Media Design Technology
Design Is Everywhere
Today’s world is flooded with advertising and competing messages.
Our Media Design students strive to be at the forefront of new trends and technology. Our instructors keep up-to-date with their education in the industry and by tracking the latest software changes, to keep students advanced and career-ready.
We treat design as problem solving, to convey our client’s message to their intended audience. Using applied design principles, we turn complex ideas and creative concepts into relevant media.
MEET THE STUDENTS
Digital Media Production
The way of the future is motion graphics.
We capture attention for our clients by creating 3D animations and incorporating kinetic type into videos. Digital media is used to inform, persuade, promote, and entertain. Advancements in software and technology allow us to make incredible videos and animations. Through implementing principles of design and animation, we create effective and relevant commercial media. Our instructors engage students with software, to create a wide range of projects that bring each client’s ideas to life.
MEET THE STUDENTS
Faculty
Patrick Frentz | Instructor – Digital Media Productions
Rick Warkenthien | Instructor – Media Design Technology
Tony Conrad | Instructor – Media Design Technology
CONTACT
Portfolio Show 2022
©2026 by Media Design Technology
Southeast Technical College
2320 N. Career Avenue
Sioux Falls, SD 57107
Michael Achen
As a kid, my life revolved around hockey, a demanding contact sport, but it was my way of
expression. When I was in that ring, my sharp breaths, the blades beneath my feet, and the
carbon fiber stick in my hands brought me to my place of bliss. I lived, breathed, and slept
hockey. My idol, Wayne Gretzky, said, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take,” a quote
that has stayed with me my entire life. I joined the military, realized it wasn’t for me, I married
my dream wife, and in the last three years, I decided to take my shot at college. I stand here as a
double major in Media Design and Marketing. Returning to school at 34 was challenging, but I
hit the ground running, making time for my schoolwork, family, and personal life. I can honestly
say that I feel, for the first time in my life, like I’m headed in the right direction. As I have gone
down this path, I have run into roadblocks and days when I just don’t feel very creative, but I can
say I have found ways to break through the roadblocks, one of which is photography. I have
found my passion for wielding a camera again, and frankly, it has taken me back to the past. It
has taught me patience for my designs and my desired look, and overall, it has helped all my
designs become more refined. I can’t wait to see my story unfold and see where life takes me
along this journey.
Nicholas Allen
I grew up in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and like many people, it took me some time to discover the right career path. I explored business and real estate, but neither felt like the right fit. What I did always have, though, was a strong eye for design.
Growing up, I created short-form videos on Musical.ly (now TikTok), where I animated images to trending music. That account grew to over 115,000 followers and led to opportunities to collaborate with music labels promoting new artists. Those experiences showed me how much I enjoyed creating and sharing visual content.
Once I discovered the graphic design program at Southeast Technical College, I knew I had found the direction I wanted to pursue. I take pride in my work and pay close attention to detail, making sure every element serves a purpose. Alongside my technical skills, I bring strong communication skills developed over years in the service industry, enabling me to work effectively with others and understand clients’ needs.
During my time at Southeast Tech, I have developed a clearer sense of my personal design style. I gravitate toward clean, simple, and legible designs, but I also enjoy the challenge of creating more complex compositions when needed.
Outside of design, I enjoy spending time with family and friends, listening to music, watching movies, and playing the piano and violin. These creative outlets continue to inspire my work.
I have learned a great deal in a short amount of time, and I am excited to continue growing as a designer.
Anna
For about a decade, I lived in New York City. I met most of my friends working as a production assistant, costume designer, and background actor on nearly every film and TV production in the city!
Outside of work, I was known for being “one of the people who made the city what it was” by connecting with creative, eccentric people and introducing them to each other.
I left the city in July 2020 because New York closed my industry for months, and there was no clear timeline for when things would return to normal. Spoiler alert: my friends who stayed there say it never returned to 2019 normal.
I moved to Sioux Falls in February 2022 after almost a year of searching for a place to start a new life. While packing, I had an idea for an art exhibit called “Out of Lockstep.”
I have always been adaptable and able to roll with life changes while finding the humor in absolutely everything. I feel just as comfortable DJing a wedding three hours outside of Sioux Falls as I did weaving through the underground art, music, and nightlife scene of the most densely populated city in the US.
