The food marketing department is accepting submissions from all students now through March 31 for their T-shirt design contest in hopes of finding a design for a new t-shirt for its food marketing program.

Joseph Bivona, executive director of the Academy of Food Marketing, said he created the contest to give students a chance to get involved in the program, and to spread awareness about food marketing.

“We wanted to make it different and special, and we wanted it to come from the students,” Bivona said. “We wanted them to have some skin in the game.” 

Bivona said he hoped this contest would get people to start conversations about what food marketing is and also realize that it is more than just food. 

“The skills that we teach students are transferable to any type of position, any type of career, any type of product,” said Bivona. 

About 15 students have submitted designs for the contest so far according to Adiah McKnight, food marketing program recruiter and organizer of the contest. 

McKnight said the designs do not necessarily need to focus around food.

“We really want people to know that food marketing is marketing,” McKnight said. “In fact, 31% of our food marketing majors actually end up finding full time positions within non-food sectors.” 

Anna DiRienzo ’23, a food marketing major who submitted a design to the contest, said this contest provides an opportunity to incorporate student perspectives into the program.

“It helps you be creative and try to give a new perspective being a younger student rather than a faculty member that comes up with an idea,” DiRienzo said. “So it provides a different perspective as well.”

Catherina Mollitor ’25, a business administration major, said she is now interested in food marketing after submitting a design.

“I’m in the business school, and I just noticed the email and thought it was a fun way to get more involved,” Mollitor said. “And then I actually am now looking at food marketing after doing that.” 

The only rules are that the T-shirt must say “SJU Food Marketing” in the design, and it must be original work. The winner of the contest will receive a $250 gift card, and their design will be featured on the back of the food marketing T-shirt in spring 2023.

Bivona said the department is looking for a T-shirt design that is unique and sparks bigger conversation.

The design should be “fun, cool, a little bit edgy, different, innovative, creative,” Bivona said. “So it has more or less a bigger meaning than just here in food marketing.”