Graphic Design Alumni Advise Students on World of Work

Published 04.07.2017

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Alumni returning to their graphic design roots are (from left): Bigger, Cosgrove, Januchowski, Hoover, Gray and Chandler. Stephenson (right) chats up his former students prior to their panel discussion in the Bush Campus Center.Chandler shares insight into her real-world design experience. A roomful of future graphic designers listens to Januchowski’s sage advice. Six recent graduates of Penn College’s graphic design major returned this past weekend to share their wisdom with current students. The alumni are Emily C. Bigger, ’14; Breanne M. Chandler, ’16; Christopher J. Cosgrove, ’13; Brody W. Gray, ’15; Erica M. Hoover, ’15, and Alexa A. Januchowski, ’16. They shared their experiences in the field and job-searching tips. Bigger is a graphic designer at the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, Harrisburg; Chandler works as a graphic designer at Avesis Inc., Owings Mills, Maryland; Cosgrove is a web designer with Otreva, Scranton; Gray is senior graphic designer at Sire Advertising Inc., Selinsgrove; Hoover is employed as a graphic designer at Susquehanna University, Selinsgrove; and Januchowski is a graphic designer at Design 446, Manasquan, New Jersey. “You won’t appreciate the education you’re getting until you’re out there in the field,” Januchowski said. "At the job interviews I had, they were extremely impressed with the design work that’s being done here and how prepared the graduates are.” In addition to encouraging students to “be aggressive when applying for jobs,” Cosgrove advised, “Always keep learning – design changes rapidly. And stay inspired!” This is the second year for the event, organized by the college’s student chapter of AIGA, a professional association for design, and Nicholas L. Stephenson, instructor of graphic design and adviser to the student AIGA chapter.