What kind of work are you doing now? I’m a graphic designer at Bates Creative Group in Silver Spring, Maryland. Since we are a full-service design firm, I get to work on tons of different projects like branding, identity, magazines, reports, and interactive design. I’ve designed a lot of logos and I’m in charge of a monthly magazine.
What is the best thing about being a designer? The best thing about being a designer is that there is a different problem to solve every day. I don’t dread getting up in the morning I look forward to it! Knowing that there is a challenge waiting for me when I get in is a thrill. I really like the people I work with, and our office space rocks.
How did the graphic design program at SU prepare you for the real world? As a designer, you have to be able to work on lots of different kinds of projects. You can’t just focus on Web sites or magazines, the industry just doesn’t work that way. SU taught me how to think on my feet and design anything. I also really appreciate that SU is a liberal arts school. The variety of classes and subjects I had to take made me more versatile, and a better designer.
What are your best memories about being in the graphic design program at SU? I would say that the best thing is the attention you receive from the professors and other students. Everyone really cares about you. I got my job before I even graduated, and since I was unfamiliar with the DC area, my professor drove me 3 hours to the interview!
What advice do you have for a student trying to select a college design program? That’s a tough question for me since I went to school to play football and wasn’t thinking about design back then. Still, I feel incredibly lucky that I ended up in the design program at SU. I can’t imagine having going to a different school.