The personal, communicative, and psychological aspect of design and marketing interests me deeply. I love gaining a deeper understanding of how people think and how to design in a way that resonates with them. I once persuaded some family members to book last-minute flights to Armenia for my brother’s wedding by designing an attractive webpage and invitations.
One guest at the lean startup phase of “Out of Lockstep” described it as “a rite of passage.” A fellow Startup founder at a seminar said it will “transgress but also build bridges.”
Jackson Crandall
My goal is simple: to make with devotion, originality, and drive. I want to create designs that don’t just catch the eye but also tell a tale, leaving a lasting impression and making an impact in a visually driven world.
Skyler Dohrenwend
A long time ago, when I was a kid, I grew up with kids’ media. Mainly, kids’ shows and movies are animated by hand-drawn animation and practical models. These franchises changed my life, for I have dedicated my school path and career to doing animation myself. I have gained experience in Adobe software and Maya to learn the ropes of being an animator. My favorite of these programs are Illustrator, After Effects, Premiere Pro, & Maya.
I have also taken an interest in drawing and painting, which I use as a relaxing hobby or for concept art, as well as old-fashioned hand-drawn animation. I have been drawing for years and took classes to improve my skills. As an artist, I learned that if you make a mistake, make it into something special, like turning an accidental white line in the sky into a bird. I want to tell compelling stories to kids while keeping them interested.
You have to see what the competition is doing to create something different, not identical. Not to mention, doing something you enjoy will work out better in the long run. This is important because many companies are trying way too hard to jump on the bandwagon of whatever current trend is going on over trying to stand out.
I plan to start my animation career soon and expand my creativity in the coming years. Growing up with kid media has taught me my passion for animation and storytelling. I am grateful for my role models’ support and guidance, and I hope to carry on their legacy by creating high-quality content for children. I am excited to see where this career path takes me, and I am committed to making a difference in the industry.
Remember to follow what you love to do to have a presence in others.
Lucas Krueger
Like many creators, I take inspiration from many different sources. From the late 00’s YouTube era, I found myself watching what would become the largest source of online video sharing, and I dreamed of channeling the same creativity that I saw others use. At that time, I seemed to watch everything from funny cat videos, to live-action skits using popular characters, or stop-motion shorts using Transformers figures as the actors. I was in awe of these early content creators, and it got me thinking about what I could do if I were to practice these same skills. Seeing some of my favorite characters brought to life through this unique form of animation gave me a dream – learn video production, especially stop-motion, so that I can create content to share with the world.
I began this journey properly in high school, where I started attending CTE classes, which were mainly focused on different aspects of digital media. This helped me learn the fundamentals of the art that I loved, and helped me to branch out into similar styles of storytelling, such as 3D modeling and animation. After my high school years were over, I looked to continue refining my skills at Southeast Tech, practicing my skills using the Adobe Creative Suite and Autodesk Maya. I know that the things I learned here will help me improve for years to come.
Outside of the classroom, I enjoy exploring new avenues in this world of digital media. Expanding the tools that I knew, I’ve begun creating digital avatars to be used in a virtual reality game called VRChat, and learning how to work with game development tools like Unity to make base models, alter textures, and create something new and exciting.
Angel Larson
I have completed a semester of graphic design at the USD Community College for Sioux Falls, an associate’s degree in marketing, an associate’s degree in business administration, and now an associate’s degree in media design technology. I am very happy that I decided to extend my marketing education to designing because that’s where my creativity really shines. I enjoy being able to bring ideas to life through the use of different technologies and mediums. I am passionate about planning, organizing, and executing effective designs. I love exploring the areas of storyboarding, filming, photography, photo/video editing, layout, typography, web design, and print production. I thrive when I can be part of a creative team that will challenge and enhance each other.
I have spent a year interning in marketing communications at North Central International. My role involves working closely with the marketing manager to perform the various tasks required for in-house marketing. I have gained experience creating ads for various mediums, creating flyers, creating signage, creating trade show banners and displays, performing market research, planning advertising campaigns, and coordinating various events. The internship has been very challenging but rewarding, and I have learned so much by taking on every new project that has come my way.
