Ashley Anousaya
As a designer, I am drawn to designing for empathy. I feel that a lot of my inspiration comes from the people around me. Their experiences, their thoughts, and more which helps contribute to the research portion of design that I love so much. I am a huge fan of color and seeing how a system comes to life among many platforms in branding. Outside of design you can find me singing along to music, hanging out with friends, and scrapbooking parts of my life. My biggest takeaway from my time in the VCD program and Jefferson overall is that everything you do is what you make of it. I really pushed myself to be more social and confident throughout my time here and I feel like now I just am. I have had the most amazing people along my side on this journey and wouldn't have it any other way.
Samantha Barkholz
I discovered graphic design and photography in high school, and it's been a wild ride since. My favorite part of design is when everything starts to fit together like a puzzle with my different design elements and choices. We've learned to be visual storytellers, and I've enjoyed every moment. In addition to design school, I also survived being a student-athlete playing soccer all 4 years. My main love, however, is dogs-which won't come as a surprise to anyone. So if you have a really cute dog, or any other questions, never be shy to reach out! My advice is to use our resources whether the physical things or people connected to our school!
Matthew Bayer
I first started design in high school in a web design and interactive media class. My experience grew from web design into other fields, including graphic design, information design, and video and animation. My favorite part of design is being able to be so diverse, from restaurant branding to sports publication. Another creative passion of mine is photography, whether it's shooting my projects for portfolio or just to have fun. Outside of the creative field, I passionately enjoy supporting the Phillies and 76ers.
Jordan Bethea
I have always had an imaginative and creative mind since I was a kid. Originally set to become a nurse, my plans quickly changed my sophomore year of college and a lot of life circumstances made me realize I was always meant to be in a creative field. As a designer, I love exploring niches, but I have fallen deeply in love with branding and UX/UI design. My goal is to level up to a Creative Director title someday. Advice for designers: it’s okay to get burnt out, to change your mind, and to feel unmotivated and lost; the inspiration comes back and you’ll always find your way back home. Keep creating! Outside of designing, I love all things gaming, camping, horseback riding, and cats.
LinkedIn
Kayla Angelique Brown
Hey y'all! As a Graphic Designer, I thrive on bringing ideas to life. Something that us designers have the ability to do is truly build something from the ground up. Typically starting with just a simple sketch we are able to expand concepts, solve solutions, and change the world. It's important to explore as much as you can through design, test new concepts, challenge your designs and always keep designing. Early in my college career I definitely found myself struggling to be creative, however it's important to remember that creativity is everywhere. I love diving into old design textbook for inspiration and tend to take a very old school design process and I think its important to acknowledge the founders of our field and pay tribute to them.
Senior Quote: "If you can't blow them away with your brilliance, baffle them with your B.S."
MJ Carafa
Hey y'all! As a Graphic Designer, I thrive on bringing ideas to life. Something that us designers have the ability to do is truly build something from the ground up. Typically starting with just a simple sketch we are able to expand concepts, solve solutions, and change the world. It's important to explore as much as you can through design, test new concepts, challenge your designs and always keep designing. Early in my college career I definitely found myself struggling to be creative, however it's important to remember that creativity is everywhere. I love diving into old design textbook for inspiration and tend to take a very old school design process and I think its important to acknowledge the founders of our field and pay tribute to them.
Senior Quote: "If you can't blow them away with your brilliance, baffle them with your B.S."
Daymond Chan-Green
It wasn't until I got to college, where I learned what graphic design was and from that moment as a freshmen in college, I am so glad I made the decision to stick with graphic design. From a young age I have always enjoyed anime, sports, superheroes, video games, and being in the graphic design program allowed me to combine those passions with my new passion, design, to create these amazing projects. I am really glad to have had the amazing teachers and friends help support me along the way because without them, my college experience probably wouldn't have been great. My advice for the next senior class, trust in yourself and never give up. As long as you are willing to put in the work and be curious to learn, you'll be just fine!
Maura Fallon
Hey, I'm Maura! I'm very passionate about branding and illustrating, I'm all about crafting captivating designs that leave an impression. Beyond the design world, you'll often find me playing guitar or sketching away in my notebook. Music and drawing are my escapes, fueling my creativity in unique ways. As for my goals, I thrive on embracing curiosity! I'm always eager to explore new techniques and mediums
Danny Gentner
Ever since I was a kid, I envisioned myself as a creator. Whether that has been through art, music, or most importantly, graphic design. Here at Jefferson, I have specifically fallen in love with branding and information design, and the different ways we can make information understandable for larger audiences. Whenever I’m not designing, I’m usually in the gym, hiking, or out and about trying new foods.
