chARTer 2022

ORRVILLE HIGH SCHOOL

Looking back on my years growing up in this part of Ohio, I carry a profound fondness for all the people and places that make it so uniquely special. I will forever owe a debt of gratitude to this entire community full of family, friends, teachers, and coaches who helped open so many doors of opportunity along the way. That said, it means the world to me that I can come back to Orrville today and start to repay that debt forward...

In 2013, my wife Mandy and I tragically lost our son Carter Aiden Winget at 38 weeks gestation and delivered him still-born. While our little boy never had the chance to live-out his calling here on this Earth, it is important to us that his legacy be celebrated and carried-on through positive initiatives like chARTer. Thanks to the generosity of many in the wake of our tragedy, the Carter Aiden Winget Memorial Foundation was developed with the mission of helping creative minded young adults like yourselves to uncover the exciting world of opportunity lying just ahead.

Seven months after chARTer’s successful launch in 2014, cofounder and my Father Morgan Winget Jr. succumbed to a massive heart attack while exercising at the Orrville YMCA. Only 67 at the time of his abrupt death, the void he left is one that can never be filled. Knowing how passionate my Dad was about chARTer and a host of educational initiatives he supported, we are putting on the program as a tribute to his loving and ever-lasting legacy as well.

Over the course of the day, you will have the opportunity to learn from, be inspired by, and interact with successful professionals from a broad range of creative fields who have taken time from their busy careers to be with you today. My hope is that you will take full advantage of this opportunity to garner insights from these pros who have already walked a mile down the same road which you are about to embark on. Be inquisitive, open your mind up to the possibilities, get inspired and most importantly, have fun...

WINGET CHARTER CO-FOUNDER

JUSTIN

DESIGN

IN MEMORIAM MORGAN G. WINGET 1947-2014

MEET THE PROS

Danielhas dedicated the last 20 years of his life to learning advertising and marketing. From brand development to marketing plan implementation, one of his greatest passions is storytelling that generates sales and builds consumer connections with brands.

Daniel started his career at 17 working at Record TV Network in Sao Paulo, Brazil as a daytime TV show Merchandising Producer. In 1998, he had the opportunity to spent two months covering the FIFA World Cup in Paris as part of the role.

In 2004, Daniel graduated from the Panamericana School of Art in Sao Paulo with his first degree in advertising design. At 21, he started his first advertising and outdoor media agency. He then became Art Director of Futura Advertising Agency where he oversaw accounts like Pirelli Tires, DHL, MetLife, and others.

In 2007, Daniel had his first experience with printed media by founding Brasilia’s first real estate publication with 10,000 monthly subscribers. The magazine ran for seven years with Daniel serving as both CEO and Chief Editor.

In 2012, Daniel joined Megafoto, a Brazilian startup where he was able to merge lifelong passions for photography, technology, and sports. While with Megafoto, Daniel covered notable events such as the 2014 World Cup, multiple Brazilian soccer championships, and the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. Megafoto eventually became Gigafans, an American based company created to extend live event experiences through web and mobile content platforms.

Constantly looking to recycle and reinvent, in 2015 Daniel moved to Florida and enrolled at Full Sail University where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Sports Marketing and Media. At Full Sail, Daniel attained an understanding of how marketing and content creation integrate into sports businesses operations.

In 2017, Daniel co-founded Futuro Mídia in Rio de Janeiro, an OOH media company with LED billboards scattered around Rio, live entertainment venues, and Maracana stadium.

In 2020, Daniel took a Marketing Consultant position for Level Consulting where he implemented business and marketing plans, developed brand identities, and created content marketing strategies.

Currently, Daniel works for the Detroit Pistons as a Graphic Designer where he creates content for web, social media, OOH, in-arena, and other marketing programs.

Tessa

is twenty-seven years old and lives in Atlanta, having moved from South Dakota, originally from Ohio, with infinitely more homes ahead of her. She loves a single malt highland scotch, beautiful light, inclusivity, justice, and punk rock. She’s never met a dog she didn’t like, and doesn’t believe in limits on the amount of pasta one should eat. Cooking is one of her favorite activities, she loves being outside, and people are her favorite subject.

Before Tessa left to do photography full-time, she studied photojournalism in college. The very first bullet point in the photojournalism code of ethics is to respect truth, however it presents itself and however it plays out. Isn’t that just beautiful? People should be the center of our work, always. Their stories, their journeys, their truth, their lives. Whether it be in elopement photography, freelance photojournalism or personal work, it is imperative that honesty be at the forefront of all her work.

Tessa works primarily in digital photography, and is moving to use more film in her daily carry. She is excited about bringing film into her work in the upcoming months.

Tessa is a high school graduate and a college course-taker, but not graduate. While appreciating her time at college, Tessa prefers the hands-on learning that being a full-time photographer has allowed her. She is proud to have completed The Center For Leave No Trace’s “Leave No Trace Aware Photographer” course last year to better understand and protect the lands that most of her work takes place on.

QUESTIONS FOR TESSA

Sophiagraduated from Dalton High school in 2015 and pursued a Visual Communication Design degree at Kent State; with a minor in Photo-Illustration. She graduated from Kent in 2019 and jumped right into her career starting at the home décor manufacturer; P. Graham Dunn as a graphic designer on the Marketing team. While there, she designed several product catalogs, advertisements, and emails while also leading the design team towards more in-depth and technical photography practices. After almost three years, she decided to continue her career at the furniture company; Arhaus in January 2022 as a Production Artist on the creative team at the corporate office. At Arhaus, Sophia helps with creative direction and execution as well as e-commerce imagery. She also has a side “gig” as a Handwriting Artist for a greeting card company based out of San Francisco called Punkpost. When not working, Sophia enjoys doing freelance work (ranging from illustrations to photography,) personal photography, and taking care of her two crazy dogs; Paddie and Winnie!

