Unique pairing of graphic designer and copywriter to lead West Coast’s oldest advertising program is an industry first.
SAN FRANCISCO – The Academy of Art University has taken an innovative move in appointing new leadership to its storied School of Advertising with the naming of a widely experienced graphic designer and a veteran ad agency copywriter to the position of Co-Directors of the program. Roland Young and Ellen Shakespeare have assumed the leadership of the program effective with the spring 2010 semester. The announcement was made by Dr. Elisa Stevens, President of the Academy of Art University.
Both Young and Shakespeare are not only highly accomplished in their respective disciplines, but both are longtime educators who’ve had an impact on the careers of countless designers and advertising creatives. Both previously taught at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena. Young moves to his new post from the faculty of the Academy of Art University’s School of Graphic Design, which he joined in January of 2009, while Shakespeare was most recently an instructor at Art Center’s advertising program.
“This is a truly exciting development for the School of Advertising, and one that perfectly mirrors where the industry is headed,” says Dr. Stephens. “Design is playing an increasingly important role in the creation of advertising across all forms of media, and we’re uniquely positioned to ensure that strong design fundamentals are at the core of our advertising curricula. With Roland and Ellen we truly have the best of both worlds—a highly acclaimed designer teaming with a writer who’s worked at some of the industry’s best agencies, creating advertising for the industry’s top brands.”
Young has been teaching since the late 1960’s and continues to inspire students and professionals alike. A problem solver with a fine art background, he began his career at Capitol/Angel Records and later moved to A&M Records as creative director, where he produced some of the music industry’s most notable album covers and ad campaigns. Prior to joining The Academy’s School of Graphic Design, he spent 2008 as a professor at the National Taiwan Normal University in Taipei. Currently he’s a consultant at Meryl Pollen Design, whose clients include the Getty Museum, Suzanne Felsen Jewelry and Rolling Greens Nurseries. He remains a design consultant for Paper Design magazine in Taiwan.
Shakespeare is an accomplished freelance copywriter who has worked with some of the top agencies in the business, including Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, Cole & Weber United, Wong Doody and Hal Riney & Partners. Among the brands she’s worked on are Ford, Samsung, Avia, Motorola, L.A. Gear, Sega and Norwegian Cruise Lines. She holds a BA from Western Michigan University and a Masters from Kent State, both in English, and a BFA from the Art Center College of Design.
Young and Shakespeare will continue to work closely with the School of Advertising’s Mark Edwards, Associate Director of Copywriting; Cameron Maddux, Associate Director of Account Planning; and Susan Cotler-Block, Online Director of Advertising, and will continue to build on the achievements the program has made over the past two years. During this time work from its students have won an array of industry honors, including Silver and Bronze Pencils in the One Show 2009 Student Competition, five Bay Area GOLD ADDY Awards, three campaign finalists for the Art Director’s Club Awards and three Bronze ANDY Awards.
About Academy of Art University, San Francisco
With almost 16,000 students, Academy of Art University (www.academyart.edu) is the nation’s largest private advertising, fine art and design university. Established in 1929, the school offers accredited AA, BFA, M.Arch and MFA programs in 14 different majors, as well as continuing art education with classes in fashion merchandising, interior design, new media, computer animation, sculpture, cinematography, industrial and graphic design, digital photography and automotive design. Its School of Advertising offers courses in account planning, art direction, copywriting, campaign design, integrated communications, interactive advertising, guerrilla marketing, branding, portfolio preparation and media planning.
