TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF AND WHY YOU DECIDED TO BECOME A TAGA STUDENT AMBASSADOR.
I am currently a sophomore at Clemson University studying graphic communications. I decided to become a TAGA Student Ambassador because I truly enjoyed getting to work with other students in the chapter and found that the ambassador program would be an amazing opportunity to not only connect with industry professionals but with the other student chapters as well.
WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR FAVORITE PART OF YOUR ACADEMIC CAREER SO FAR?
My favorite part of my academic career so far has been getting to work with so many different types of people through my extracurricular activities—fencing and marching band—and through the courses that I have been taking. Being part of a wide variety of activities has allowed me to meet tons of new people and get a wider perspective on multiple things, which I have come to truly appreciate over time.
WHAT SKILLS HAVE YOU GAINED FROM BEING A TAGA STUDENT MEMBER?
TAGA has helped me to grasp a better understanding of the technical side of printing, which in turn has allowed me to become a more active member on the production side of Clemson’s student chapter, something I was really hoping to achieve last year when I first joined the chapter.
WHAT’S A TYPICAL DAY LIKE AT YOUR SCHOOL AND WHEN YOU’RE NOT IN CLASS, WHAT CAN WE FIND YOU DOING?
I spend a good majority of my time in Godfrey Hall, where virtually all of the graphic communications courses are held. The building holds lectures on the upstairs level, and the labs on the ground level are where all of the presses and print equipment is organized.
Outside of class, I am a color guard member of Clemson University’s Tiger Band. Band probably takes up the second largest portion of my time, since we practice three times a week and have performances on the weekends during home football game. When I’m not in class or on the field, I enjoy participating in Clemson’s Fencing Club as part of the club’s saber team, working with other students on The Tiger (Clemson’s campus newspaper), and collaborating with my friends on creating a growing, original world to play in for Dungeons & Dragons.
HOW HAS BEING A TAGA STUDENT MEMBER SHAPED WHO YOU ARE AS A PERSON?
As a member of TAGA, I have been able to expand my knowledge of the creative and print worlds and apply what I have learned to many of the parts of my life. I’ve used some of what I’ve learned to enhance visuals (logos, creative content, ads) or by helping innovate new ways to attract people.
WHAT’S SOMETHING YOU’RE PASSIONATE ABOUT?
I believe that even the most mundane things can be made exciting and engaging through the application of creative print techniques. When you get something that you’re already passionate about or that already has a strong base to build from, that’s the ultimate opportunity to make something truly amazing and inspiring, and that is why I love working in this industry.
WHAT MAKES YOUR TAGA STUDENT CHAPTER AND ITS MEMBERS UNIQUE?
I think a large piece of what makes our chapter special is how the students get to express as much creativity as they would like without fearing the technical limitations that we have in-house, because numerous people and companies have been so generous in donating presses and equipment to us over the years.
WE’RE HEADED TO OKLAHOMA CITY FOR THE 2020 TAGA ANNUAL TECHNICAL CONFERENCE! WHAT WAS YOUR EXPERIENCE BEING A STUDENT ATTENDEE IN PAST YEARS?
I greatly enjoyed being an attendee at the 2019 conference and am looking forward to seeing how this year’s event compares. One of my favorite memories about the conference was when I and the other Clemson students were packing up to leave toward the end: I had gone to every booth I could during each day and was able to get so many cool and unique trinkets, booklets, etc. that I was struggling to fit the items into my bags for the plane. Around midnight, I had to go around to the other students and ask if they had any room in their bags so I could find a way to bring everything back.
LASTLY, IF YOU COULD BE A SUPERHERO, WHO WOULD IT BE AND WHY?
I would probably be Doctor Strange, because he is a character with all of these amazing and otherworldly powers, but he manages to use his intelligence and cunning to solve many of the challenges he faces instead of relying on brute force or taking the easy way out. Plus, I would get some cool looking robes and a cape.