MGCCC Harrison County Campus sophomore Uyen My Nguyen of Biloxi won three awards in the 33rd annual Student Art Exhibition and Competition of the Mississippi Community College Art Instructors Association (MCCAIA).

The statewide exhibition, hosted by the MGCCC Jackson County Campus in Gautier, features nearly 200 student works from 13 different Mississippi community college campuses. 

This year’s competition was judged by New Orleans-based artists and educators Sarah House and Phil Sandusky. 

Nguyen won first place in the Drawing category with her pencil piece titled “White and Dark Objects.” Her two additional entries in the 2-D Design category, “Seventy Textures” (pen) and “Color Vs. Black and White” (acrylic). were awarded Honorable Mentions.  

Nguyen , 20, was born in Vietnam and has been in the U.S. for almost seven years. 

Art has been her passion since she was a child, but she says she did not have the opportunity to pursue it seriously until she came to the states.  

“My dream is to become an anime/game characters creator and visual effects artist,” she said. “I enjoy drawing portraits and animated figures, but now I’m trying to explore more different and creative art skills.”  

She plans to attend a university to pursue a degree in visual development and become an animator for an entertainment company. 

“She is an excellent student and amazing artist, well versed in all artistic mediums,” said Cecily Cummings, MGCCC art instructor. “Her classmates and I enjoy seeing every piece she creates, and we are very proud of her.”  

The MCCAIA student art show is open to the public at the MGCCC Jackson County Campus Fine Arts Gallery through March 26. Gallery hours are 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., Monday-Friday. For more information, contact Marc Poole, gallery director, at marc.poole@mgccc.edu.