Sam Ballis | Minneapolis College of Art and Design

Sam Ballis

Image
"Personal Data Infographic" by Sam Ballis.

Alumni
’21

Degree
Areas of Study
Entrepreneurial Studies
Current Career
Office and Administrative Specialist
Location
St. Paul, Minnesota

ENTREPRENEURIAL STUDIES MERIT SCHOLARSHIP, $2,000

Describe the work you submitted for merits.

I submitted four pieces. The first was a piece from my Infographics class that focused on tracking my own personal data over the course of a week. My next individual piece was a project from my Futures class that was an imagining of a water collection system for domestic homes that captured and filtered rain water for human use, in a future where we have overused our current water sources and need new, reliable ways of getting clean water.

My next two pieces were group client projects. One piece was a client project for Metro Blooms, who needed us to come up with a strategy for communicating with a younger, more diverse audience about their Lawns to Legumes program. My last piece was for the client Renewing the Countryside, where my group was in charge of creating posters and interactive pieces for their State Fair exhibit, around the theme of food waste and "ugly food."

Why did you decide to come to MCAD?

I came to MCAD because of the entrepreneurial studies program. I wanted to learn how to manage myself as an independent artist and how to combine my work in film with managing a small business.

What are your plans for your senior year? And beyond?

I want to serve sustainability-driven organizations by helping them better communicate their mission to their audiences.

Favorite thing about college life (so far)?

I can eat during class.

What's the best thing you've got from MCAD's free shelf?

I think I got a really old hard drive once.

What inspires you?

Bugs.

Anything you're obsessed with at the moment?

Being at home all the time, I'm spending a lot of time backyard bird watching and gardening.