Mary Sauer, recent graduate from Brigham Young University’s Illustration program, has found that hard work and perseverance have paid off in her education and career. She recently won Best of Show in the Portrait Society of America Annual Competition. Although Sauer applied to BYU’s Illustration program twice and was rejected both times, as mentioned in her convocation speech, Sauer later was accepted into the Studio Arts Program, and was soon accepted into the Illustration program as a transfer student. As a student at BYU she received various talent awards scholarships and worked hard in various workshops with prominent artists. In the years since she has graduated, Mary Sauer has worked with contemporary artist Jeff Koons and has continued in post-graduate work at the Art Student’s League and the Grand Central Academy of Art. Her work has been exhibited in several shows in New York City and her work was recently selected to be in the Collector’s Choice Show, at the Sylvia White Gallery, in California. She was also awarded a Northern Manhattan Art Alliance Grant for 2012 and will be attending graduate school in the fall at one of the three graduate schools she was accepted into. By Cami Wilson

Congratulations to The Daily Universe for receiving ten awards from the Utah Headliners Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. The competition included submissions of articles from 2011, from all across Utah. Along with taking third place in its own category for best newspaper, ten individual submissions from The Daily Universe, now known as The Universe, won first place in their respective categories.

Project from professor Ryan Woodward gives birth to new genre of graphic novels Having done storyboard work on the past two Spiderman movies, BYU animation professor Ryan Woodward remembers anticipating the opening weekend of the summer blockbusters.

Not many people can say they’ve designed a costume for Kool-Aid Man, Tarzan’s gorilla friends and a flying fish for The Little Mermaid.

Brigham Young University student Stephen Tanner was a finalist in the Broadcast News category of the the William Randolph Hearst Foundation’s 2012 Journalism Awards Program. In addition to Tanner’s recognition, the BYU broadcast journalism program ranked fifth overall in the nation, up from its sixth-place ranking in 2011.

Douglas McKinlay, a professor in the Communications Department, will give an address titled “The Approachable Master: Life's Critical Relationship” at the weekly Brigham Young University devotional Tuesday, June 19, at 11:05 p.m. in the de Jong Concert Hall. It will be broadcast live on KBYU-TV (Channel 11), BYUtv, KBYU-FM (89.1), BYU-Radio and at byutv.org, as well as on campus in the Joseph Smith Building auditorium and the Varsity Theater in the Wilkinson Student Center. For rebroadcast and reprint information, visit byutv.org or speeches.byu.edu. McKinlay graduated from BYU in 1969 with a bachelor’s degree in communications and a master’s degree in mass communications. McKinlay moved to New York and found work in the advertising department at General Electric. While working there he also taught courses in mass communications at Schenectady Community College. After leaving General Electric, McKinlay became the executive vice president at Keiler Advertising, an agency bringing in $50 million a year in the late ‘70s. In 1980, McKinlay separated from Keiler and started McKinlay Advertising, which later became McKinlay and Partners. For the next 16 years he directed the company as it grew into a solid agency in the Connecticut market. As an associate teaching professor, he helped design a creative track in marketing communications. The track consists of seven courses, two of which had never been taught before at BYU. McKinlay teaches a class on writing for various media and a class designed to polish a portfolio. For more information, contact Douglas McKinlay at (801) 422-8030. Source: BYU News

First major study to examine Weir family's collective artistic production Marian Wardle, curator of American Art for the Brigham Young University Museum of Art, has received the W.E. Fischelis Award from the Victorian Society in America for her work as editor and co-author of the book, 'The Weir Family, 1820-1920: Expanding the Traditions of American Art.'

The Brigham Young University School of Music will present a guest performance by pianist Keith Kirchoff Tuesday, June 26, at 7:30 p.m. in the Madsen Recital Hall. The concert will feature works composed by BYU music professor Michael Hicks.

Season tickets on sale June 5 The Brigham Young University College of Fine Arts and Communications announces its 2012-2013 Performing Arts Series season, featuring professional musicians, dancers and theatre-makers from as far as India and the United Kingdom and as close as Salt Lake City.

The Brigham Young University School of Music presents the classic Gilbert and Sullivan opera 'The Mikado' Wednesday through Saturday, June 6-9, at 7:30 p.m. in the de Jong Concert Hall on the BYU campus.

Susan B. Walton, formerly an associate chair in the Department of Communications, has been appointed Vice President of Public Affairs at the University of North Dakota, effective on July 2, 2012. She will be the first person to occupy that newly-created position in the history of the university. Walton has taught public relations classes and other communications courses at the university for six years.

With a final performance 30,000 feet over South Africa, the Young Ambassadors concluded their tour of southern Africa. Over the course of 27 days, they traveled through three countries, giving performances, workshops, and firesides; visiting schools, orphanages, and nursing homes; and even finding time to see the local sights.