QUESTIONS FOR SOPHIA

Melaniehas fifteen years of experience at American Greetings World Headquarters as a Senior Product Designer, specializing in the licensing industry. She has designed a variety of social expressions product for mass retailers; Target and Walmart, and has worked closely with licensors such as Disney, Nickelodeon, Sesame Street, Hasbro, Warner Brothers, Sanrio, Taylor Swift, and Mattel. While managing freelance artists, she established a streamline of work for the design of AG’s Juvenile Valentine box programs. Her side hustles include photography and home renovation designs, and she is currently working remotely as a freelance designer.

HIGH SCHOOL: ORRVILLE HIGH SCHOOL, ORRVILLE, OH

COLLEGE: UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI – DAAP BS GRAPHIC DESIGN

@Melanie Joyce Smucker MELANIE

QUESTIONS FOR MELANIE

Kristen’s

comic illustrations have appeared in local newspapers each week for over 25 years—for 21 years each Sunday in the Living section of The Daily Record, and now in the Bargain Hunter every week. Reaching far beyond her cartoon work, Kristin is an accomplished commissioned artist and designer working in an array of media. From custom greeting cards to historical paintings and murals, and from corporate logos and trade show displays to the imaginative and colorful exterior of the Wayne County Bookmobile, Kristin’s art can be found in business places and public spaces all over Ohio. A recent life-sized underwater panorama incorporates actual taxidermy fish mounts at Pleasant Hill Lake Park, near Perrysville, and her personality portraits—vignette collages of the life and times of her subjects—hang on walls across the U.S. and on five separate continents. Kristin has recently launched a new venture with the website KristinArtPets.com that combines her light and colorful cartoon style with the personality portrait concept to produce cheerful and unique illustrations of client’s “best friends.”

Kristin has taught acrylic painting classes for the past four years at public venues and private parties and loves sharing her passion for painting with others. Her once a month “seasonal painting classes” at Heartland Point in Orrville are extremely popular, and Kristin recently illustrated her first children’s book, “Why do Mommy and Daddy work?” for author Jessie Pachan. (Amazon.com.)

One of her proudest accomplishments is the art she has created for the exterior of the Buckeye Agricultural Museum in Wooster, Ohio. The project took weeks of research, the gathering of countless photos, and close examination of artifacts and historical accounts of early Ohio agriculture, with a particular focus on the evolution of farming practices and implements in order to establish a timeline before pulling together a theme for the paintings. Regarding the inspiration for the three largest (12-foot by 10-foot) panels now gracing the front of the museum Kristin said: “I kept coming back to the beautiful vintage advertisements of long ago, from the sepia/hand-painted

postcards of the late 19th Century, to the black and white ads of the 1930s. I just loved how much detail went into creating an ad for a farm implement. I wanted my work to illustrate the changing times in both the color and style of a given era.”

A native of Akron and graduate of The University of Akron, Kristin’s art career was built around the work -at-home life of a mother of three children from her dining room studio in Orrville, a workspace she still shares with her college sweetheart and husband of 31 years. A book featuring a number of her early cartoons, “Send Help: Delights, Dilemmas and Delusions of a Modern Midwestern Man” was published in 1999, and has recently enjoyed a rebirth as a new generation of readers discovers the joy of laughing their way through everyday life.

QUESTIONS FOR KRISTIN

Ryanis a 2000 Orrville High School graduate, has a BFA in Industrial Design from the Cleveland Institute of Art, and spent the recent years in his career focused on user interface and user experience design.

Collegiate studies included a foundational fine art education of art history, painting, drawing, sculpture, ceramics, and the fundamentals of design. After the foundational program, entry into the industrial design major included education with a user first approach in material properties, design for manufacturing, ergonomic studies, product, and transportation design focus.

Ryan started his professional career as an Industrial Design Intern with MTD Products Inc, a global manufacturer of outdoor power equipment. Eventually hired as an entry level Industrial Designer, Ryan had the opportunity to work on the outdoor power equipment category which included handheld tools like string trimmers, walk behind mowers, snow throwers, riding tractors, zero turn mowers, and more.

With the introduction of robotics into the outdoor space, Ryan led an internal startup program to create a residential robotics platform relying on user interface and mobile application design. From there, Ryan’s career pivoted towards technologies behind the designs at MTD’s internal global IT department. That experience taught Ryan about how large companies operate, financial processes, corporate budgeting, program planning, IT business relationship management, and organizational excellence.

In November of 2021, Ryan returned to the MTD design department as a User Experience and User Interface Design Lead. In December 2022, MTD was acquired by one of the world’s largest tool companies, Stanley Black and Decker.

Over a busy year since the acquisition, Ryan and the SBD UX/UI team have designed interfaces for Dewalt, Craftsman, and the new Ascent series of professional landscaping equipment.

Kiley’s

background includes both residential and commercial design focusing on retail, restaurant, and corporate spaces. She also spent time in creative merchandising for an upholstery manufacturer, developing fabric and furniture collections each season.

Her favorite part of the design process is building relationships with clients. Knowing them on a more personal level allows for creating beautiful, meaningful, and functional spaces which reflect their unique styles.

Outside of design, Kiley enjoys spending time with her husband and their three young sons who keep life unpredictable and fun. She also enjoys Health Point classes, running, and serving on the board for Forget-Me-Not Baskets, a non-profit organization.

HIGH SCHOOL: ORRVILLE HIGH SCHOOL / ORRVILLE, OH

COLLEGE: OHIO UNIVERSITY

BFA INTERIOR DESIGN

Ryanis the Associate Creative Director of Brand Marketing for The Ohio State University —which basically means—he and his team are responsible for building and protecting Ohio State’s brand.

