Student Leadership Award winner Fernando Olmedo. Photo: Chuck Spangler

“Something I always made a point to do as I walked through the halls was to smile,” said graduating Entertainment Design student Fernando Olmedo, during his acceptance speech at this past Saturday’s graduation ceremony for Art Center’s annual Student Leadership Award. “No matter how tired I was, I made sure that I looked in people’s eyes and smiled.”

“And something pretty remarkable always happened when I smiled,” continued Olmedo, who was selected among several candidates for the Fall 2014 award by a committee of students, faculty and staff. “For this brief moment, there was this connection, this energy, this spark that came from somewhere deep inside … It worked better than coffee and Red Bull.”

“I met with Fernando shortly after he was selected for the award,” said Ray Quirolgico, the College’s Associate Provost for Student Affairs, during his introduction of Olmedo. “And he told me knew he had to study at Art Center because an education here would prepare him to be a storyteller.”

Olmedo came to Art Center with a bachelor’s degree in English Literature from the University of California, Santa Barbara, an education which no doubt added fuel to his love for storytelling.

He cites authors ranging from John Milton, Shakespeare, Hemingway and Margaret Atwood as being influential in his work. Indeed, his love for literature carried over into his studies at Art Center—for his Creative ID Process course, he created a visual language inspired by text and typefaces to bring Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451—a dystopian novel in which books are outlawed—to life as an animated film.

Olmeda created a visual language for Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 based on text and typefaces.

Each term, Art Center presents the Student Leadership Award to a graduating student who exemplifies leadership qualities and whose record of accomplishments stands out above all peers. Students who receive the award represent the character, integrity and skills that the College desires for all students to develop during their time at the institution.

Based on recommendations from faculty, staff and students, the award recognizes a student who has provided leadership through participation in Art Center’s campus life, community outreach, student organizations and department initiatives.

“He has a genuine desire to see the school live up to its educational mandate,” wrote one faculty member in his nomination of Olmeda. “Fernando has helped with peer mentorship and too many other jobs around campus to list. And, all the while he projects a bright, positive and encouraging attitude.”

“He has mentored many incoming students not only at portfolio events, but also in his excellent performance as a teaching assistant,” added another faculty member. “He is always friendly, respectful and ready to work or help. He is an exemplary role model for finding your way through the Art Center experience.”

Olmedo’s experience at the College involved holding on-campus jobs every term since being accepted. But whether he was working at the Print Shop, the Library, in Student Government or as a teaching assistant, he viewed each position as an opportunity to connect with others.

“The kindness that I saw from him toward others on an almost daily basis will forever impress me,” wrote another nominating faculty member of Olmeda.

In fact, the importance of extending kindness to others was what Olmeda wanted the graduating class to take away from his speech.

“While it’s important to feed yourselves and your families, it’s also important to feed your souls,” Olmeda told the graduating class. “And that comes from being good human beings. That comes from sharing the best part of yourselves with the people around you. And while there may be individuals who don’t understand or even accept you, it’s important to keep giving back. It’s important to produce that energy that makes life worth living.”

Work by Olmeda imagines a Metroid Experience at a Nintendo-themed amuseument park.