June 25, 2002 -- They took on chewing gum, computers and watches -- and won. Nine students in the Digital Arts program at the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University in Brookville recently swept the student division of the Long Island Advertising Club's 29th Annual BOLI Awards with advertising campaigns for Fruit Blast chewing gum, Apple's new gPod and Millennia edition watches.

"These students came up with some pretty amazing ad campaigns," says Patrick Aievoli, a professor in the program and the advisor on each of the top three projects. "They developed the concepts into print ads, slogans, TV spots and product packaging. In the process, they demonstrated that our program is preparing students well for future careers."

Each year, the LIAC awards the BOLI Awards (Best on Long Island) to advertising agencies, advertisers and firms that serve the industry. Judges from across the country look for excellence in ad campaigns designed by agencies, advertisers and firms who serve the industry. Entrants can submit work in a number of categories, including Campaigns, Media, Radio Commercials, A/V presentations, Online, Multimedia & Interactive, Public Service, Political, Direct Mail, Collateral Materials, Visual Displays, Merchandising, Sales Promotion, Trade Shows, and Illustrations and Photography.

Student categories are open to students who attend universities and colleges in Long Island, Queens and Brooklyn, and who have never held a paying job in the industry. Internships are excluded. They must major or concentrate in advertising, marketing, communications or photography.

The student entries were not labeled by school, so the judges did not know they were picking C.W. Post students for the top three spots: Best of Category and the two Gold Certificates of Excellence. Best of Category went to Jacqueline Da Torre, Diana LoBosco, Robert Pimpinella and Mario Primiano for their campaign for Fruit Blast chewing gum. The first Gold Certificate of Excellence went to Aghogho Emenike, Daniel Epstein, Diane Portigiano and Crystal Rammelkamp for the campaign they put together for Apple's gPod. Jeremy Cohn (who developed his campaign solo) took the second Gold Certificate for the campaign "Tag Heurer Millennia edition series of watches."

Bronze medals went to Anthony Perez, Juwen Sin, YuSun Kang, Greg Gervasi, Marc Corradino, Brian Greenberg, Mary Floratos, Betsy Haughey, Jarrod Gordon and Corinne Ferrara of C.W. Post.

"Our program trains students to put together some truly amazing design projects," says Aievoli. "We look forward to competing again in the years to come."

For additional information, please call the C.W. Post Office of Public Relations at (516) 299-2332 or email pr@cwpost.liu.edu.