Student art reaches for the sky, lands among clouds as winner of 11th annual ASUCLA T-shirt Design Contest
Voted among her peers, UCLA student Katie Fang’s illustration of a Bruin Bear reaching for the sky is the winner of the 11th annual ASUCLA T-shirt Design Contest.
Los Angeles, Calif., Dec. 6, 2023 – After an impressive 108 entries were submitted to the 11th annual Associated Students UCLA (ASUCLA) T-shirt Design Contest, Katie Fang, second-year world arts and culture student, and her unique illustration of a Bruin bear sitting among clouds were named as the UCLA student body’s chosen winner.
Winning artist Katie Fang is not pictured; the model in the picture is fourth-year psychobiology student Kimia Abbassi.
With a high student turnout of over 900 votes cast between Nov. 27-Dec. 1, Fang’s rendition of the well-known Bruin mascot accomplished what she was intending to portray in her design — reaching for the sky. The winning illustration was announced by Bruin Custom Print (BCP), a division of ASUCLA, on Dec. 5.
“Inspired by the brilliant blue skies at UCLA, I illustrated a Bruin bear floating among fluffy clouds as a reminder to keep our heads up and reach toward the sky with courage and hope,” Fang stated in her entry.
For her winnings, Fang received a $1,000 gift card to the UCLA Store and will now have her one-of-a-kind design available for purchase at the UCLA Store beginning in winter quarter 2024. Proceeds from the winning T-shirt sale will support the Undergraduate Students Association and Graduate Students Association.
“Congratulations to Katie for capturing her unique perspective of the UCLA experience with her rendition on the beloved Bruin bear,” said Guy Adams, Academic Publishing and Custom Product manager. “We extend a depth of appreciation to all participants in this year’s contest, as all submissions truly showcased great talent and strong Bruin pride.”
The 11th annual ASUCLA T-shirt Contest follows last year’s winning design of the late Powell Cat perched atop a stack of books, created by then third-year English student Linsey Montgomery. Those interested in purchasing Montgomery’s T-shirt can do so until Dec. 6 at the UCLA Store.
In its 11 years, the ASUCLA T-shirt Design Contest stayed true to its T-shirt roots for nine years; reimagining the contest in 2020, the appropriate shift was made to replace the T-shirt concept with a face covering.
For further updates about when Fang’s T-shirt will be available for purchase, follow @asucla on Instagram.
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About ASUCLA:
Founded in 1919, Associated Students UCLA (ASUCLA) is a nonprofit association that drives vitally essential student services and activities throughout the UCLA campus. ASUCLA boasts the largest college store in the U.S., an extensive food program, UCLA® brand licensing programming through UCLA Trademarks & Licensing, and other services and programs that include student government and student media, which significantly enhances the quality of UCLA’s campus life. For more information and to stay connected, follow @asucla on Instagram or visit asucla.ucla.edu.