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.
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.
Faculty
Rick Warkenthien | Instructor – Media Design Technology
Tony Conrad | Instructor – Media Design Technology
Patrick Frentz | Instructor – Digital Media Productions
Judd Albrecht | Adjunct Instructor – Digital Media Productions
CONTACT
Portfolio Show 2026
©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.
Allie Huber
Growing up in Sioux Falls, SD, I never felt like I had a solid group of friends. From making friends in elementary school to everyone leaving for a different school in middle school and high school, it was always a hard adjustment for me to find my group.
During high school, I discovered my passion for cheerleading, which served as an outlet for me to make friends and have a group of girls I could rely on, while also being creative in coming up with cheers for the team. After high school, all I wanted to do was cheer. People would ask me, “What are you going to college for?” and I always told them, “Cheerleading.” After graduation, I attended the University of South Dakota in Vermillion as a member of the cheer team. I once again fell into this hole of not having my group of people around me anymore, not knowing what my future looked like, and realized that I could not be a cheerleader forever. Eventually, I realized that my heart belonged to Sioux Falls. However, I did not leave cheerleading forever. I found a place back in my high school, but as a cheerleading coach.
When I discovered Southeast Technical College and its Media Design and Marketing program, I knew that this was the path I wanted to pursue. I grew up designing everything I could for family events. Leaving the cheer world was hard, but I found my footing at Southeast, and I thrive on designing anything graphic or for the web. When I sit down and open my computer to design, I experience a sense of peace and feel as though I have discovered my community.
Raigan Johnson
Figuring out who I wanted to be when I grew up was always the question I never answered. It was always I don’t know yet or some silly little thing that never truly existed. One day, my cousin’s husband asked me that question, and finally, an answer came out: “Graphic design artist”. After all these years of my mother telling me I needed to do something in the creative field, I started to investigate it. Now here I am at Southeast Tech learning more about it every single day.
After my cousin’s husband heard me say graphic design, he offered to sit in with Epicosity for a day and even join in on a meeting and give my own input. Leaving Epicosity that day, I knew I just had to go through with this dream.
The creative journey began with drawing and painting from my youth until now. Then went to high school and started in a graphic design class. At the time, I started to have doubts, but my teacher pushed me and got me to stay and work. We made all our designs for a mini comic con at the school. You were able to buy our designs and take them home. For my senior year, I had a few filler classes that I needed, and they had made an advanced graphic design class, so, of course, I had to sign up for it. That year, we focused on doing designs for the school, like navigation signs that would eventually be put up in Jefferson, and little things for some teachers. It really gave me a feel of what working with clients would be like.
Looking ahead, I am eager for more opportunities that will allow me to further develop my skills and deepen my involvement within the design industry.
Ellie Keierleber
As a child, I was always captivated by wonder and creativity. I devoured books as soon as I could read, whisking myself away to fairytale lands, where I lived and breathed the stories. I created realities with my sisters, running around our property, battling villains with sticks, and struggling to survive the “harsh elements” in our handmade forts. I brought my imagination to life with brush strokes on canvas, pencils, crayons, and markers. Colors, light, and words on a page held me in their grip, and so I strived to recreate what I saw.
I was beyond ecstatic to have the opportunity to publish an original poem in 2023, titled “Sprinkles,” fanning the fire in my soul to create. It was then that I knew I was meant to follow my heart and pursue a career in design so I would never have to stop creating. Through my designs, I can tell the stories of brands I partner with and companies I work for. I create narratives and uphold the identities of people and products. Through my designs, I have the power to write the script.
Every design has a story – where the concept originated from, how the elements weave together. There is a story behind the hands that created it, and their personal experiences influence how the designer perceives it. My past experiences fuel my drive for creativity. From a young age, I have worked to develop my own stories and worlds, often to escape but always to build upon my reality. Growing up, I learned my imagination was my only limit, and I live by that belief.
Ally Radke-Kiesz
As the eldest daughter, I have always felt the pressure to learn and do as much as I can, as quickly as I can. I was quick to jump into advanced placement and dual-credit courses, as well as varsity extracurriculars. Although I excelled in these areas in high school, I found myself burnt out by the time I was off to college.
My first college experience was at North Dakota State University, where I completed 2 years of my Interior Design bachelor’s degree. However, the burnout from high school had finally caught up to me. While I enjoyed being an RA, a member of the marching band, and a friend to many at NDSU, I realized I was not content with pursuing Interior Design as a career. This realization led me to decide to take a gap year and reconsider my professional path.
During this year off, I worked on rebuilding myself: I maintained a full-time job, started new hobbies, and reconnected with old friends. Some of the memories I created are ones I will carry with me for the rest of my life. Around this time, my sister was a high school senior touring colleges. I tagged along to see if I felt ready to return to school and to consider possible next steps for my own career. When I toured STC, I felt drawn to the school and the media design technology program. That sense of connection became my sign that it was time to try something new.
