The fantasy worlds and characters depicted in films such as Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings and Batman have captivated Ryan Hsiang since he was a little boy growing up in Shanghai, China. As he got older, he grew more interested in uncovering the deeper meanings of these tales and how they relate to real life. Enrolling in Academy of Art University’s School of Jewelry & Metal Arts (JEM) provided him with the means to create wearable art, sculpture and other pieces that reflect his passion for connecting fantasy and reality.

On the evening of April 12, a group of Academy of Art University faculty, students and guests gathered among the gleaming vintage cars at the school’s automobile museum. They were there for an awards ceremony to announce the winner of a design competition for a $10,000 Edwin T. Meyer Scholarship. The five finalists included School of Industrial Design (IND) automotive students Max Benon, Kevin Chen, Mitchell Galik, Joshua Reese and Arindra Singh. It was the fourth year in a row that IND students participated in the competition. The scholarships are made possible thanks to a charitable trust established in memory of hot rod pioneer Edwin T. (Bud) Meyer by his long-time attorney and trustee, Mark Eskander. 

In his more than two decades in advertising, Academy of Art University alumnus and instructor Terry Jones has built a portfolio of high-profile clients Mad Men’s Don Draper would envy. Just a few examples include GMC Trucks, Buick and Cadillac, Bank of America, Hewlett-Packard, the Walt Disney Corporation, California Lottery, AARP and General Mills. But Jones claims he wasn’t set on a career in advertising when he enrolled at the Academy. The award-winning creative director half-jokes that advertising chose him.