What does building and protecting a brand mean? Well, to put it simply, it’s focusing on creating a clear and consistent look and feel across all touch points to ensure strong and immediate recognition of that brand. Just like global brands such as Apple, Nike, Amazon, McDonald’s—Ryan leads the charge in bringing Ohio State’s brand to life across all different channels and outputs to a wide variety of people—yes, there are others out there besides Buckeye football fans.

Ryan works with a talented team of strategists, designers, photographers, videographers, motion designers, and writers to creating a holistic brand experience. From typographic styling to intentional color application, the photos you see, videos you watch, stories you hear, all of this is carefully crafted to inspire students like you to come get a higher-degree, scientist and researchers to better the world, brainiacs to come teach, and people like Ryan to be inspired to come work for such an incredible place.

Outside of the scarlet and gray, Ryan collaborates with clients to implement brands within the dining and hospitality business as well—helping shape the brands of restaurants and other opportunities around the nation. Ryan currently resides in Columbus, Ohio with his designer wife, Carrie, his son Colin and their new fluffy dog, Margot.

QUESTIONS FOR RYAN

Justinhas range of experience directing creative across UX/UI, digital, print, motion and environmental design, photography, video production, project management, copywriting and brand management functions.

Currently the Creative Director for Pistons Sports and Entertainment in Detroit, Michigan, Justin leads and manages the creative services department which supports the Detroit Pistons (NBA), Motor City Cruise (NBA G-LEAGUE), and Pistons GT (NBA2K) professional sports franchises. Previous roles include stops with the NBA’s San Antonio Spurs, as Associate Vice President of Creative and Multimedia for Ohio State University Marketing, and twelve years with Chicago based Levy Restaurants where he helped develop creative strategies for some of the biggest brands in the sports, entertainment, restaurant and hospitality industries.

In addition to his role leading creative with the Pistons, Justin is both an author and an accomplished sports, food, editorial, portrait and landscape photographer. Justin’s photo work has also been featured in publications such as Oprah Magazine, Food & Wine, Forbes, USA Today and his first self-published book, “365+2010 – an Autophotographic Journey” detailing an entire year in pictures.

QUESTIONS FOR JUSTIN

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE YOUR 18-YEAR-OLD SELF LOOKING AHEAD TOWARDS COLLEGE AND

A PROFESSIONAL CAREER?

KRISTEN

Stick to your art. Allow yourself space to create. No matter what.

RYAN M.

First, success is how YOU define it and NOT the limitations others might put on you. Mentally toughness and self awareness are very important. Second, learn how you learn... If you can define and structure how you learn, you will be able to teach yourself anything. This is very important as you head toward college where you don’t have someone to hold your hand, give you extra credit when you fall short, or allow you to make any excuses. You are responsible for your education and what you get out of it.

DANIEL

That’s a great question. My best advice is to listen to yourself. I know it sounds like a cliché, but especially at high school age where you tend to listen to the advice of many, if you pay attention to what you are inspired by, it will reveal what you are most passionate about for a career path.

TESSA

You don’t have to follow the path others paved before you. If college isn’t your thing, there are plenty of ways to cultivate a passionate and successful career while taking an untraditional path to where you want to be. I didn’t finish college and I don’t regret it. I did what was best for me and for my business.

SOPHIA

Be ready to dive in! Don’t take any project for granted, and accept all the feedback you can.

MELANIE

Find your passion. Check out job postings online and see which careers sound exciting to you . This is a good way of seeing which skills employers are looking for currently. Look at college course descriptions to see which classes sound most enjoyable to you. Figure out what you are passionate about, and if you don’t know yet, that’s okay, but start somewhere in a field you might enjoy. You can pivot later if you change your mind. Ultimately, whatever path you choose should lead to happiness. If you aren’t happy or proud of what you are doing, then you’re just working.

KILEY

Be confident in your ideas and be prepared to back them up. Every job, even the ones that are not creative, provide valuable experiences for your career later in life.

RYAN S.

Say yes to as many opportunities that present themselves as you never know how one ‘yes’ can lead down a positive path which you never expected.

JUSTIN

My mom gave me a card on freshman move in day that will always stick with me. It read, “we’ve given you roots and wings, now fly.”

Your first 18’ish years are the roots, now go figure out who you really are and want you want to do with your life in college. You don’t have to have it all figured out now! Take classes that really push you to be better, befriend folks who challenge your cultural paradigms, and say yes to wild experiences like studying abroad.

Unlike other majors where a degree is your only accreditation needed, creative job prospects hinge on the strength of your portfolio. You will only get as much out as you put in, so while grades help, your portfolio is your real report card.

WHERE DO YOU FIND CREATIVE INSPIRATION?

DANIEL

Creativity is the excellence we bring to the activity we have to do; it is more an attitude than some mysterious thing that happens occasionally.

Also, I love gaming and watching sports. There are many good content and marketing campaigns worldwide, so we must be mindful of the great work happening everywhere. I’m a big nature guy, and some of my best inspiration comes from observing found shapes, colors, sounds, textures, and movements. Inspiration is everywhere! Remember that whatever you do, if you do it with passion and love, then it is creative!

TESSA

Honestly, it’s hard to stay creative. There’s a continuous cycle of thinking my work is great and then thinking I should quit just about every week. I have to work past that and one of the best ways I’ve found to stay inspired and not be bored with my work is to meet with other creatives. I go to workshops, meet ups, Instagram gatherings, and other activities to talk with, work with, and become friends with other creatives. Cultivate a creative family. They’ll inspire and push you to be your best and try new things.

SOPHIA

A lot of my inspiration is drawn from following certain design businesses on LinkedIn and Instagram.

