WASHINGTON – The Paperboard Packaging Alliance (PPA) announced the winners of its 2016 Student Design Challenge at a luncheon on Nov. 7 at PACKEXPO in Chicago. 

Participants were asked to design an unconventional, innovative premium package for dry goods food packaging that contains a structural component that enhances its function and stands out on upscale grocery store shelves. All submitted designs can be viewed at http://www.paperboardpackaging.org/university-features/2016-sdc-winners-and-entries.

“Congratulations to the 2016 Student Design Challenge winners,” said American Forest & Paper AssociationPresident and CEO Donna Harman. “Their paperboard packages stood out among designs from 16 schools – the highest participation rate since the challenge’s inception.”

“The participating designers showed great skill and promise,” said Paperboard Packaging Council President Ben Markens. “We hope their Student Design Challenge experience will make them consider a career in the paperboard packaging industry.”

2016 PPA Student Design Challenge Winners

1st Place: University of Florida-Gainesville (UFL)

Entry Name: InHarvest
Team: Kyle Yerdon, Wilson Lam, Michelle Pollard, Kimberly Hafner, Austin Pluskot
Professor:  Bruce Welt

2nd Place: Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT)

Entry name: L’orto
Team: Wentian Chen, Nathan Gamson, Grace Milton, Marina Solis
Professor: Bill Wynkoop 

3rd Place: Virginia Tech (VT)
Team: Vina Le, Loc Pham, Anthony Tran, Miguel Comparativo
Professor: Robert Bush

Winning student teams received a cash prize to share among their team members and their respective schoolsreceived a cash award to support their academic program. First place: $5,500 to the team, $5,000 to the school; second place: $3,000 to the team, $3,000 to the school; and third place: $1,500 to the team, $1,500 to the school. Winners were chosen by a team of paperboard packaging industry professionals who rated submissions based on their response to the competition scenario, innovative structural and graphic design, functionality, and quality of the finished product.