91福利社

Let鈥檚 talk about what you do.

I just transitioned into becoming an associate designer with Matchstic August 1, so it is more recent of a position. Matchstic is basically a brand agency. My day-to-day each week looks different, given the fact that it is a branding agency. I am creating brands with the team, working alongside others to create brands.I help build applications out like websites, posters鈥攖hings like that.Basically, my world revolves around brand design.

How did you become interested in design?

I grew up doodling letters and I didn鈥檛 know that could be a career, funnily enough. It was probably in high school that I knew that I wanted to look for a college that had a great graphic design program. That鈥檚 how I found Anderson.

What attracted you to 91福利社?

When I looked at other colleges鈥� student portfolios, they were not as impressive as Anderson鈥檚. I had a goal that I knew I already wanted to do graphic design and I wanted to go into a college that is already excelling at what they鈥檙e doing, and so I feel the number one factor that attracted me to Anderson was seeing the student portfolio work, but then also that it鈥檚 a Christian university, which was super appealing. And so it was like I didn鈥檛 have to lose out on my career because I was choosing a Christian university or I didn鈥檛 have to lose out on an experience with Christian ministries or whatever it may be because of a better graphic design program.

What are some favorite memories of being a student at Anderson?

Towards the end of my college career鈥攎y junior and senior year鈥攖he graphic design cohort I was in really bonded. There were 16-20 of us. We would all work together, but then we鈥檇 all go eat. We鈥檇 hang out. We鈥檇 drive downtown and take pictures of type. We鈥檇 go get food somewhere after a late night in the studio. It was always a good work and play balance.

Do you have any favorite classes or favorite professors?

I would say professor Speaker鈥擨 feel like he was such a great cheerleader. He was always in my corner. Professor Spainhour also pushed me; the same way with Professor Lin, she鈥檚 not at Anderson anymore. I did a one-on-one class with her, which was really sweet, and that project to this day has gotten me pretty much most of the freelance work that I received鈥� and so a lot of credit goes to that project and also the support of all of these great professors.

How does your faith come into what you do?

Professor Anspach and professor Nelson were newer to the design program when I was a senior. They are amazing. I feel like they do such a good job of incorporating faith and design. In my own career I鈥檝e been able to meet a ton of different people from a ton of different places. Of course that gives me opportunities to talk about the Gospel, but then also just design as a whole, like the fact that companies come saying 鈥渨e need help with our brand and we don鈥檛 know what to do鈥� being able to turn something that someone is struggling with to something that鈥檚 beautiful and has structure, but then also gives them creative freedom in the brand.

Describe some of the clients you work with.

Matchstic helps bigger companies like UPS, and they also help non-profits with their branding. If you鈥檝e looked at Matchstic鈥檚 portfolio, it鈥檚 uncommon for an agency鈥攖hey鈥檝e done a lot of work with Christian nonprofits, too, which is amazing. It鈥檚 not a Christian agency but it鈥檚 cool there are opportunities in my career to potentially work for Christian nonprofits or whatever it may be.

Did you have an internship while you were studying graphic design?

I got to intern with a brand agency called Son&Sons in Atlanta. It was an amazing experience.

How did you get out west?

I moved out here in August 2022. I took the summer to stay at home for a bit before I moved across the country. I ended up out here with a different agency called Farm Design. It was an in-person job, so I moved to Pasadena for that.

When you鈥檙e not working in design, what do you enjoy doing?

There鈥檚 always something to do. The food scene in Los Angeles is amazing. I feel like I can get great authentic food out here, so it鈥檚 fun trying different restaurants with friends.

I am heavily involved with a North American Mission Board church plant out here, which is part of the reason I鈥檓 also out here. The South Carolina Baptist Convention has this junior and senior mission leader cohort ministry called Palmetto Collective. I know there are Anderson students that are still in it. I got the opportunity to be in it my junior and senior year of college and then when I was looking at jobs and the LA job came up, one of the leaders, who is a part of the South Carolina Baptist Convention (I didn鈥檛 know anyone in California at all). His name is Charlie Swain. I asked Charlie, 鈥渄o you have any church connections out there? Because I feel like I might end up out there in LA.鈥�

Long story short, he knew a friend of my now pastor, and so that friend connected me with my now pastor. That is how I ended up at a church plant.

I am outside of Pasadena in the Highland Park area. Super close to Glendale, Pasadena and downtown LA. It鈥檚 central to East Los Angeles.

Anything specific you鈥檙e involved at your church?

I help lead the young adult ministry. It鈥檚 been eye-opening to be a part of. There鈥檚 such a need for the gospel in LA, and so I feel like being a part of the young adult ministry, I鈥檝e gotten a front row view of people either coming to faith or even right now one of my friends, I had dinner with her the other week and she said 鈥淚 think I鈥檓 really close to giving my life to the Lord and just walking with people in those conversations and having gospel conversations, but then also answering their questions and letting the Holy Spirit work as well. It鈥檚 been very eye opening.

What advice would you give someone who鈥檚 interested in a career in graphic design?

It takes a lot of hard work, but it鈥檚 worth it in the end if you鈥檙e passionate about it. Especially at the beginning of design school, I feel it鈥檚 easy to get frustrated that maybe you鈥檙e not where you want to be, but just trust the process and work hard. Always approach professors with questions and put in the work in projects to make it the best you can. A portfolio that鈥檚 very well curated is super important for a job.