MELANIE

I am inspired by the things around me; nature, my family, and my community who inspire me to be better and to create new things. For creative reference I look online; Pinterest, Instagram, Houzz, and retail sites to gather information before starting a new project.

KRISTEN

Inspiration can be found ANY WHERE! Just be open to that feeling that passes through you when seeing something that sparks a moving idea or deep feeling. You will train yourself to recognize it.

RYAN M.

My coworkers, I work with some very talented people, social media platforms, AI generation, and free thought exercises.

KILEY

Fashion, Instagram, design and trade magazines.

RYAN S.

I don’t want to say everywhere, but as a creative, over the years, I’ve become very aware of what’s around me relative to what I’m passionate about and what I do for a living. I recognize more good design and more bad design— this could be anywhere from streaming a show, environmental application around town, on social media, in magazines, books, and even music.

JUSTIN

A former colleague who was a couple decades older introduced me to the invaluable concept of reverse mentoring years ago. Especially in sports where pop culture is king, success in my role hinges on keeping up with trends and meeting our fans where they are. It has been tough at times to maintain relevance in the field as I’ve gotten older and more domesticated, so I try to learn from younger generations just as much as I teach. Complacency is the enemy of creativity.

WHAT CAN STUDENTS PROACTIVELY BE DOING NOW TO START LEARNING THEIR CRAFT?

MELANIE

Get your hands on the Adobe Creative Suite and become comfortable using the tools. Watch You Tube videos and make up your own projects. Those resources were not around when I was in high school, but I would have benefited from having a better understanding of them before college. You could practice by making a company logo for yourself and turning it into a business card, or designing a product and photograph it to create a marketing ad.

KRISTEN

DANIEL

We are living in an extraordinary era! In my high school days, we didn’t have the internet or social media. For example, I remember, back in Brazil as a teenager, I used to love Air Jordans but had no idea who designed them or who was involved in the creation process. Today, I can follow them on Twitter or Instagram and learn from their work. If you find your passion in music/recording arts, start following the big names in the industry you are passionate about. It may seem simple, but instead of using social media solely for fun, follow the right people and be surprised by the learning and inspiration gained.

TESSA

Ask to have mentorships with the people you admire! There are a ton of photographers who offer mentor sessions in person or through Facetime if you’re too far away to talk about the good, the bad, and the ugly of the craft. I’ve learned a ton about both sides of the business from asking questions with the people I admire. It’s money well-spent.

SOPHIA

Mentally prepare yourself to be put through a lot of critiques. Remember that critiques and feedback only make you better!

Keep your projects that you love. The ones that really speak to who you are as an artist. Offer your talents to anyone looking for help with a project that lends to your abilities, like painting the windows at Buehlers at Christmastime. They might even pay you!

RYAN M.

Draw, build a sketchbook habit! Watch videos of others doing the types of creative works you are interested in. If there is something you want to create, just do it and learn.

KILEY

Take a drafting class or extra art of photography class.

RYAN S.

Take your career path seriously, but settle down and relax in order to find out what you truly are passionate about.

JUSTIN

Be a sponge and seek out as much experience, exposure and hands-on learning as you can right now. You can learn just about anything on YouTube, and online learning platforms such as Skillshare or Lynda.com are easy and inexpensive ways to start learning tricks of the trade from some of the best creative professionals out there. Also, sign-up for local foundation art classes at places like Wayne Center for the Arts and find ways to interact with creatives you admire, whether simply following them on social media platforms or even approaching them about immersion and/or mentorship opportunities.

WHERE IS YOUR CREATIVE DISCIPLINE HEADED IN THE FUTURE?

TESSA

As my business grows, so do the skills needed to keep it afloat and enjoyable. Skills in finance and book keeping are some of the most important I have learned thus far. Also, time management is incredibly important. During busy seasons, knowing how to answer emails, send off galleries to clients within their deadlines, make it to meetings/shoots on time and remembering to sleep, eat, and practice mental health is SO important.

SOPHIA

One day I’d love to be a Creative Director and oversee a team of designers.

MELANIE

Being a graphic designer has changed over the years. The expectations within a company is that a graphic designer is multifunctional. In addition to sketching the idea and designing products, then photographing them, you might also be the UX/UI person as well as entering information for production.

KRISTEN

It’s great to have goals. That way, you can better focus where you want to spend your energy. Example of this...When I was in college I knew I wanted to work in the creative department at a newspaper. So, I got a job on the college paper. And, every time a business needed to ‘livin’ up their ads, I offered my art for free! This helped build my portfolio.

RYAN M.

AI and VR sketching, CAD design, and prototyping tools. Digital mediums such as CAD (Computer Aided Design), digital sketching, and digital rendering have accelerated the rate at which variations can be explored. Translating those mediums into cohesive experiences which solve real problems will always be relevant. Systems design and redesign, what do we do with technical debt?

KILEY

Technology is always evolving the way we communicate design ideas. However, there is still quite a bit of true hands on craftmanship needed. Trades are valuable.

RYAN S.

Good design is the foundation. It’s not always easy to get there, but with practice, it comes more naturally. From there, if done correctly, this groundwork sets the beginning of a wholistic experience—and that’s the end goal—how the creative can extend into a brand experience that stands out in many ways.

JUSTIN

It’s a wild time to be a creative as the industry is rapidly changing, and will continue to do so as the lines between creative and content become ever more blurry. Short-form, bite-sized,“mixed media” content on platforms like Tik-Tok and Instagram have generated a demand for “content creators” who can flex across design, motion graphics, photo, video, content strategy, and social publishing. Not to say one needs to be a “jack of all trades” to be a successful creative, but organizations are definitely putting premiums on inspired creative storytellers who can wear many hats.