As Billy Joel says in Vienna: “Slow down, you’re doin’ fine; you can’t be everything you wanna be before your time.” Trusting the process helped me rediscover my passion and find a new direction. Taking things one step at a time, I’m ready to embrace the opportunities ahead of me.
Nataliya Shkinder
Ever since taking my first graphic design course during my sophomore year of high school, I knew I had found something I was meant to pursue. At the time, I was confident in my abilities, encouraged by positive feedback from teachers and friends. Looking back now, my early work shows me how much I’ve grown, and how much more there is to learn.
That curiosity and passion led me to intern at Fox Print during my senior year of high school. There, I gained hands-on experience with real-world tools and workflows, improved my ability to communicate with a design team, and learned to adapt my designs based on feedback. These experiences developed my problem-solving skills and introduced me to the realities of design in a professional environment.
“He has made everything beautiful in its time.” – Ecclesiastes 3:11
This verse guides my design approach: creativity unfolds over time. Each project requires patience and intention, and I strive for work that reflects control and growth while learning from each experience.
My attention to detail can sometimes feel overwhelming, but it has become one of my greatest strengths. It pushes me to refine, rethink, and elevate my work. Over the years, I have created designs for my church, friends, and personal projects, using my skills to contribute in meaningful ways.
From logo design to photography, I continue to develop as a versatile and thoughtful designer. With each project, I refine my skills and move closer to the designer I aspire to become.
Caleb Smith
Figuring out exactly what I wanted to do with my future was always a struggle for me. Straight out of high school, I felt the pressure of “needing” to attend a four-year school to be successful, and so I did. I attended USD for graphic design, but quickly found myself struggling through my gen eds of math and science courses. I was extremely unhappy, and I quickly realized this was not the route for me. I dropped out of school and moved back home for a few years until I could get back onto my feet.
Growing up, I often excelled in any kind of art class you could imagine, Painting, Drawing, 3-D Design, you name it. I felt creatively fulfilled when expressing my creativity through design and felt like it was my calling to pursue Graphic Design.
This passion led me to Southeast Tech, where I have significantly strengthened my skills as a designer. By gaining a better understanding of design principles, developing attention to detail, and receiving hands-on instruction from my teachers, I have laid a solid foundation for my success.
Building on these skills, I take inspiration from the media I consume, especially music. I often construct designs based on song lyrics, album covers, tour posters, and vinyl record layouts. Part of my love for music comes from how artists make listeners feel something through their words, and I enjoy translating these emotional experiences into visual form.
I’m looking forward to seeing what comes next for me after graduation. I feel confident knowing that I now have the knowledge and experience I need to begin shaping the future I want for myself.
Aaron Tarelo
Every detail is significant. These are the words that I’ve lived by even before starting my graphic design journey. As a curator of vintage goods and antiques, I know that every particular element holds its own importance; I’ve brought that attention to detail to my work as a graphic designer with communities and businesses such as Second Saturday Market, STC Veterans Club, Green Dream Screen Printing, Urban Archeology, and PBT. I revel in the creative process and love to surround myself with those who collaborate and push boundaries.
As a first-generation college student, I owe all the opportunities I receive to my parents. Those cultural roots, admiration for music, and my deep love for antiques profoundly influenced my creative path. The combination of these passions led me to study Media Design Technology at Southeast Technical College in Sioux Falls, SD. In this city, I discovered a thriving community of visionaries who share a passion for creating. Out of this love, I created one of my favorite projects to date: ARDOR magazine. I decided to highlight a few people who make Sioux Falls so special. Incorporated in the magazine are my advertising and layout designs, as well as my creative writing and photography. I strive to learn and be better than I was the day prior, which can be seen throughout the evolution of my work from the past 2 years.
Apphia Deckert
For as long as I can remember, I’ve always had an interest in art, film, and the digital world. Because of this, I have consistently spent my free time creating whatever comes to my mind. Whether that be making pottery, painting with my dad, filming iMovies with my cousins, short stop motion animations, and editing videos for church/personal entertainment.
When I was twelve, a New Zealand camera crew showed up on my doorstep and asked my family and I if we wanted to be featured in a Super Bowl commercial for Jeep. Seeing all the behind-the-scenes cameras and equipment in action was so intriguing to me, which sparked my film interest. Despite the flashy set up, what I never forgot was the director, whose name was Mark Toia. He had believed he would never make a career in film until his first gig, which barely paid anything. While it seemed little at the time, he realized he could make it if he tried hard enough. I had never been so motivated to “just try”
By my senior year of high school, I decided to pursue Digital Media for my education and future career after attending a film and worldview dual credit class. My teacher was so encouraging, and he made film exciting for all his students especially myself. Another inspiration that led me to seriously considering this field was visiting Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia and their film program. In fact, I was so inspired that I ended up attending for a year. Ultimately, I transferred to Southeast Technical College but continued in Digital Media Production Technology.
