After four years of anticipation, Emma Sheehan (’19) has finally had her triumphant victory. Sheehan, a Graphic Design Major, has watched the SNHU Night Fan Banner Design Contest with the Celtics from afar. This was until taking GRA-420 Advanced Digital Design where she finally decided to face her fears and enter her own design into the contest.
Highlighting her interest in the contest since first coming to SNHU, Sheehan said, “I have been watching the contest for the four years…I wanted to enter but I thought…back when I was a Freshman that I was just starting out and I don’t have the skills for this.”
SNHU and the Celtics have had a partnership for several years and together they have been hosting “SNHU Night” at the TD Garden during a Celtic’s game. Each year since the partnership began, they have been providing SNHU students the opportunity to create a design, whether it’s a banner, a t-shirt or a logo, and be entered in a contest. The winner of the contest gives his/her design to the thousands of screaming Celtics fans on SNHU Night.
When asked about her design inspiration Sheehan said, “My idea was to make symbols that…represent the values of SNHU and the Celtics and put them together to represent the partnership between them.”
Tracy Dow, the Head of the Graphic Design Program, emailed Sheehan along with the other three finalists on February 5 to tell them the great news. That following Friday they presented their design to a panel at the Celtics headquarters.
Sheehan felt fortunate to have her best friend, Rachel Stone, as a finalist for this contest with her. Sheehan said, “The night before [presenting their designs], we were both talking about how nervous we were.”
Sheehan was filled with anticipation as she waited for the judges to decide the winner of the contest. She said how they entered the holding room where she and the rest of the finalists were waiting and told them their final decision, crowning Sheehan as the winner.
“Even though I was super scared to present, I think that was the best part of it all,” Sheehan said when asked what her favorite part of the process was. She then went on to say, “it’s a good experience to get because that’s what you are going to have to do in the real world.”
When asked how she felt about winning the contest she said, “To me, it’s just really crazy.” She added, “It’s been something that I’ve wanted for four years so to finally get it, it meant a lot to me.”
SNHU Night will be held on March 18 at the TD Garden.