Future forward, there will be creative jobs that don’t even exist yet as technologies like AI (artificial intelligence) matures and new content platforms emerge. Because of that, an open mindset that embraces continual learning is imperative to stay relevant throughout a long creative career.

RYAN M.

Adaptive, and most of all able to take criticism of your work as constructive feedback.

TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN YOUR DISCIPLINE, YOU NEED TO BE ______________________:

DANIEL

Always doing your best.

TESSA

Driven. There have been a lot of times I’ve thought about giving this job up for one reason or another, but at the end of the day, I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. You need to be driven to reach out to clients, try new things, and balance being the all in one creative, finance, marketing and administrative team for your company. Being a small business owner is not for the faint of heart, so if you want to make it happen, you’ve got to work for it.

SOPHIA

Willing to listen. Everyone has their own opinions on design and sometimes their opinion helps in ways you never thought of!

MELANIE

Detail-oriented and flexible.

KRISTEN

Unstoppable. Even if you are disappointed in the reaction of others, or don’t get the ‘job.’ Also, keep learning technique through resources like Google and Youtube. Stay at it.

KILEY

Detailed and organized. Accuracy with product details and dimensions. Also, a knack for mixing colors and materials in a beautiful, unexpected ways.

RYAN S.

Aware of how the market is changing, how design is changing, and how people are changing.

JUSTIN

Thick skin is absolutely necessary to thrive in this arena. Everyone wants to be the Creative Director, so prepared for feedback to come in every way imaginable as our industry is subjective by nature.

You’ve also got to be bold enough to shoot for the stars, yet humble enough to know you are not going to land there by accident. The old adage of 10,000 hours is a legit rule of thumb for mastering your craft, so be prepared to put in some serious work if you want to reap the rewards.

WHAT ARE THE COOLEST PROJECTS YOU HAVE WORKED ON?

DANIEL

1998 and 2014 World Cups. Also, having the present opportunity to work for my favorite basketball team is fantastic!

TESSA

I volunteered with ‘Camo to Photography Surgeries and Stories’ in rural Honduras. To this day, it was one of the most important stories I have told, and the definitely the most rewarding. In terms of everyday work, photographing a couples story on the most important day of their lives is rewarding EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. Best job ever.

SOPHIA

At my internship for AkronLife magazine I got to help with the magazine cover artwork. It was so inspiring to work alongside the graphic designer there. It was also super cool to see my work out there in the “real” world in random places! I still see it to this day!

MELANIE

I designed style guide artwork for Care Bears and Strawberry Shortcake that ended up on kids products. Also, a showroom at AG for holiday product which included curating furniture, laying out wall artwork, and displaying product. My favorite project so far though was the interior design renovation of my family’s current home.

KRISTEN

I got to do the exterior art for the Buckeye Agricultural Museum! All my own concept. Just handed to me! A BUILDING! First I did the art wrap for a BUS, The Wayne County Public Library Bookmobile, and then a building all within a few months of each other. This was after years of hard work proving myself and being trusted to take on projects with no one else’s input or guidance. Having that trust and freedom is hard earned but incredible and never to be taken lightly.

RYAN M.

Robots for the lawn and pro sports, snow throwers, and projects that convert gas products to battery.

KILEY

A professional athlete’s home.

RYAN S.

Growing up with a passion in magic, it still blows my mind that I was able to design consult with the world famous Magic Castle in Hollywood.

JUSTIN

For both the Pistons and Spurs I have led season campaigns which threaded across all touchpoints in-arena, on social, broadcast, out-of-home advertising, and other digital content channels. While the job can lose luster over time, sitting in the arena watching my hype open play over a court I designed while players are wearing jerseys I envisioned is still a pretty cool feeling.

In San Antonio, number retirement nights for Spurs legends Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili were a few highlights, in addition to an indigenous heritage retail collection in collaboration with former Spurs guard Patty Mills. While at Ohio State, I directed the university PSA (commercial) series which aired during football and other sporting events, got to shoot photos supporting social channels on football Satur days, and led re-concepting of Ohio State’s Alumni Magazine.

In addition to those projects, I have shot IndyCar photos for Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and Texas Motor Speedway, designed a restaurant for The Orange County Choppers, and crafted environmental brand strategies for a range of stadiums, ballparks and arenas from Lumen Field in Seattle (Seahawks) to Las Vegas Motor Speedway and for our beloved Cleveland Browns.

WHAT IS THE MOST GLAMOROUS PART OF YOUR JOB?

RYAN M.

Designing new products, experiences and products with user focus and financial benefits for historic global brands with mass appeal like Dewalt, Craftsman, Black + Decker, and Cub Cadet.

KILEY

Travel. Working in beautiful homes with outstanding landscapes.

RYAN S.

Seeing tangible work that you’ve done out in the world. Whether it’s in print or digital, seeing a result of hard work keeps me going.

DANIEL

I don’t know that glamorous is the right word, but seeing my work getting noticed and gaining attention feels satisfying.

TESSA

I get to travel for most of my clients, help them plan the most important day of their lives, and I thank God for that every day. When a stranger picks me, I get to know them, love them, and care for them as I tell their story. It always reminds me how amazing this job really is, and I never tell the same story twice.

SOPHIA

Being part of the behind-the-scenes. It’s really amazing to be on that side of projects and then get to see what the final outcome is; you can say you were there from the very beginning.

MELANIE

For me, the most glamorous things in my career were the perks in my licensing design job where I went reference shopping in NYC, attended a Taylor Swift concert, and saw all of the opening day movies for Marvel and Disney.

KRISTIN

You never know when a CEO/Founder of Fortune 500 Company will cook you a Salmon dinner at their home, with homemade peach pie and jam (made at their own company—wink)! That was a special ‘pinch myself’ moment.

