(openPR) - On Saturday, May 2, The Art Institute of California – Orange County announced the recipients of over $750,000 in tuition scholarships to kick off Rock the Runway, a fashion, music and art festival. Eighty-four students received scholarships that ranged in value from $500 up to $46,000.

“The scholarship competition is held every year but it has never been more important for students than during this difficult economic climate,” said Daniel Levinson, president of The Art Institute of California – Orange County. “We received an overwhelming number of entries and are proud to be able to do our part to help students pursue their educational goals.”

Graduating high school seniors interested in pursuing a creative education competed for scholarships worth half the cost of tuition for one of the associate’s or bachelor’s degree programs offered at The Art Institute of California – Orange County. International students and contestants that had graduated high school before January 2009 were eligible for scholarships worth up to $10,000.

Requirements for the scholarships varied depending on the program the students were interested in pursuing, but all contestants were required to submit a resume, a letter of recommendation, a copy of their high school transcript and an essay describing their career goals.

“With over 16 different degree programs available, students can explore the creative field that interests them,” said Melinda Lester, Dean of Academic Affairs. “The application submission requirements provide a good example of the type of work students will be expected to complete once enrolled at The Art Institute of California – Orange County.”

The winners were announced during an awards ceremony that preceded the second annual fashion, music and art festival, Rock the Runway. Rock the Runway featured live performances by End Roulette, Metroid, DJ Nicky Savage and DJ Albert. Artists from eVocal customized hats and shoes for guests and painted a 20 foot mural, and students from the culinary department served gourmet hot dogs and mashed potato cocktails with exotic toppings.

The grand finale was a professionally-produced fashion show featuring looks from Miss Me, Elmer Ave, The Hive, Level 99 for men, Cohesive, shoes from Velvet Angels and PF Flyers and shades from Oakley. Seven Fashion Design students had original pieces in the show as part of the Rock Icon competition.

Rock the Runway sponsors donated several items for the online auction to help raise scholarship funds for Art Institute of California – Orange County students. Items from Miss Me, Oakley, Elmer Ave and more can be found at www.airocktherunway.com.

For more information on The Art Institute of California – Orange County, go to www.artinstitutes.edu/orangecounty or call 888.549.3055.

About The Art Institute of California -- Orange County
The Art Institute of California — Orange County is a design, media, fashion and culinary arts school providing bachelor's and/or associate's degree programs in Advertising, Baking & Pastry, Culinary Arts, Culinary Management, Digital Photography, Fashion Design, Fashion Marketing & Management, Game Art & Design, Graphic Design, Industrial Design, Interior Design, Media Arts & Animation, Visual Effects & Motion Graphics, Visual & Game Programming and Web Design & Interactive Media. Located in the heart of Orange County's South Coast Metro region, The Art Institute of California — Orange County is ideally situated in close proximity to Orange County's thriving business community, cultural attractions, shopping, entertainment and its famous beaches. The Art Institute of California — Orange County is one of The Art Institutes (www.artinstitutes.edu), a system of over 40 education institutions located throughout North America, providing an important source of design, media arts, fashion and culinary arts professionals.

Media Contacts
Tricia Cook, 714.338.1303 or tacook@aii.edu
Veronica Orozco, 714.830.0221 or vorozco@aii.edu

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