InterDesign designs and manufactures housewares products. I am responsible for a few of the major tasks associated with our graphics department. I design the layout for our three yearly catalogs. I manage our in-house photography studio and I’m in charge of any color correcting/Photoshop work needed on our images.
One-On-One Learning
I chose Mount Union because I liked the idea of having smaller class sizes, which would allow a more one-on-one learning experience. It was also a bonus that the campus was relatively close to home!
Tight-Knit Community
One thing that I think makes Mount Union stand out from other colleges is how tight-knit the community is. Everywhere you turn, you find someone you know, whether it’s students or faculty. Everyone is extremely helpful, kind and always willing to lend a hand for the betterment of the college as a whole.
Engaging Professors
My favorite professor was Joel Collins. He taught many of my art courses and it was always a joy to work with him. He had a way of teaching that made you want to come to class and engage in the discussion and work. I learned many valuable skills from him that I still use today!
Entering the Profession
After college, my first professional job was doing graphic design for a company that designed holiday decorations. It was like working in Santa’s Village every day of the week! Because the job wasn’t full-time, I filled in the rest of my day with work in their warehouse. Even though it wasn’t the job I was expecting, I realize now how fortunate I was to get the real-world experience of working in an office environment.
Working as a Team
Along with the technical skills I acquired at Mount Union, my time there also prepared me for working in a team. In the field of graphic design (unless you do freelance work), you will always be working in a team environment. Because of Mount Union’s smaller class sizes, I was able to gain experience with critique, time management and conflict-resolution – all skills you need to be familiar with in the real world.
Staying Connected
My four years at Mount Union were filled with some of my most memorable moments and I still keep in touch with many of the friends I made during that time. Social media is the best way to keep in touch with college friends. Because the friends you make are from different areas of the state/country/world, it’s easy to feel a distance after graduation. But with the help of Facebook, Instagram and others, it’s easy to stay connected. I’m very thankful for that!
Value and Respect
The Mount Union name is well known and well respected. To have it on my resume is something I greatly value. When people see the name, they know you received a top-notch education and they know that your work will reflect that.
Responsibility
The thing I like best about my current job is the fact that the catalogs I create are seen by thousands of people each year. It’s nice to know that the company trusts my work enough to give me that responsibility.