JUSTIN

At this stage in my career, the best part of my job is watching younger designers who report up to me achieve the same successes I have in the past. I try to give them the spotlight and opportunities as I’ve certainly already had my due over the years. I do appreciate the free game tickets to share with family and friends though!

WHAT IS THE LEAST GLAMOROUS PART OF YOUR JOB?

DANIEL

Something frustrating is when I bring the perfect creation, at least in my mind, and the client rejects everything!

TESSA

All the necessary work on the back end to keep my business afloat can be exhausting. Photographing weddings puts me on a high of cameras, adrenaline happy tears, and honestly, trying not to look like a mess. The next day is what we com monly refer to as a ‘wedding hangover’; Lots of coffee, Netflix, Lightroom editing and culling while in sweatpants. It’s not glamorous.

SOPHIA

Staring at a computer screen all day; blue light blocking lenses really do come in handy!

MELANIE

As a freelance designer I am now sending invoices to clients, keeping track of time spent, communicating to clients about projects, and often working late nights to meet deadlines.

KRISTIN

Hours and hours of work, sometimes without sleeping. Definitely being paid per project instead of by the hour, but knowing that it doesn’t matter because you are doing what you LOVE! You are doing what no one else but YOU can do.

RYAN M.

Meetings are neither glamorous nor fun, but communication is key in professional work.

KILEY

Opening endless boxes and packages or dealing with product warranty issues.

RYAN S.

Friends and colleagues constantly asking for design favors.

JUSTIN

Creative leadership roles aren’t for everyone, and they are actually a lot less glamorous than most folks think. There are A LOT of big egos in sports, so resolving interpersonal issues and conflict is a pretty substantial part of the job. Everyone thinks they are a Creative Director, and with 150+ active projects at any given time, co-workers are constantly competing for the time and attention of my team. I’ve also had to let go of folks for a multitude of reasons over the years, and the human element to those decisions is always a tough burden to bear regardless of justification.

WHAT WERE YOU NOT PREPARED FOR STARTING YOUR CAREER?

KRISTIN

Just the challenges of real life and paying bills. This means you will most likely have to take on a job, or several jobs to pay the bills. You won’t care though because you will know it is necessary to keep doing what you love.

RYAN M.

Communication in a corporate setting. It’s important to know your audience, and communication to executives in brief but effective ways can make a difference.

KILEY

I needed more confidence when interviewing. Also, I needed to be more proficient with computer drafting programs to obtain an entry level position.

RYAN S.

How fast the market changes in terms of technology. Trends come and go, but technology go go go’s.

DANIEL

I can make a massive list of things I needed more time to prepare for. It’s almost impossible to start the journey from college with all the answers and solutions. As soon as you get the chance to start working in your field, the learning experience continues; it’s a never-ending process.

TESSA

One of the best things about photo classes in college is that you get critiqued pretty hard on your images. While it can be hard to have people tear your photos apart like that sometimes, it absolutely made me a better photographer. Leaving school meant that I had to be my own editor on photos and sometimes that’s a really difficult thing to be. I definitely miss not recieving that same level of feedback.

SOPHIA

I was not prepared for all of the different ways other people learned to design. There are so many perspectives to consider when approaching a project; that’s what I enjoy the most about graphic design.

MELANIE

I felt prepared to interview and enter the workforce with all of the co-op experiences I had during college. I was not prepared for the process taking longer than expected to find a full-time job though.

JUSTIN

How messy, complex, and exhausting a career would be... Things did not come together as I’d envisioned being a bright-eyed, ambitious kid coming out of college looking to immediately parachute into my dream job. In-fact, instead I lived at home for six months before finding my first job after college, worked a second part-time job in addition to my entry level position in Chicago just to make ends meat, and contemplated giving up on design several times during that grueling, unrewarding, and frustrating first few years in the industry.

I have learned not to let the inevitable rough patches define my career by employing perseverance, a willingness to learn from my mistakes, and by focusing on the steadfast aspirations in front of me.

DANIEL

I have to take part here; Full Sail University is a fantastic school with it’s focus on the entertainment business. They have programs for design, music, gaming, web, sports, cinema, etc. and the professors are exceptional. The classrooms are high-tech and equipped with the most relevant tools for each industry.

TESSA

While I never finished my degree with Ohio University, I cannot recommend a better school for photojournalism. They are ranked nationally and internationally for their program, the professors, and the opportunities given to their students (photographing the World Cup in Brazil in 2014, working with the White House, study abroad programs in Scotland... the list goes on and on).

SOPHIA Kent State has an amazing graphic design program!

MELANIE

Regionally: University of Cincinnati, Kent State, and The Columbus College of Art and Design.

Nationally: Rhode Island School of Design (RISD).

KRISTIN

Although I do have a college degree, I had to basically create my own degree that geared towards my interests. I worked with the admissions staff on helping build a minor that was focused on advertising and included many art electives. In the grand scheme of life, having the degree is what matters. Most people do not have the luxury of attending the college of their choice. Therefore, if you are fortunate enough to go to college, putting that degree on your resume is what it’s all about. When it all comes down to it; it’s more about your portfolio. DO THE WORK! Get your work out there. There are so many advantages you have today that we didn’t have before the internet.

RYAN M.

Cleveland Institute of Art, Art Center College of Art and Design, The University of Cincinnati, Rhode Island School of Design, Carnegie Mellon University, College For Creative Studies are all excellent, and top of the class programs.

KILEY

Cincinnati for architecture and interior design.

RYAN S.

Ohio University’s Visual Communications program. Focused in the Scripps School of Journalism, this degree offers programs such as infographic/publication design, photojournalism, multimedia, etc.

Kent State University also has a great Visual Communication Design program, and many of my colleagues throughout the years have graduated with a Graphic Design degree from Kent.

