Thursday, March 28, 2024

Recent graduate awarded prestigious packaging award

November 21, 2013

Success after graduation is all any recent college graduate could hope for. After getting her advertising degree in 2012, MSU alumna Megan Barry found just that with Leahy-IFP Space Saver juices, teas and lemonades.

In Beverage Industry Magazine’s Top Beverage Package of 2013 competition, which will debut in the December issue, Barry’s design placed third, with 17 percent of the 1,489 online votes rounding out the top five contestants.

“I did not see myself here a year ago at graduation,” Barry said. “I couldn’t have told you that I would even be doing package designing for retail, so it’s a big surprise,” Barry said.

Following an internship with Trungale, Egan & Associates LLC, in Chicago, Barry was hired as a full-time graphic designer at the company.

Dave Cermak, the creative director at Trungale, Egan & Associates, said Barry has been a big asset to the company.

“It is extremely hard to find a designer out of college that has the education and knowledge that Megan has,” Cermak said.

Past professors attest to the noteworthy design projects Barry would created in class.

“She went beyond what I showed them in class in order for her to make her submission good,” Maral Misassian-Zakharia, an assistant professor in the Department of Advertising and Public Relations, said.

Advertising, public relations and retailing assistant professor Paula Storrer described Barry’s demeanor in college as hard-working and dedicated. Both Storrer and Misassian-Zakharia weren’t surprised that Barry earned an award.

“She works towards a solution, which is ideal,” Storrer said.

Originally one of ten finalists selected by Beverage Industry magazine editors, Barry’s beverage package was well-liked based on its design, functionality and shelf presence.

“The packaging was nominated by the editors of Beverage Industry because it capitalizes on the limited space inside a refrigerator and dispenses the beverages in a convenient format for consumers,” Beverage Industry Magazine managing editor Stephanie Cernivec said.

Barry attributes her newfound success to her time spent at MSU.

“I give a lot of credit to Michigan State on producing such a great employee,” Cermak said.

As for Barry, she is in disbelief that her company’s design project placed in the contest.

“Having Space Saver ranked in the top three beverage packages of the year is surreal,” Barry said.

Support student media! Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.

Discussion

Share and discuss “Recent graduate awarded prestigious packaging award” on social media.