For fun, I have been taking adult beginner ballet classes once a week. I enjoy the ballet classes and that I am pushing myself to learn new things and go farther than I ever thought possible by going outside of my comfort zone. I also deeply enjoy drawing, coloring, and painting, where I can turn my inspirations into reality by envisioning my idea, planning the materials, researching, sketching, and then executing different techniques to achieve the results I desire.
Ethan Louwagie
I grew up in Clements, Minnesota, and went to school in Springfield. I’ve always loved nature, sports, and video games—interests that have stayed with me. In high school, while registering for classes, I picked “Digital Imaging” as a filler course with my friends. We had a fun teacher, and the class was enjoyable, but unlike my friends, I took it more seriously. I found myself excited to go to class every day, and eager to learn more.
One day, after I had signed up for the advanced course in my senior year, my teacher pulled me aside and asked if I had considered pursuing this as a career. Until then, I hadn’t thought about it as more than just a class, but that conversation stuck with me. By the end of my senior year, while still taking the class with my friends, I officially decided that graphic design was the field I wanted to pursue in college.
I enrolled at Southeast Technical College with a couple of high school friends, all starting in the Media Design Technology program. By the end of our first year, they had switched majors, but I remained committed. Compared to my friends, I had always taken it more seriously and saw it as more than just an interest—I saw a future in it.
I love using my creativity and skills to design logos, banners, ads, and more. My strengths lie in the digital aspects of design, and thanks to my high school experience, I already have a solid foundation in design software. Now, after further training, I have become proficient.
What started as a filler class has now become a passion and a career path. I’m excited to keep learning, improving my skills, and creating meaningful designs.
Abby Moore
Born and raised in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, I knew that I wanted to stay in my constantly evolving hometown. I chose Media Design at Southeast Tech because I was already familiar with the school from a family member going here, and it had opportunities I knew I wouldn’t get at other schools. I always knew I wanted to do something art-related because I have always been creating art my entire life. My confidence in my art began with something as simple as a coloring book contest when I was in elementary school. I’ve always been the artist in the family and among my friends. I realized that I wanted to turn my passion into a career when my high school graphic design teacher encouraged me to submit one of my assignments of a vector portrait of my late dog in a state-wide art competition and won an award for it. The same piece was also shown in a student gallery at Augustana College in Sioux Falls. I will always be grateful for these moments because it symbolizes the beginning of my journey in graphic design.
Other than art, I enjoy reading, music, and video games. All of these hobbies will always sneak their way into my art. My biggest goal is to design book and album covers. While listening to music or reading, somewhere in the back of my mind, I would imagine a new design for that cover. I never thought I could put these thoughts into action until I came to STE.
I’ve already learned so much in such a short amount of time, and I can’t wait to learn and create even more in the future.
Olivia Oetken
Someone once told me at work that they “really like my flair.” At first, I didn’t know how to feel about it, but their comment quickly grew on me. I think about it often, wondering what they saw in me when they said it.
I was always a little odd as a kid, but I don’t think that’s a bad thing! Growing up in a small town in Iowa and attending Catholic school, I often felt like the odd one out. I spent lots of time by myself, diving into my creative passions. I loved designing characters and creating stories and comics about them. Weekends at my grandparents’ house meant hours spent in the guest room, lost in my little world with a pencil and a notebook. As an only child, that world was mine alone, and it’s a place I still cherish.
My hobbies have changed as I’ve grown up, but I’ll always have my personal escape. These days, I’ve been loving crocheting and listening to music. Crocheting is fun, but I can’t focus in silence. With my AirPods in (always on noise-cancellation mode), it feels like I have the whole world to myself! Music is a constant in my life—whether it’s a five-minute trip to the laundry room or a two-hour design project, I’ve always got something playing. Last summer, I bought a CD player and started building a collection of my favorite albums…and some that I stole from my parents.
I’d like to think that everyone has their own “flair,” especially in a creative field like design. For me, it’s about adding my personality to my work. I’m very excited to share my designs and show my flair to everyone!
Erin Pazour
My home state is, of course, South Dakota. I was born, raised and homeschooled, on a farm near a small town called Pukwana. As a kid, I never really got into the girly types of activities one expects. Rather than playing dress-up or hosting tea parties, I was more interested in acting out fight scenes, playing dinosaurs and chasing frogs in the rain with my brothers.