There are also other smaller schools such as Columbus College of Art and Design that provide a amazing programs in a variety of disciplines.

JUSTIN

There are so many great schools out there, and a creative degree from anywhere is only as strong as the portfolio you take away from it, which is 100% on you!

Regionally: Bowling Green, Kent State and Cincinnati for balanced business and creative curriculums. Students looking for narrower, art-focused curriculums might look at CCAD, CIA, Cranbrook and the Art Institute of Pittsburgh.

Nationally: There are strong programs at Stanford’s D-School, Rhode Island School of Design, Syracuse, The Academy of Art University, and The Ringling College of Art and Design, among many others.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BEST COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES TO LOOK AT WITH A FOCUS ON YOUR DISCIPLINE?

WHO ARE SOME INTERESTING FOLKS TO FOLLOW IN YOUR INDUSTRY?

TESSA

The lookslikefilm group on Facebook and Instagram is so inspiring. They’re trendsetting photographers who focus on storytelling - it’s a great mix of love stories and photojournalism. There are a ton of inspiration photographers I love from all over the board: Ed Kashi, Hannah Spencer (Milk & Hannah), Eastlyn Bright Tolle + Joshua Tolle, Nicola Harger, Camille Lepage (deceased, but incredible legacy) and many more.

SOPHIA Communication Arts, Print Magazine, and Creative Review.

MELANIE

Aaron Draplin (@draplin), Jessica Hische (@jessicahische), Chip Kidd (@chip_kidd) , Michael Bierut (@mbierut), CMYK Magazine (@cmykmagazine), Ikea, and Fiverr.com.

KRISTIN

Locally, Susi Shie is an artist I admire. Nationally, a photographer named Matt Mendelsohn, and a writer named Connie Schultz. All of these successful people will tell you that when your talents are used to help others and better the world we live in, the work will come to you.

RYAN M. Joe Natoli

JUSTIN

Designers: Justin Ahrens, Fraser Davidson, Allen Peters, Jessica Hische, Jason Santa Maria and Jason Fried.

Photographers: Stephen Hamilton, Kevin Kubota, Jamey Price, Darren Heath, Lisa Bettany, Paul Octavious, Lauren Randolph, Steph Goralnick, and Kevin Meredith.

Creative thinkers: Seth Godin, Simon Sinek, and Sir Ken Robinson.

Websites & Publications: Fast Company Design, UnderConsideration, Dribbble, Behance, Smashing Magazine, Pictory and Harvard Business Review.

Events: WMC Fest Cleveland, AIGA, Chicago Ideas Week, TEDTalks, SXSW, Content Marketing World and OpenIDEO.

DANIEL

Before my journey as a creative, I spent two years in law school. I was not happy, so I dropped out and went into advertising design. It was a crucial and positive decision for me, though I should have switched sooner.

TESSA

Nothing. Barely anything in my original plan worked out, but I wouldn’t change a thing. Not finishing my degree, starting my own business, preparing to move that business, and every struggle faced from junior high onward has made me who I am today, and influenced the way I approach art. I would not change any of that for the world.

SOPHIA

Take more time on projects. College is a whirlwind, and it’s so easy to get caught up in deadlines that I wish I would have dug deeper with some of my projects.

MELANIE

I would have worked on learning more of the technical skills and processes in other areas of design along with my graphic design major.

KRISTIN

Nothing. No regrets and no changes. It builds as you grow as there is no other way to gain experience. Live and learn. Every project builds onto the next.

RYAN M.

I had an opportunity to go to The Pratt Institute in New York coming out of High School. Sometimes I wonder what would have been...

KILEY

Although I wish some things worked out differently, the decisions all seemed right at the time and the best fit for a current life situation.

RYAN S.

I don’t want to say everywhere, but as a creative, over the years I’ve become very aware of what’s around me relative to what I’m passionate about and what I do for a living. I recog nize more good design and more bad design—this could be anywhere from streaming a show, environmental application around town, on social media, in magazine, books and even in music.

JUSTIN

It was not really even an industry when I graduated, but there is a huge demand for strong motion graphic designers, which is a hybrid discipline that is one part graphic design and one part video production. My recent job postings for graphic designers have yielded 200+ applicants while motion designer posts often yield less than 30, most of whom are not qualified. With a stronger technological focus, motion designers often achieve higher salaries because it is still a niché role with more demand than supply of top tier talent.

Also, I have learned the hard way a few times to trust my gut. Heading into the role at Ohio State, it was a dream job on pa per, but I ignored red flags in the interview process about the environment and culture there. I took the job for all the wrong reasons (money, location, resume notoriety, etc.) and ulti mately never felt fulfilled or content in a role which turned out to be much more administrative than creative. It is very hard to look back and realize I should not have taken that job, but lesson learned and I vow to never make that mistake again!

IF YOU HAD A TIME MACHINE, WHAT WOULD YOU DO DIFFERENTLY?

HOW HAS YOUR DISCIPLINE BEEN AFFECTED OR CHANGED BY THE PANDEMIC?

KILEY

Record sales, but with tremendous lead times for products. There was unprecedented consumer demand, however manufacturers were not able to source raw materials needed to make and ship product. Clients have become more patient waiting for items for their homes and workplaces.

RYAN S.

Working in higher education, we certainly had to pivot our strategy and day-to-day operations. As the university moved to remote learning, we were tasked with being the leaders in promoting safe and healthy behaviors as things slowly began to become ‘normal’ again. A lot of good work came out of the years pandemic years, and strange to say, it brought the team closer.

