During High School, I was given the opportunity to attend a Technical Institute. I attended the open house and became interested in their Graphic Design program. This was at the end of my sophomore year of High School, and I decided to enroll in the program for several reasons. First and foremost, it gave me the ability to elude elective classes for my junior and senior years, but I also saw it as a great opportunity to be able to attend a Technical Institute at no cost and gain practical experience.
I began my studies at Shepherd University as an Art major with a concentration in Graphic Design. After the end of my first semester, I decided I needed to make a change. I was not interested in contemporary art or art history; I simply wanted to learn things I could apply to Graphic Design. Unlike many of my peers who felt obligated to staying in their set path, although they were not happy with it, I decided to take initiative and look into other possible majors. After talking to many people in the Mass Communications program, I was pretty sure that it would be a good fit for my interests and experience. I started comparing the possibilities I'd have for employment between the two different paths, and I found that Mass Communications offered much more security in finding a job after graduation. I decided to switch my major, and to pursue Graphic Design as my minor. To this day I am still entirely happy that I made this choice, and I believe it was the right choice for me.
What I enjoy about the Mass Communications program at Shepherd University is that it takes into account the use of multimedia and the ever changing workplace. In my opinion, I feel that I am better off in this department because I have learned things that I would not have if I stayed on my original path. My major complaint with the Graphic Design program is that it emphasizes design, but it does not incorporate any communication theories or basic advertising/marketing principles. Instead, it builds off of a fine arts core which in my opinion is too broad and unnecessary.
My goal for after graduation is to be able to secure employment in the communication, web design, advertising, or graphic design fields. I do not have a very specific goal, but I hope my studies will open up possibilities in these fields. I am well aware of the economic issues and how hard it can be to land a job in almost any professional occupation during these times. I feel that I am very grounded and rational when compared to the majority of my peers. I know there are no "magic nice guy" companies that are eager to hire fresh graduates with no professional experience. Because of this, I try and absorb as much information as I can through all of my classes.
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