The past year I have spent at UC, specifically in the honors program, has been invaluable to my growth as a designer, student, and person. I started my year very unsure of myself, and where I was going. I had picked a field with a wide variety of careers and opportunities, but I was overwhelmed with the different directions I could take. However, in the last two semesters, I have made great progress in finding what I am passionate about and where I would like to go after graduation. 

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 Prior to my admittance, I had a very limited view of what graphic design could be. I mostly viewed graphic design through the lens of UI/UX due to my experience in graphic design being limited to the Girls Who Code program. While both areas are important parts of the field, they are one of many opportunities to use graphic design. My classes at UC have shown me the vast potential for graphic design and what it can be used for. For example, I found a great interest in educational graphic design after taking Typography I & II classes. My Typography classes introduced me to the psychology behind the use of text and legible form and the importance of these fundamentals
when it comes to communicating instructions or ideas, which I found
incredibly fascinating. I have found that one of my favorite aspects of being
a communication design student is learning how to manipulate letterforms
to increase legibility and understanding, which is a primary factor
in effective education.  
 
I further developed my love of educational graphic design through the Cincinnati Art and Architecture Honors Seminar, where we would take weekly trips to art museums, historical villages, and galleries integral to Cincinnati’s rich art culture. I found myself constantly reading the informational signs and booklets available at each site, and I found it fascinating how they would transform information taken from lengthy essays and historical journals into something more easily understandable. My time spent in these classes has greatly influenced my future academic and professional plans, as I hope to pursue a co-op in environmental or educational design and be able to use my work to help promote learning in a positive manner.  

 

I have also grown personally through my involvement in the UHP. In the fall semester, I was accepted into the UHP ambassadors, which is a collection of students that help create community in the Honors program and share experiences with the program with prospective students and Honors applicants. In high school, I didn’t have time for clubs due to extenuating circumstances in my home life, so I didn’t have much experience in leadership roles or public speaking. However, the community within the UHP ambassadors were very understanding and were very supportive of my journey in learning about public speaking and presentation. Having a supportive mentor and community throughout this process made me much more confident in my skills, which led me to try new opportunities that I previously never would have tried.  
 

As I continue into the next academic year, I’m excited to use what I have learned from my classes and extracurricular to improve my portfolio and assist in my search for a co-op. I plan to continue exploring my love of educational design by applying to the relevant co-ops, and by building my own technical skills by getting certified in Adobe programs like Photoshop and Illustrator.
This academic year has been such a fantastic opportunity to learn and
grow as both a student and a designer, and I’m so excited to see what
I can learn from next!