JUSTIN

DANIEL

In my case, I used to run a startup in Brazil, and we developed an engagement tool for sports fans. During COVID, all stadium attendance was eliminated, so we had nothing to do during the games. It was a challenging situation, and for the first time I started to look for a job here in the United States. The good thing is that when you do your best, life always finds a way to reward you. Thankfully I was blessed with the opportunity to work for the Detroit Pistons, one of my favorite organizations.

SOPHIA

I had to learn to communicate through a computer screen rather than face to face. That presented a challenge in itself.

KRISTIN

I did have to shut down my art classes for the pandemic, but learned to do virtual classes. All is back to normal now, thank goodness!

RYAN M.

I have the privilege of working from home and only go into the office as needed, mostly for prototype reviews or in-person meetings. My Director and VP are in separate states, and I coach a global team remotely.

ROCKED is an understatement. While marketing teams did not miss a beat transitioning to work-from-home scenarios, the product we sell in the sports and entertainment industry happen inside venues where consumers spend money. When the revenues dried up, the teams, leagues, and venues began cutting staff and started operating more nim bly with barebones crews. Folks that did not lose their jobs ended up doing the work of 2-3 people, and folks like myself who got cut were competing against hundreds for the hand ful of sports and entertainment jobs available. Not only is the ripple effect still being felt as the industry recalibrates from a brutal few years, but the tough leadership decisions of the pandemic era created trust issues between many employ ees and their employers. Rightfully so, the relationship with employers has become more transactional as folks are not letting themselves get too comfortable in their jobs by having backup plans at the ready.

OH, AND ONE LAST THING...

DANIEL

Find your true passion ASAP! My definition of success: find a way to make money performing what you love.

TESSA

Believe in your greatness. There will be voices that tell you making a living in the arts is impossible, that you can’t be successful, and that you should give up. Ignore those voices and push right on past them. Even when you have bad days, and you will, the good days greatly outnumber them. You can do it. You are amazing. You are talented. You’ve got this. Go create something awesome.

SOPHIA

Research, research, research, and be confident!

MELANIE

Be open to learning and asking questions while you create amazing things.

KRISTIN

Tenacity: the quality or fact of being very determined; determination. Find your tenacity!

Don’t hesitate to ask people if they need your talents to liven up a store window or add to a brochure. Maybe they would like to decorate their waiting room with your art work, so never stop telling people what you do! You never know when someone will say, “Oh, hey, I’ve been looking for...” and the rest will be history!

RYAN M. Never give up!

KILEY

You are talented! Never underestimate your ability. Not everyone can do what comes so naturally to you.

RYAN S. Be kind.

JUSTIN

You are uniquely you. You are the director of the movie of your life, and no one else gets to be the star. Take charge of your own career, and be the captain of your own destiny.

PROGRAM DETAILS

AKRON UNIVERSITY

Akron, OH l Orrville, OH www.uakron.edu www.uakron.edu/art

PROGRAMS:

MAJORS OFFERED:

• Art Education

• Art History

• Ceramics

• Graphic Design

• Jewelry and Metalsmithing

• Painting and Drawing

• Photography

• Printmaking

• Sculpture

MINORS OFFERED:

• Interdisciplinary New Media • Illustration • Computer Imaging

ASHLAND UNIVERSITY

Ashland, OH www.ashland.edu

PROGRAMS:

MAJORS OFFERED: • Education • Commercial Art • Fine Art

• Computer Arts & • Graphic Programming

Students spend the first two years at Ashland taking classes in the Art Foundations Sequence and University core classes. Upper-level work, usually the junior year, is spent at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh study ing in one of their areas of concentration

• Game art & design • Graphic design • Interior design • Industrial design technology • Media arts and animation • Video production • Photography • Visual effects • Motion graphics

BOWLING GREEN STATE UNIVERSITY

Bowling Green, OH www.bgsu.edu http://art.bgsu.edu/

PROGRAMS:

SCHOOL OF ART: • Art Education • Digital Arts • 2-D Studies • 3-D Studies • Art History • Graphic Design

VISUAL COMMUNICATION

TECHNOLOGY: • Photography • Videography • Interactive • Print

TECHNOLOGY, ARCHITECTURE & APPLIED ENGINEERING • Architecture

CLEVELAND INSTITUTE OF ART

Cleveland, OH http://www.cia.edu/

PROGRAMS:

SCHOOL OF ART:

Animation

Biomedical Art

Ceramics

Drawing

Game Design

Glass

Graphic Design

Illustration

Industrial Design

Interior Architecture

Jewelry + Metals

Painting

Photography

Printmaking

Sculpture

FOR SCHOOLS REPRESENTED TODAY AT CHARTER

KENT STATE UNIVERSITY

Kent, OH www.kent.edu www.kent.edu/art www.kent.edu/vcd

PROGRAMS:

SCHOOL OF ART::

Art Education

Art History

Crafts

Fine Art

SCHOOL OF VISUAL COMMUNICATION DESIGN::

Visual Communication Design

Photo Illustration

THE MODERN COLLEGE OF DESIGN

Kettering, OH themodern.edu

PROGRAMS:

Advertising

Creativity

Design Leadership

Entrepreneurship

Graphic Design

Marketing

Motion Design

Photography

Print Production

Strategy

UI/UX

Video

Web Design

MALONE UNIVERSITY

Canton, OH www.malone.edu www.malone.edu/ academics/visual-art/

PROGRAMS:

DEPARTMENT OF VISUAL ARTS • Fine Arts and Crafts • Graphic Design and Digital Arts

UNIVERSITY

OF MOUNT UNION

Alliance, OH www.mountunion.edu/

PROGRAMS:

CONCENTRATIONS

WITHIN AN ART MAJOR

Art Studio

Art Education

Art History

Graphic Design

INTEGRATED MEDIA PROGRAM

Integrated Media

THANKS TO OUR PARTNERS