Alum Spotlight
Why did you select art as your major?
I selected architecture initially going into college but quickly switched to graphic design as I found it was more fulfilling to me and had no constraints on my creative outlook on everything.
What are some significant/favorite memories from your time at UM?
Some of my favorite memories were going around the Square as well as completing my thesis and spending endless hours in the Department of Art and Art History until around 12am sometimes. I remember falling asleep in the design lab a couple times due to the amount of time I was spending on my thesis. I also loved working in the dark room for photography students.
Please describe your career trajectory since graduation from UM.
After graduation from UM, I worked at Singing River Health System on the Southern coast of Mississippi. In that position, I designed everything from bus wraps to business cards to online digital ads.
I have completed numerous courses to further my knowledge from self-education sites and have even done a couple freelance projects too. One of my projects ended up making its way to CES in Las Vegas where hundreds if not thousands of people saw the designs, which I am particularly proud of. I also studied 3D design to improve upon that design skillset.
What is the value of studying art in today's world?
Studying art is an essential because it gives us a way to tug at peoples' heartstrings and emotions. Through art we can appeal to any emotion and we can convey any message. We take the mundane and make it palatable. I have always been a candidate for art being a teachable subject. I think it also opens doors into understanding different aspects of other cultures as well which is especially needed in today's political climate.