CRI Sponsors Cal Poly Students

FAIRFIELD, OH—Five students from the Graphic Communication Department of California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) will test their problem solving skills in this year’s Phoenix Challenge College Competition. Color Resolutions International (CRI) stepped in to help them address their first challenge—the funding to get there. CRI donated $1,000 to help five Cal Poly flexography students make the trip to San Antonio to attend the FFTA Forum and Info*Flex Exhibition, March 17 - 20, where they will compete in the 5th annual college competition.

Students square off in the problem-based contest, applying various resources and seeking the most effective business solution. In this year’s competition, the Phoenix Challenge (PC) Collegiate Food Corporation is requesting proposals for custom branding of narrow-web, flexo-printed labels and/or packaging to be used for snack food items to be sold in collegiate school convenience stores. The students—playing the role of narrow-web flexo converters—will propose labels and packaging options for products typically found in campus convenience stores. The students must develop a minimum of two and a maximum of four label and/or packaging items and are limited to four stations with only spot colors.

“The FFTA Forum and Phoenix Challenge College Competition are perfect outlets to develop the skills of the emerging talent pool entering the industry,” said George Sickinger, CEO of Color Resolutions. “CRI is proud to sponsor this endeavor and hope that we can continue to help these and other students as they transition into professional careers.”

This year’s Cal Poly team consists of Chris Hernandez, Kendra Jaqua, Audrey Van Camp, Eli McNutt, and Kaela SooHoo.

“We’d like to thank CRI for their commitment to helping students explore the exciting opportunities available within the flexographic printing industry,” said Malcolm Keif, professor of graphic communication at Cal Poly. “Especially in a down economy, it’s nice to know there are still companies that value and support educating our youth. CRI has done great things for the university, its students and the industry as a whole.”