Cleo Malone

What was your major and how did you choose it? Was it the right choice?

I ended up graduating with a degree in print paper book (my third major at MCAD). The hands-on, structured quality of the work related the most to yarn crafts (which I was already very familiar with). I feel it was the right choice because although it does not directly relate to the work I'm doing now, it was satisfying to learn new techniques, and how to use them to make something unique.

Who was your favorite teacher and why?

I had two favorites while at MCAD: Lynda Monick-Isenberg and Jody Williams (but so many others, too). Both of these women were so inspiring and encouraging. What I feel was most special about them was that they treated me as a friend, and not just a student. Both went out of their way to teach me things I was interested in that weren't necessarily part of the established curriculum and that meant a lot to me (and it's something I hope to give to my students as well).

Tell us about your internship.

I interned at a yarn company called Blue Sky Fibers in East Bethel, Minnesota. While not in line with my major at MCAD, it did, of course, teach me an extraordinary amount about the field I am in now. They were a fantastic company to work for and made sure I learned about each function of their company. They also gave me the unique opportunity to design knitwear for them, and were the connection I needed to get the job in New York I was hoping for.

Best thing you ever got/saw on the free shelf?

I once found about a hundred dollars worth of hand-dyed yarn! Also, a great little book called The Tao of Synchronicity.

Name your one biggest takeaway from MCAD?

It doesn't matter what you end up doing after school or whether it's in the field you studied. College teaches you more about how to work than what to make.

What advice do you have for current MCAD students?

Take the classes that interest you, not the ones you think will get you jobs. Being interested in a class means you're motivated, and having motivation is the easiest and best way to do good work, and good work is what gets you jobs.