From a young age, I was inspired by everything art and was constantly writing stories, drawing my own characters, and even made a few silly comic strips with my little brother. I went through many artistic phases and loved trying out new forms of creative expression. From drawing with colored pencils and crayons to creating things with pipe-cleaners. Growing up on a farm with my three brothers, taught me the value of hard work, perseverance, and working as a team.
Whether it be an artistic project or physical labor, I always put forward a hundred and ten percent. I’m always happy to help and even though I might mess up from time to time, I’m a fast learner and always looking to improve. As my dad once told me “It’s only a mistake if you don’t learn from it” That sentence has stuck with me and pushes me to never give up and always try my best no matter what.
I pride myself on being honest, and as a person who follows the policy of “say what I mean and mean what I say” my ability to get along with almost everyone I meet seems to come naturally. I have always been different from others, but that never bothered me, honestly, I found being called weird a compliment, because where is the fun in being normal?
Autumn Schreiber
Born in Minnesota, I moved to South Dakota with my family in 2012. My family has instilled the value of hard work. I was no stranger to helping my parents in the garden, around the house, and even stuccoing. Since I was fifteen, I’ve always balanced school and working part-time or full-time on breaks. In high school, I pushed myself to take college-level classes and scored college credits through CLEP, AP tests, and dual credit classes. When I’m not at school, I’m at work. I’ve worked at nursing homes and fast-food chains. Neither are glamorous but they have taught me integral skills such as customer service and resilience.
Through my years of work, I paid for my education with minimal loans. Not only do I bring my technical skills to the table, but I also bring my tenacity and drive. I always strive to complete tasks to the best of my ability, whether serving customers or designing a website. My passion drives me to accomplish all projects. I love coming up with creative solutions. I’ve never shied away from asking questions and gaining clarity. I always want to put my best foot forward and meet the needs of my clients.
In my free time, you can find me planning my next concert trip and seeking community. Music has always impacted me, and it inspires projects. I like taking my favorite lyrics and drafting up merch ideas or posters. I’ve been trying to foster more community. When I have time, I enjoy attending my local mutual aid group and AIGA meetings. I’m always open and seeking connection.
Tin Tran
Art is like an onion—it has layers. Art is more than just the surface. I am art.
Growing up, I never felt like I belonged anywhere. I was too weird for most people, but I eventually found my group. However, I never connected with any of my teachers. Many of them only talked about football, which I didn’t like. It wasn’t until my final two years that I found two teachers I could relate to—my photography and painting teachers. For once, I could bond with teachers over a shared interest. I felt like I belonged in that classroom. When I graduated, they gave me farewell gifts and cards that meant so much to me. It showed that they cared. That’s what I love about art—it makes you feel like you belong somewhere.
This sense of belonging led me to join STC. I first learned about the school during my freshman year on a field trip for an interior design class. It left an impression on me, one that lingered until I applied during my senior year. I always knew I would work in the art field somehow, and with STC, that dream could come true.
I don’t want to be pigeonholed in this field. I aspire to be a jack-of-all-trades with my designs. That’s why I intend to gain a solid understanding of all the programs Adobe offers. My classmates say they hate Dreamweaver, but they only hate what they don’t understand. I’m determined to master these programs and become the best I can be. My parents didn’t immigrate here for me to give up easily. I will never back down—I will be the best I can be.
Dannika Weelborg
Despite challenges with cystic fibrosis, my passion for media design fuels me to excel in this field of creativity. Every obstacle I encounter only strengthens my determination to push forward, refine my skills, and bring my artistic visions to life. I refuse to let my condition define my limits; instead, I channel my experiences into my work, allowing them to shape my perspective and enhance my creativity.
By embracing life to the fullest, I hope to inspire those around me, showing them that perseverance and passion can overcome even the most difficult circumstances. Living each day as if it could be my last allows me to experience things that I would usually say no to.
“Keep your eyes on the stars, and your feet on the ground.” – Theodore Roosevelt
His quote opened my eyes to how I see life. Living by this quote, has helped form my personality. When hardships come, I keep my faith strong and depend on it to get me through to the other side. When designing, it’s easy to get frustrated quickly. However, staying patient and kind is something I always strive to do. One of my best skills is caring about the humans around me. No matter who or the situation, my big heart seeps into every conversation.
