizabeth Sanchez of Beeville was named the second-place winner and will receive a $500 scholarship, while Noemi Bustamante of Richmond placed third in the contest and is the recipient of a UHV swag bag.
“It is wonderful to see so many creative works of art this year for the annual holiday card contest,” UHV President Bob Glenn said. “This contest is an opportunity for students to showcase their artistic abilities while spreading holiday cheer to our UHV family and community supporters. Each student did an excellent job, and I look forward to sending out the new card.”
The submissions were reviewed by a panel of judges selected by Glenn. Entries were evaluated based on the artwork’s creativity and artistic merit. Art submitted included illustrations, photos, drawings done in colored pencils and paintings.
Atha is an English teacher at East Chambers High School in Winnie. She is in the Master of Fine Arts in creative writing and Master of Science in publishing programs at UHV. Her winning design is a digital illustration that features a jaguar sleeping beside a Christmas tree in front of a lit fireplace as snow falls outside. Red stockings spelling out “UHV” hang over the mantle, and the jaguar is wearing a Santa Claus hat.
Atha, who has a Bachelor of Science in visualization from Texas A&M University, enjoys creating art both personally and professionally.
“I love the holidays and wanted to create something that evoked a peaceful holiday season,” she said. “I was overjoyed when I received the news that my artwork was chosen this year. It is a great feeling when other people appreciate my art.”
Sanchez is freshman studying criminal justice. Her artwork was done using color pencils and gel pens and depicted one of the UHV signs on Ben Wilson Street covered in snow. Sanchez said she draws as a hobby and is happy to win a scholarship for her work.
“My favorite part about the holidays is the cooler weather, and even though it hardly ever snows in South Texas, I wanted to depict what a snowy UHV would look like,” she said. “I love how relaxing drawing is. It makes me happy to put to paper what I envision in my head and see it come to life.”
Bustamante is a senior studying biology. Her submission was a digital illustration of UHV mascot jaX in pajamas sitting by a lit fireplace and reading a book. On the mantle of the fireplace is a trophy, a snow globe featuring the UHV University Center, and a photo of jaX with Glenn.
“I wanted to make something that gave off cozy vibes, like staying in for the holidays and enjoying a warm fire on a cold day,” Bustamante said. “I’ve been entering the contest since I was a freshman, and I am happy to have placed third. I am excited to get more UHV swag, and I am glad that I was able to make my mark here at UHV.”
Students receiving honorable mentions for their artwork were Catherine Tillinghast, a forensic science graduate student from Lockhart; Nicole Sanchez, a sophomore communications major from Corpus Christi; and Jessica Teasle, a junior education major from Victoria. To view all of the winners’ artwork, go to www.uhv.edu/president/items-of-interest/winners.
The University of Houston-Victoria, located in the heart of the Coastal Bend region since 1973 in Victoria, Texas, offers courses leading to more than 80 academic programs in the schools of Arts & Sciences; Business Administration; and Education, Health Professions & Human Development. UHV provides face-to-face classes at its Victoria campus, as well as an instructional site in Katy, Texas, and online classes that students can take from anywhere. UHV supports the American Association of State Colleges and Universities Opportunities for All initiative to increase awareness about state colleges and universities and the important role they have in providing a high-quality and accessible education to an increasingly diverse student population, as well as contributing to regional and state economic development.
