Winners of Ninth Annual Stellantis Drive for Design Contest Announced

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., May 20, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --

• Vincent Piaskowski, a former second- and third-place winner, takes this year's top honor
• Competition educates and encourages students to pursue careers in automotive design

Their challenge was to design an electrified Jeep® vehicle of the future within a 10-week timeframe. Entries from across the country were compiled, reviewed and judged by members of the Stellantis North America design team. 

"What's exciting about this competition now is that we're seeing previous students enter, but with notable improvements from the previous years," said Mark Trostle, Head of Ram Truck and Mopar Exterior Design for Stellantis. "Students are digging deep and focusing their attention not only on the details, but the thought process of automotive design. It's encouraging and exciting to see young artists take this competition seriously."

Trostle knows firsthand what it's like to be given an opportunity to excel in this field. In 2013, he introduced Drive for Design, which is based on a contest he won as a high school student. He credits that experience as something that led him to his current profession, heading the design efforts for some of the most desired vehicles on the road. Today, he passes the torch to three promising automotive designers.

The three student winners of the 2021 Drive for Design competition are:

• First place – Vincent Piaskowski, 12th grade, Michigan
• Second place – Rocco Morales, 10th grade, Michigan
• Third place – Alex Wang, 12th grade, California

First place winner Vincent Piaskowski is a returning contestant. He placed second in 2020 and finished third in the 2019 competition. 

"Since the contest began, we've been able to help young artists establish a career path in automotive design," said Trostle. "We've employed previous contestants as summer interns and today one of our former winners is working in the Ram Truck interior design studio. It's rewarding to our team to be able make an impact on someone's career."

This year's prizes include one-on-one mentoring time with leading designers at the Stellantis Design Studios, a scholarship to attend College for Creative Studies virtual summer design program and more. For detailed information, visit www.StellantisDriveforDesign.com.

Drive for Design
Launched in 2013, the Product Design Office created its Drive for Design contest as an innovative way to educate young artists about careers in automotive design. Starting locally in Detroit, Drive for Design has grown into a national contest that awards talented students with prizes and unique opportunities to further develop their design skills.

CCS
The College for Creative Studies (CCS), located in the heart of Detroit, educates artists and designers to be leaders in the creative professions. A private, fully accredited college, CCS enrolls more than 1,400 students pursuing Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) and Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degrees. Students in the BFA program can major in Advertising Design, Art Practice (Fine Arts), Communication Design, Craft & Material Studies, Entertainment Arts, Fashion Accessories Design, Illustration, Interior Design, Photography, Product Design, and Transportation Design, in addition to a dual major art education program. Students in the MFA program can major in Color and Materials Design, Interaction Design, Systems Design Thinking, and Transportation Design. The College also offers non-credit courses in the visual arts through its Continuing and Precollege Studies programs and opportunities for youth through its Community Arts Partnerships programs.

Stellantis
Stellantis (NYSE: STLA) is one of the world's leading automakers and a mobility provider, guided by a clear vision to offer freedom of movement with distinctive, affordable and reliable mobility solutions. In addition to the Group's rich heritage and broad geographic presence, its greatest strengths lie in its sustainable performance, depth of experience and the wide-ranging talents of employees working around the globe. Stellantis will leverage its broad and iconic brand portfolio, which was founded by visionaries who infused the brands with passion and a competitive spirit that speaks to employees and customers alike. Stellantis aspires to become the greatest, not the biggest, while creating added value for all stakeholders, as well as the communities in which it operates. 

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SOURCE Stellantis