With writing skills, design skills, people skills, and more, I am beyond ready to see what the future holds for me in the design field. The sky is limitless! Thinking about where I could be in a short amount of time makes me smile.
Kaylen Wieneke
“For what it’s worth: it’s never too late… to be whoever you want to be.” – F. Scott Fitzgerald.
This quote has inspired me to follow my true passions, even if the journey has not been straightforward. In 2019, I graduated high school and enrolled in South Dakota State University’s pharmacy program. Throughout college, I gradually noticed I was not passionate about what I was learning and dreaded becoming a pharmacist. In 2023, I finally realized that becoming a career in pharmacy was not for me, and I knew I needed to make a change before it was too late.
After graduating from SDSU with my bachelor’s degree in pharmaceutical sciences, I decided to take a leap of faith and follow my heart. Like many others in this field, creating art has always been my main passion. At first, I was scared to pursue a career in art because it did not have a set, clear path like the medical field. Growing up, people told me I would not be financially successful if I followed my true passion and pursued it as a career, so I stayed with the “safe” route.
In 2023, I enrolled at Southeast Technical College to study media design. The design program has been a better fit for me, and I enjoy learning and improving my skills. I am finally passionate about my work and love learning something new daily. I currently have an internship at PANTHER | Ad Arts and have been creating branding materials for the company. I love gaining real-world experience while I have been there. I am so thankful that I dared to pursue a different career I am passionate about. I want others to know it is never too late to start over and be who you want to be.
Abrianna Zuccaro
As the youngest of six kids raised by a single dad, growing up was difficult. I had to learn early on how to be independent and resourceful. With limited resources, I had to figure things out on my own and find ways to keep myself occupied. Much of my childhood was spent doing crafts with random items I found around the house or drawing on printer paper. What started as a simple way to pass the time turned into the spark for my love of creativity.
Heading into my senior year of high school, I had no idea what I wanted to pursue. I explored teaching, counseling, and even culinary school, but none of them felt like something I could see myself doing for the rest of my life. Then I discovered graphic design. It was exactly what I was looking for—something where there wasn’t just one right answer, like in math or science, but where I could be creative and challenge myself to do my best. I wanted to work in a field where I could continuously learn and grow, not just repeat the same tasks every day.
But more than that, I wanted a career that I could not only enjoy but also rely on for stability. Seeing how hard my dad worked every single day to provide for us made me realize how important it is to find a job that is both fulfilling and financially secure. I didn’t want to end up in a career where I dreaded going to work every day. Graphic design offers that balance. It allows me to be creative, think outside the box, and push myself while also giving me the stability to build the kind of future I want.
Chris Pieper
Ever since I was a little kid in Yankton, South Dakota, I have loved art. Whether I was driving down the road looking at billboards, watching television, or looking at a magazine, it caught my eye. I was involved with the arts while growing up, acting and behind-the-scenes work in theatre, singing in the choir, playing the violin in the orchestra, or drawing on a piece of paper.
Initially, I started my school career with an HVAC career; I felt like that wasn’t for me, and I wanted to do something else, but what? With a love for art, why not find a career where you can use art? I chose Southeast Tech because its graphics program was excellent. I already have a degree in digital media through them, but I want to expand on that and have decided to continue my education; I chose to continue with the Media Design program. Since I have been with Southeast Tech, I have gained insight into print design and got to see firsthand what it’s like working for a graphics company.
Since being in the media design program, I have gained experience in the Adobe Creative Suite programs. I learned how to edit photos, create motion graphics, and make magazine layouts.
Having a degree in both, I plan to find a career in which I can utilize them together. Having been from South Dakota, I plan to stay in the state and gain some experience in graphics with a company while being close to my family.
christopherpieper.com
Crystal Porraz Lopez
What is a passion? According to Google, passion is an intense desire or enthusiasm for something. When we refer to a passion, most of us think about something we love to do. Naturally, this thing we are passionate about influences our choice of degree post-high school, but what happens when you feel that you are not passionate about anything?
