“I can say with confidence, that she’s a rarity…
in our discipline [art & design], there are far more important criteria for one’s success, and Olivia possesses these in abundance. Creativity, talent, the ability and desire to think and solve problems both practically and in an abstract manner…she understands the creative process”.
Professor Darren McManus Quoted from the RVCC Academic Award Ceremony, May 2022, Presenting Olivia Sims with the Excellence Award in Graphic & Interactive Design
Background - Eleanor, Intro to Digital Photography FA21 by Olivia Sims
ASSOCIATE DEGREE OF FINE ARTS IN GRAPHIC & INTERACTIVE DESIGN
RARITAN VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE, CLASS OF 2022
SUMMER 20’ - SPRING 22’
- ACCOMPLISHMENTS DURING THIS TIME FRAME -
RECOGNIZED ON THE RVCC ‘WALL OF SUCCESS’ FOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS/BUILDING COMMUNITY
ACADEMIC AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN GRAPHIC & INTERACTIVE DESIGN, MAY 2022
19 ORIGINAL ARTWORKS DISPLAYED AT 6 EXHIBITIONS IN TOTAL
WON ‘BEST IN SHOW OVERALL’ - JURIED STUDENT ART EXHIBITION, NOVEMBER 2021
MARKETING/DESIGN INTERN FOR LEADING EDGE INNOVATIONS, SPRING 2022
ORIGINAL ARTWORK PUBLISHED IN ‘NJ STATE’ PRESS RELEASE ARTICLE, FALL 2021
HIRED AS THE GRAPHIC DESIGNER FOR RVCC MUSIC PROGRAM POSTER ADVERTISEMENTS
THE NATIONAL HONORS SOCIETY FOR LEADERSHIP & SUCCESS & PHI THETA KAPPA ACADEMIC HONORS SOCIETY
Olivia Sims Design Student Experience | Studying Graphic & Interactive Design at Raritan Valley Community College (2020 - 2022)
Sims graduated from high school in June of 2020. After graduation, she attended Raritan Valley Community College in Branchburg New Jersey to study Graphic & Interactive Design, where she received her Associate’s Degree in Fine Arts. Sims was recognized for her talents within the art & design discipline throughout the two years spent studying at RVCC with multiple original works shown in art galleries and winning exhibitions alongside other acknowledgments.
Sims studied topics such as typography, motion graphics, digital photography, visual design/graphic design, art history, web design, drawing, color theory, and three-dimensional design. One of the final courses Sims engaged in prior to graduation, portfolio development, required her to create an entire portfolio website - a collection of all the work created over the course of her studies for her AFA. Alongside this portfolio, Sims likewise designed a portfolio book of her original work - existing in digital and tangible forms.
Studying design at RVCC allowed Sims to create lasting connections between professors and advisors who aided in her personal development alongside her education in creative practices.
Professor Critique Video:
Olivia Sims X Professor Valerie Sivilli | Basic Drawing II Final Critique - RVCC Spring 2021
Olivia Sims AFA Portfolio Website (CONTACT FOR ENTRY)
Sims’ AFA Portfolio Website consists of original works deriving from the various forms of media she engaged with and learned while studying design. Organized by course, the overall website was designed by Sims herself prior to graduating with her AFA in Graphic & Interactive Design.
Pictured below are only a few examples of Sims’ original work and analysis/planning visuals produced at RVCC across different forms of media (including fine arts, graphic design, typography, writing assignment page designs/layouts and more) from her AFA portfolio (Contact for website entry to view more extensive breakdowns of Sims’ work and more original works):
Olivia Sims Portfolio Book - (CONTACT TO VIEW OLIVIA SIMS FULL AFA PORTFOLIO BOOK PDF)
One of the final courses Sims engaged in prior to graduation, portfolio development, required her to create an entire portfolio website - a collection of all the work created over the course of her studies for her AFA. Alongside this portfolio, Sims likewise designed a portfolio book of her original work - existing in digital and tangible forms.
Pictured below are only a few pages from Sims’ AFA portfolio book, consisting of original works produced at RVCC while studying Graphic & Interactive Design:
Olivia Sims Design RVCC Gallery Appearances
Sims was recognized for her talents within the art & design discipline throughout the two years spent studying at RVCC with multiple original works shown in art galleries and winning exhibitions alongside other acknowledgments. Sims won ‘BEST IN SHOW OVERALL’ at the Juried Student Art Exhibition, in Fall 2021, for a digital photograph self-portrait and was chosen as one of the honorees for the Note Bene Art Exhibition for her Pop Art Self-Portrait Gouache piece.
Pictured below are only a few of Sims’ original works produced at RVCC across different forms of media shown at the RVCC art gallery:
Sims BEST IN SHOW OVERALL self-portrait digital photograph, 'The Elated Haunting of The Illusionary', Fall 2021
Sims BEST IN SHOW OVERALL self-portrait digital photograph, 'The Elated Haunting of The Illusionary', Fall 2021
Sims photographed next to her BEST IN SHOW OVERALL self-portrait digital photograph, 'The Elated Haunting of The Illusionary', Fall 2021
Sims self-portrait digital photograph series, 'untitled - 'what is done holds more value than what is said', Spring 2022
Sims photographed next to her final portfolio development exhibition self-portrait digital photograph series, 'untitled - 'what is done holds more value than what is said', Spring 2022
Sims self-portrait digital photograph series, 'untitled - 'what is done holds more value than what is said', Spring 2022
Olivia Sims Publication Experience
Sims’ work was recognized by being published in The New Jersey Stage’s press release article titled “18th Annual Juried Exhibition to Feature Artwork by RVCC Students”. One of six compositions; Free Placement #6, was published for NJ Stage’s press release of the Juried Student Art Exhibition.
Pictured below is a screenshot of Sims’ “Brahms Typographic Composition: Free Placement (1 of 6),” digital (Illustrator), Fall 2021, Visual Design 2, published by NJ Stage:
After balancing her final semester studying for her Associate of Fine Arts in Graphic & Interactive Design Degree while being a Marketing/Design Intern (Spring 2022), Olivia Sims graduated at the top of her class, received the Excellence in Graphic Design Award from Raritan Valley Community College in May of 2022, and transferred to The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign from her New Jersey hometown to study Advertising.
