Image Alumni ’14 Education BFA in Web and Multimedia Environments Current Career Designer at FRWD @ Bain & Company Location Minneapolis, Minnesota Where are you originally from and how did you hear about MCAD? I'm from northern Minnesota about four hours away from MCAD. Because my mom is an art teacher, I heard about MCAD through her. What was your major and how did you choose it? Web and multimedia environments. I had a hard time choosing my major and ended up choosing web and multimedia because I felt like it had the most opportunity for me to learn from a wide variety of disciplines while still giving me practical skills to get a job after college. Describe your internship. My internship at FRWD was the best way for me to learn how to apply all the stuff that I had learned already, but it also felt like I was gathering a lot more practical and social skills working in an agency than I did in classes. Internships are important, and I wish I had done more of them in school. Your biggest takeaway from MCAD? MCAD taught me a lot about how to speak about my art and my practice in a way that's thoughtful and introspective but it also taught me how to balance making art for a client and making art for me. Who was your favorite teacher and why? Dave Novak. He taught some great classes and I learned a ton from him, but the real reason he was my favorite is because of his snarky personality and that he smelled like cigarettes all the time. On a more serious note, Stevie Rexroth provided a lot of the guidance I needed as a senior and was there for me when I was struggling. What advice do you have for current MCAD students? Try not to focus too much on what your classmates are making; try to focus on what you want to make. Taking inspiration is one thing but if you don't enjoy what you're doing then it's probably not worth doing. Also, don't overwork yourself. Your health is way more important. Where do you live now? Minneapolis. How do you feel about the Twin Cities? Good food, good people, and good lakes. Bad winters. Describe what you do for work and how you feel about it. I'm a graphic designer on a small creative team, taking on whatever projects come our way. I've done a wide variety of creative work, including corporate animations, branding and style guides, printed materials, and web design. This work has helped me expand what I had learned in school and expand my confidence with design and animation. How did you get your job? I was a little late to complete my internship requirement and ended up putting it off until the last minute. I emailed a local agency and managed to convince them to give me an interview. My internship requirement extended past my graduation date, so in order to get my degree, I had to finish that up. At the end of the internship, I was offered a position, and I've been there ever since. How do you network yourself and your art? Social media and community art events. What inspires your work? I just want to tell stories. Current obsession? Wizards. Website Web Comic