Growing up, I never felt I was necessarily passionate about anything. I excelled at math, science, English, chemistry, and most other subjects. It came easy to me, but I wasn’t passionate about them. I liked to draw, write songs, create music, and teach myself things, but when asked, “What do you want to go to college for,” my mind blanked. This was the case so much throughout middle and high school that I took a gap year after graduation in 2021. As the fall of 2022 approached, I was still trying to figure out what I was passionate enough about to pursue.
Attending the Media Design program was a spontaneous decision. If I loved music, drawing, and creating things, then media design was for me. At least, that’s what I thought. 2 years later, that thought turned out to be true.
My experience at Southeast Tech has taught me that a passion can be grown. Today, I am proud to say that I am passionate about design. As a graphic designer, I aim to continue challenging myself, create original content, and constantly learn new things. I embrace mistakes and believe that mistakes are an opportunity to grow and teach others. Through this principle, I have become versatile in my skills and am always up for a challenge.
crystalplopez.com
Will Roths
I am someone who rises to challenges. When I was born, I was three months premature, and everyone was unsure if I was going to live, but I pulled through and survived. Thinking back on it, that was a big part of what made me who I am. I always want to try something new, rise to the occasion, and help others. I do that by volunteering to assist those in need. I have helped at nonprofit organizations like the 211 Helpline Center and Feeding South Dakota, the Union Gospel Mission, and The Volunteers of America. I helped with a variety of tasks at each organization, but what I learned I liked doing most was working in media when I volunteered at The Union Gospel Mission; I worked with their marketing director, and most of our daily tasks consisted of creating posts for Facebook and Instagram and billboards about upcoming events and what the mission needed for donations. The best part about working there is that they showed they trusted me by letting me work on my own and that it would be finished on time; it also helped that the people I worked with also treated it like a mentorship and taught me some skills that related to working in social media which was very helpful to me. I was able to learn a great deal. Volunteering has helped me grow, and it is great knowing that my work was used to support others in need. It made me feel good, so I returned as much as possible to help.
willroths.com
Teagen VanderWal
For as long as I can remember, I have deeply loved the arts and creating. Since I was young, I’ve always enjoyed trying to recreate the things that I see into my own style. I would even draw on my desk and toys, which my parents weren’t pleased about, but they never tried to dampen my creativity.
However, I was always told that my art couldn’t be my career. By who, I’m not sure, but it was something I had come to terms with. So, I was never sure of what I wanted to do after high school graduation. I had a few ideas. Marine Biology is too expensive to travel. Psychology has too many years of school. In my high school senior year, I had to choose between a woodworking class and a web design class. I had no interest in woodworking, so I decided on web design and stepped into the world of HTML. My teacher, Mr. Burg, soon informed me that there are many creative career paths where I could put my skills to work.
I eventually settled on Media Design. The degree had so much more to it than I had previously assumed. My idea of graphic design was drawing on a computer or tablet, but when I entered college, I realized it was much more. And especially with our fast-evolving technologies, there are so many career paths available for graphic or media design. I eventually became proficient in Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign. I was unsure of my choice at first, but it soon became enjoyable, and I knew I had made the correct decision.
teagenvanderwal.com
Makayla Wickman
Growing up in Rock Valley, Iowa’s small, conservative town, gave me a unique perspective on life and creativity. With a population of less than 3,000 and a class of 50, I was always labeled “the musical one” or “the creative one.” I never considered myself artistic or creative because I always associated art with drawing; however, the older I’ve gotten, the more I’ve learned that art comes in many forms and is everywhere! Art for me started in fifth grade when I picked up the saxophone. I quickly fell in love with music, going on to play five different instruments by my Junior year. I was involved in anything and everything music-related, not only in school but outside as well. My band and choir teacher were huge inspirations for me growing up; however, through them, I learned that I did not want to do music as a career.
Art then came to me in photography. I started falling in love with photography at the age of 14. I took pictures of anything and everything; as time passed, I developed my style. I love creating unique scenes and capturing images that get people to talk. For example, I once covered a model in sand and glitter at a beach; this idea has won me multiple awards! It is through photography that I discovered I wanted to go into design. I was very nervous that I would not be good in this field simply because I could not draw.
However, proven for a third time, art is about more than just drawing. I love coming up with ideas and watching them come to life; that is as much art as anything else. I have learned so much about design, art, creativity, and myself through this career path. I can not wait to see where I go from here.
makaylawickman.com