My one piece of advice to incoming students is that imposter syndrome is always going to be real no matter what, so the best thing you can do is always trust yourself and your intuition.
Diana Guerrero
I've always had a thing for creative stuff. Graphic Design came along and opened up a whole new world of opportunities for me. Right now, I'm really into branding, packaging, and UX/UI design. When I'm not doing that, you'll catch me at the gym, hanging out with friends, or going on hikes.
Emma Maddaluna
As a designer color has always been a major factor in my work. Color has become a way of self expression and used in many eye catching designs. Through my designs I love to include colors and illustrations to help make an impact. I have always found ways to express myself creatively, which brought me into the world of graphic design. And through that I found a passion for illustration and photography. Outside of design, I enjoy painting, listening to music, traveling and going to concerts.
Some advice I have is to experiment. School has so many opportunities to try new things and there is a chance you won’t have as much available once you graduate. Try new techniques and new tools, it can make for interesting designs and possible new interests.
Nicole Mambuscay
My journey to being a graphic designer has been long yet very fulfilling. As a child, I always had a passion for creatively expressing myself through color. Color has the power to tell a whole story and more. Transitioning from my doodles to my paintings and now my graphic design work, I have grown to learn how to utilize color as a true form of meaning and expression. I believe my deep passion for color experimentation has grown from my cultural roots, and I will continue to embrace it for the rest of my life. You could say I am a true creative and visionary outside of design. I love to learn and develop new skills, so anything you can think of, I probably know how to do it or have tried. I have a goal to travel the world and become well-versed in many cultures, languages, and practices.
Advice I would give to younger designers is to always remain true to yourself and who you are as a designer. The strongest designers have created an identity and design style that originated from their own likes and identities. Also, always be open to criticism, as there is always room for improvement. You must be receptive and reflective to improve your abilities and skills, but always take advice with a grain of salt. Never lose who YOU are in order to please someone else, and that goes beyond design.
Alex Pessolano
As a designer with aphantasia I have always found myself overthinking the details of a project from the very start. Everything I design always has to have a reason for why it looks the way it does or does what it does. Outside of design, I can usually be found hanging out with friends, playing video games, or spending time outside, but I have also recently found a love for making music. My goals after school are to hopefully get a job in brand design or packaging design as well as travel as much as I can.
Aidan Roe
Throughout high school, I took all of the art classes that were offered and stumbled into the idea of graphic design as a potential career field. Over the past few years, I have discovered a love for typography and publication design. Beyond design, my interests include film photography, sketching, watching arthouse films, reading non-fiction and science-fiction books, and listening to 90s indie and alternative music. My advice: utilize your resources and be open to critique!!
Erika Sheehan
Ever since I was little I have always loved art. From art class, to crafting at home, to studio art lessons, I was continually creating something. It wasn’t until high school that I was introduced to a digital design class where I found my love for graphic design. Graphic design kept art in my life, where I knew it needed to stay. I’ve always wanted my career to be in the arts and now that dream is a reality. Whether it is branding, user experience, or illustration, I strive to push myself to new heights and am always open to trying new things.
Autumn Small
My journey as a designer started accidentally but I wouldn't change it for the world. Initially, I planned on majoring in computer science but when I decided to attend Jefferson that had to change. In high school I always played around with cool graphics and ways to manipulate images so it was natural for me to go into graphic design but I had no idea what I was up against. I’ve always been a creative, from hand making birthday cards to eventually doing makeup and becoming a graphic designer. Outside of design I love makeup, I love trying new things and just being adventurous. Being a perfectionist can be tough because I’m so particular about everything when it comes to my designs but I’ve learned to accept that as my superpower. My advice to all designers and future students is to have fun, enjoy the process, enjoy life, enjoy it all. I think we often look over the small moments and don’t appreciate the journey enough, just enjoy the ride and everything will fall into place eventually.
Sienna Viera
I love being able to create and bring creative visions to life. I've always been into art of all forms, mainly music and visual design. In high school I started working with graphic design and ever since it's been something I've enjoyed, and it's turned into a passion. I enjoy illustration and branding, and have enjoyed being able to create pieces that have so much background behind them. Outside of the studio, I enjoy beach trips, spending time with loved ones, and travel.
