Second Annual Frosty Awards Show Showcases FSU Students’ Art and Creativity

Dozens of Frostburg State students had their creative talents showcased at the second annual Frosty Awards, held on May 7 in the Gira Center by the Creative Communications Club (CCC).

Around 80 FSU students were involved with the preparation of the production of the show, which entailed event planning, marketing, video production, audio production, and script writing.

Students had been planning the award show since last semester.

Katie McCartney, CCC’s Vice President, said she felt like she hadn’t left the Gira Center in days.

“We’ve been planning this since last semester but it’s really come together in the past 2-3 weeks,” she said. Students had been holding 4-5 hour rehearsals multiple days a week for the past couple weeks.

A member of the submission committee, McCartney added that “the projects are great. Our finalists and nominees do outstanding work.”

“We’re really proud of our students,” she said.

Awards were given in the following categories:

• Poster/Flyer Design: Megan Coleman
• Graphic Design: Dione Marshall
• Civil Citizen Communicator: Trevor Jones
• Promotional Photography: Katie McCartney
• Promotional Video: Nate Hutchings
• Best Video Broadcast: Emily Taylor
• Best Original Audio Composition: Isaiah Sutton
• Best Audio Recording: Derrick Lee
• “Comm Mom” award: Connie Capacchione, the department’s administrative assistant.
• Best Music Video: Sofia Petros
• Best Short Film: Samantha Politis and Abbey Rigney

Guests walked into the event on a red carpet, where they were greeted by the “paparazzi.”

Interim President Thomas Bowling was in attendance at the award show for the second year.

“I’m looking forward to seeing our students’ creativity,” Bowling said before the show began, adding that he was impressed after last year’s show.

“We have such an outstanding facility for mass comm and it’s great that we have the ability to showcase our talents,” he said.

Dr. Joseph Hoffman, Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, also attended the show for the second year.

“It does show the enormous creativity of not just the students but also the faculty,” he said. “Annie Danzi has done a terrific job with this.”

The award show began with the production team waiting for the host, Nate Hutchings, to get to the stage. After a moment, a satirical short film played, showing Hutchings being mauled in the woods by the Bobcat mascot, a reference to “The Revenant.”

“I’m excited about tonight’s show,” Hutchings said after the short film finished. “Leading up to tonight’s show, we’ve done everything we can to make sure everything was bigger, better, and more-expensive-looking than last year.”

“Tonight’s show is going to be even bigger, even better, and even frostier than last year,” he said, adding that if he learned anything from last year’s show, “it’s that Frostburg students are awesome at award shows.”

Throughout the show, Hutchings bantered back and forth with the announcer, Bobby Brusberg, to the delight of the audience.

At one point in the show, Brusberg told Hutchings that he was now being opposed as the show’s host, after “Donald Trump” arrived. Brusberg said the two should debate over the right to host the show.

“We’re going to make the Frosty’s great again,” said “Trump.”

After a bird landed in Hutchings’s hands during their debate, it was decided that he would continue as host.

The show also featured live performances from musicians, a rapper, and a dancer from the student body.

Sights, Flights, and Lights, a pop band comprised of students, performed twice during the event. They also performed the previous week at FSU’s Relay for Life.

“It’s pretty cool, and we’re excited to be a part of it,” said Alex Kooker, who plays trumpet and performs back up vocals.

David Amaya, lead vocalist and guitarist, said he was excited to “get out there and play good music for the audience.”

“We’re going to have a good time,” he said. “It’s going to be great.”

Derrick Lee, another student, rapped his song “Can’t Stop Me Now” under the stagename Mike Oh My. Later, Darion White danced for the audience.

Annie Danzi, an assistant professor in the mass communications department and CCC’s advisor, said that she thought the award show was a success.

“I think it went really well,” she said. “Everyone came together and worked really well together.”

“The show got better and bigger,” she said, comparing this year’s show to last year. “Once they did one, their dreams for what they could do just grew.”