GREENSBORO – Chowan University students have been  recognized as winners of the prestigious PICA Awards, presented by The Printing Industry of the Carolinas (PICA).

The announcement was made March 24 during the 2017 PICA Awards Banquet in Greensboro with more than 250 industry professionals in attendance. The PICA Awards competition is celebrating its 52nd season and continues to be one of the largest printing contests in the nation.

Chowan University’s University Graphic Services won a Best of Category Award and a Special Judges Award. The Graphic Communications program at Chowan University won the Napco Collegiate Best of Show Award for the seventh time.  The winning entry was produced by students Shelby Barlowe and Gabby Wilson.

This year, the PICA Awards attracted more than 580 entries from 44 printing companies, along with more than 145 entries from five graphic arts high schools and five college graphic arts programs from across the Carolinas.

A panel of out of state judges with extensive experience in printing and print production was brought in to examine the work. Each entry was judged on its own merit in a category with similar printed pieces. The judging criteria included: registration, crossovers, clarity and neatness, sharpness of halftones and line drawings, richness and tonal qualities of color, paper and ink selection, ink coverage, difficulty of printing, effective contrast or softness, finishing, bindery, and overall visual impact.

Since 1931, The Printing Industry of the Carolinas, Inc. (PICA) has been dedicated to advancing the success of the Carolinas’ printing and imaging industry. Working together with Printing Industries of America, the world’s largest graphic arts trade association, PICA provides training, resources, and a voice of advocacy on both a state and national level.