Riverside City College Students Earn Top Honors at ADDY Awards, Showcasing Creative Excellence

Apr 09, 2026
Students at the Addy awards

Riverside City College (RCC) is celebrating an exceptional achievement as 7 students across 20 categories earned recognition at the prestigious ADDY Awards, highlighting the college’s strength in design, advertising, and visual communication.

RCC students competed across multiple categories, earning Gold, Silver, and Finalist honors for their innovative and impactful work. Leading the cohort was Qiuping Gao, who received a Gold ADDY Award in the Integrated Advertising Campaign category, along with multiple additional recognitions. Dolores Ontiveros also stood out with several Silver awards, while students including Luis Hernandez, Fritzi Santiago, Vanessa Salomon, Ana Rodriguez, and Angelo Curiel contributed to RCC’s impressive showing across disciplines.

“These awards reflect the strength of our programs and our commitment to student success through hands-on, industry-driven learning. We are incredibly proud of our students for representing Riverside City College with excellence on such a competitive stage,” explained Shari Yates, Ed.D., Dean, Instruction Career and Technical Education​.

“Our students are pushing creative boundaries and producing work that reflects both technical skill and strong conceptual thinking. Seeing them recognized at this level affirms the talent we see in our classrooms every day,” further explained Sunny Siu, M.F.A., Associate Professor, Applied Digital Media.

Patrick C. Scullin, M.F.A., Professor of Applied Digital Media and Printing, added, “Our students continue to demonstrate what is possible when creativity meets discipline and real-world application. These awards reflect both their hard work and RCC’s commitment to providing hands-on, career-focused learning experiences that prepare students for success in the creative industries.”

The ADDY Awards, hosted by the American Advertising Federation, are among the largest and most competitive creative competitions in the industry, recognizing excellence in advertising and design.

RCC Students Awarded: 

  • Vanessa Salomon 
  • Dolores Ontiveros 
  • Qiuping Gao
  • Luis Hernandez
  • Fritzi Santiago
  • Ana Rodriguez
  • Angelo Curiel

Award Highlights Include:

  • Brochure Category
  • Vanessa Salomon – Finalist
  • Cover Design Category
  • Dolores Ontiveros – Silver
  • Qiuping Gao – Finalist
  • Integrated Advertising Campaign
  • Qiuping Gao – Gold
  • Luis Hernandez – Finalist
  • Integrated Brand Identity Campaign
  • Qiuping Gao – Finalist
  • Illustration Category
  • Luis Hernandez – Finalist
  • Poster Category
  • Luiz Hernandez – Silver
  • Dolores Ontiveros – Finalist
  • Magazine Advertising Category
  • Dolores Ontiveros – Finalist
  • Mass Transit Category
  • Dolores Ontiveros – Silver
  • Outdoor Board Category
  • Dolores Ontiveros – Finalist
  • Social Media Category
  • Dolores Ontiveros – Finalist
  • Magazine Design Category
  • Qiuping Gao – Silver
  • Fritzi Santiago – Silver
  • Luis Hernandez – Finalist
  • Packaging Category
  • Ana Rodriguez – Finalist
  • Qiuping Gao – Finalist
  • Angelo Curiel – Finalist
  • Animation/Special Effects Category
  • Dolores Ontiveros – Silver

These achievements underscore RCC’s commitment to providing students with industry-relevant experiences that prepare them for careers in design, media, and advertising. Through mentorship, collaboration, and hands-on learning, RCC continues to cultivate the next generation of creative professionals.

For more information about Riverside City College’s Applied Digital Media program, visit www.rcc.edu.