I have also always had an interest in national and global current events. Last spring, I was offered a position at Keloland News as a production assistant, where I am still currently employed. I am incredibly grateful for that opportunity to gain real world experience in my interest of field. While I am unsure about my life after college, I am open to trying different jobs and moving around to gain knowledge and insight. But eventually my goals and interests are to have a career in video editing, whether that be for a company project, news related, social media marketing, or for commercials.
Em Houtman
My name is Em Houtman, and from a young age, I have been drawn to all forms of art, from traditional media to digital creation. As soon as I was able, I immersed myself in painting, drawing, sculpting, and experimenting with nearly every physical medium available to me. Art has always been more than a hobby — it has been a constant in my life.
During my teenage years, my interests began to shift toward digital media. I started by drawing on my phone with my fingers before eventually advancing to an LCD tablet that my mom gifted me. That gift became a turning point. Around the same time, I was inspired by online content creators who produced art for YouTube — a platform I was also exploring. Although my videos did not yet meet the standards I had envisioned for myself, the experience fueled my desire to improve.
When my mom passed away, I stepped away from creating art. Losing the person who had supported and encouraged my growth left me feeling unmotivated and disconnected from the creative process. Drawing, sculpting, and crafting felt hollow without her encouragement behind me.
Eventually, with the support of my best friend, I found my way back to creating. I started again with physical drawings, then returned to digital work, experimenting with original character designs and rediscovering the joy that comes from building something from nothing. Through that process, I realized how deeply I missed creating and how essential it is to who I am.
Wanting to expand my skills further, I enrolled in the program at Southeast Tech to explore additional forms of digital media. During my time at STC, I have developed skills in video editing, 3D modeling, and animation. Each of these areas has strengthened my understanding of storytelling through visual media.
My long-term goal is to work in the film industry, contributing through editing, asset creation, and animation. Ultimately, I aspire to direct an art department for a feature film — combining technical skill, creativity, and leadership to help bring compelling stories to life.
Donnabella Ivkovic
My interest in digital art began long before I officially studied it. Growing up, I was always filming my family at events and experimenting with free editing apps on my iPad. Filming and creating small “movies” of the life around me became a natural way to document moments and tell stories, even before I understood it as an artistic practice.
In high school, I began asking my teachers if I could present projects as videos instead of traditional posters. In both my Psychology and History classes, I consistently presented my work through video, combining motion imagery, video clips, text, vectors, and music. After graduating, I was surprised to learn from former classmates that my projects were still being shown as examples in those classes. That early encouragement helped shape my confidence as a digital creator.
Today, my work continues to focus primarily on video editing and camera-based media, with an increasing emphasis on photography and videography. Through my studies, I have gained a deeper understanding of how media can be both visually engaging and thoughtfully structured, even mathematical in nature. I have expanded my technical skills by learning professional software at STC, which has allowed me to refine my workflow and creative approach.
I have developed a particular confidence in food and product photography, where I focus on transforming carefully captured images into effective advertisements. Intentional lighting, strong composition, and close attention to detail play a critical role in this process. I value visual storytelling, whether that story is conveyed through motion, a single photograph, or a complete advertising concept. My work ranges across serious, humorous, emotional, and whimsical tones.
As I continue developing as a digital artist, my goal is to strengthen my skills in video and photography while creating work that feels purposeful, polished, and professional.
Ajdin Mesan
Like most kids, I grew up not knowing what I wanted to do when I got older; all that seemed to interest me was computers and technology. This lasted until high school, when one of my classes showed me how a career in digital media is full of different career opportunities, and inspired me to dig deeper.
When I started attending classes at Southeast Tech, I still wasn’t sure if I had picked the right major to pursue, until I had begun work on my first few projects. At that point, I started to really understand what was going on and knew that I had found the right program to get into. My instructors helped guide me in areas like animation, photography, and videography, and helped me transform into the artist that I am today. They were my toughest critics, for sure, but the critiques that they offered were taken as advice for me to use to improve.
As I finish wrapping up my time at Southeast Tech, I’m continuing to brush up on all the skills that I’ve learned over the last two years. After graduation, I’m hoping to find my place into job fields like animation, videography, or any area related to design, as I’m open to growing with any opportunity that comes my way. From there, I plan to take my experience in the workplace and continue my education into a more targeted Bachelor’s degree program, where I can further my education and find my way into a lifelong career.
