BY LAURYN BECKER
PHOTOS COURTESY MADDY OTTER
As a college student, there are constant opportunities handed to students through clubs and organizations. One club on campus that is helping to further graphic design students is the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA).
AIGA provides graphic design students ample opportunities such as networking and traveling to different art exhibits in other cities.
AIGA president, Maddy Otter, is a first-year graphic design graduate student. She said that ever since joining AIGA, it has affected her college career in an incredibly positive way.
“Throughout my time as an AIGA member, I have attended portfolio reviews, conferences, visiting artist lectures and workshops, and had travel opportunities to see what the design and art communities look like in other geographical locations,” Otter said. “In addition to those other benefits, AIGA has provided a community for our student designers, which is always a beautiful thing to see.”
Otter, a member of AIGA since 2018, believes that graphics majors would benefit the most from AIGA simply because of all of the opportunities offered to them.
“The biggest benefit of AIGA for our design students is the networking opportunities. Whether you’re on a trip to visit studios in a new location, attending a portfolio review, or other events, it’s helping you by exposing you to new opportunities you didn’t know were there before and introducing you to people that could potentially help you learn skills that land you a job in the future,” Otter said. “The people I’m referring to could be your own peers that are also in AIGA, or people that you meet through AIGA events.”
Otter stated that while she is very passionate about graphic design, she is also interested in many other things as well.
“I’m also passionate about learning new things, analyzing films, graphic design, and digital photography,” Otter said.
As for Otter, being a Tiger to her means to do your best and to uplift those around you.
“To me, being a Tiger means that you try your best (in any capacity) to become a more compassionate and informed individual that celebrates others’ successes as well as your own,” she said.
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