About

As my time in the First Year Immersion Program comes to an end I can say without a doubt that Illustration, specifically the Illustration Design track, would be the best fit for me. I believe that the FYI program has given me a broad range of tools to help me succeed not only during my time here at ArtCenter but in my career post graduation. I’ve picked up so many useful skills not just pertaining to technical ability but critical thinking skills and knowledge about the world that will be valuable assets in any class that I take from now on. I believe that I also bring life experience and a unique perspective on life due to the fact that I attended classes at Pasadena City College while working a full time job in my first 3 years after graduating high school. 

My academic journey to get to this point was a long winding road full of dead end streets and u- turns. The only good that came from high school was my love for drawing. The school that I went to was in a very good neighborhood and was filled with high achieving students. The school only knew how to support the high achieving students. They had no clue when it came to someone like me who was checked out and uninterested in anything they had to offer. By the time I got to my junior year I almost felt like a ghost in class just sitting in the back drawing and not noticed by anyone. Drawing began as a way for me to pass time but the longer I did it the more it became an escape, something that I actually looked forward to. By the time I realized I wanted to pursue art as a career it was too late. So I did what anyone would do in that position. I went to Community College. It was going there that made me want to go to an art school. I got a little taste of what real art classes are like. For the first time in my art career I was surrounded by a group of like minded individuals who shared a common goal. For the first time I felt at home in a classroom. However, just as my interests really started to pick up, COVID hit. At that point my entire life shifted.During this time I committed myself to working and decided to put a pause on school. I learned a lot during my time working but my biggest takeaway was that I’m not a person motivated by money.

I came into the First Year Immersion program with all the lessons that I learned throughout my academic career. I kept an open mind during all of our workshops and tried to really imagine myself in each one of those programs. After careful consideration and based on my  love for illustration as well as graphic design and typography, I believe that the Illustration Design track is the best place for me to pursue all my interests. I’ve learned at ArtCenter that no dream is too small and no job is too big for an ArtCenter graduate. Through the Illustration design track I am excited to refine my skills in order to tackle whatever job comes my way.