The Triangle

Issue date: 6/30/06 Section: Sci-Tech

Media Credit: Disney

Drexel seniors Kristy Pron and Matthew Fonda tied for third place in the annual Disney ImagiNations University Design Competition. The team was flown to Disneyland on June 4 for a week of presentations as part of the final round of the competition.

"Disney offers the annual competition as a challenge for students to show their creativity and skills in design, engineering, architecture and related disciplines," said Glen Muschio, the team's advisor. "The competition seems custom-made for Drexel students."

"The main objective with this contest is for Disney Imagineering to identify the best and the brightest talent for potential future Imagineers," said Lisa England, a publicist from Davidson & Choy Publicity, the public relations firm promoting the Disney ImagiNations Competition.

The ImagiNations Competition had students design, create and present their own ride, attraction, theme park or resort. Students could also design new lands within a current Disney theme park or resort. The competition allows students to design whatever they wish, and is open to junior and senior college students.

Pron, a senior majoring in digital media, and Fonda, a senior majoring in civil and architectural engineering, designed a ride based on the film Finding Nemo. The ride, called "East Australian Current Express - Top Sides Tour," would transport families across the world showcase in Epcot.

Besides providing opportunities for future careers with Disney, the competition awards the winners scholarships.

This year, first place received $2,000 per person, second received $1,500 per person and third received $1,000 per person.

"They want to see how the students incorporate the story line through every element, because with Imagineers the story is always paramount, so the technology should serve the story," England said. "The projects give the judges the opportunity to see how the students develop, sell, think about and implement their idea, because coming up with the concept is only the first step."

The judges review the student entries as they would their own work.

They examine how appealing and exciting the project is. Other criteria include how attractive and enjoyable the project will be for guests and how creative and innovative it is.

Especially important is the ability of the students to bring a story to life through their project.

Continued...

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