Ethan Michael
Throughout my early life in Texas, I’ve found that I’ve always had a bit of a knack for making entertainment. I would often record short videos around the house with my mom’s phone, essentially making short movies for myself. I would also take time to enjoy the content that I was able to find by independent creators. Even after my move to South Dakota in 2013, I would often daydream about creating some of my own animations one day and started exploring the medium using apps like FlipaClip and ABCya animator. A few years later, I explored another animation tool, Source Filmmaker, the world of 3D animation was opened up to me, and I’ve been fascinated ever since. More recently, I’ve used more industry-standard 3D animation tools like Blender and Autodesk Maya, giving me a well-rounded toolset.
That early love for entertaining others, both as an artistic expression and for making others happy, led me to begin creating as a YouTuber. I was making content for all sorts of things that I believed I was good at, and found that 3D animation was my main drive. Despite this, through my schooling at Southeast Tech, I was able to expand my skillset and refine not only my 3D work, but in many art mediums using industry-standard software.
I want to be flexible with my skills, and I’m proud to say that I can be. It’s safe to say that I’m ready to do what it takes to bring entertainment and information to life. I believe that I was able to find what I enjoy doing, and it shouldn’t be treated as a purpose, but as a gift – a gift that can be shared with the world to make a difference and bring smiles to others, all while inspiring others to do the same.
Brianna Morvant
When I was little, that movie was a big motivation in my life to keep going even when things get tough. It was one of many movies that cemented my love of art and my desire to pursue it as a career throughout my life. From animated movies, to the animations I would find on the internet, my love for art would only grow over the years.
Many jobs crossed my mind over the years, but art has always been at the forefront of my mind when it came to what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.Many see going to school in the current environment as a one-way ticket to expansive debt, and I almost chose not to go through with it, but with some convincing and the fact that I have been saving since I started working in middle school, I am proud to say that, other than my last semester I have remained mostly debt free. And with that motivation, I have moved through my college career with gusto. Some of the roads have been rocky, but I’ve pushed through and overcome the many challenges that myself and my classmates have had to face.
I’m looking for internships and jobs that will build a more extensive portfolio and get the experience most jobs require while learning more about the field I put so much thought, time, and resources into. While I have some things I need to improve on, once something clicks for me, I’ve found that I can take that skill to heights I wouldn’t have thought possible for myself. I have always had a vivid imagination that I use to coordinate my ideas. It has allowed me to create things I am very proud of.
Okami Portillo-Monge
I’ve always had a fascination with digital media- how sounds are produced, how a simple image can elicit a world of emotions within you, how games are designed, how the universe of social media has become so important to us. While I have always loved drawing, animation, and cartoons, It wasn’t until my freshmen year of high school that I had realized that this is what I want to do. I want people to feel through my art as so many artists have done for me. I want to make my thoughts and dreams a powerful, visceral reality.
Horror has always fascinated my mind. I have been watching horror movies, reading horror genres, and playing horror games since I was young. While there may be a few questions to be asked about why an eight-year-old me was obsessively consuming horror media, it was a genre that I enjoyed back then and continue to enjoy to this day. My art has reflected my love for the unsettling for the last six years, leading to one of my dream goals being to direct and film a horror movie of my own. I want my art to, “Disturb the comforted, and comfort the disturbed.” as the saying goes.
With my horror-themed style, I’ve found a love for photography, film, and multimedia editing. Photography in particular has been a blessing, allowing me to explore and capture both candid and staged moments in time. It captures all the wonders of life, and I find it so beautiful and terrifying at times. I tend to lean into creating a feeling of unease or suspense. As it is what I feel while observing my work: anxiety. That these gorgeous, so utterly human moments, are- at the same time- so scarily fragile.
Desiree Schenkel
I was always a bit different – growing up in a small town with a population of just over 400 people, where I stood out. I didn’t share interests with my peers, but I was able to discover an entire community of artists and creators online. I was inspired by them to post my art and animations online, and ended up creating a YouTube channel in 2015, where I still post to this day.
That sense of feeling lost wasn’t limited only to my social life, as I suffered from depression and anxiety for the majority of my life. Creating has always helped me to overcome that and put me in a calmer state of mind. I loved making things – whether it be writing stories, making characters, or various other crafts – because I was able to express myself. It’s helped me through some of my hardest times, and even though it started as a hobby, I came to realize that it’s what I wanted to do.
In my senior year of high school, when everyone was talking about college, I remember sitting there, not really sure on how to take this passion and turn it into something greater, but after my friend talked about going to STC, I decided to take a look, and saw the Digital Media Production program, and I knew it was right for me.
Despite the low points in life, I will never give up. I will always continue creating and learning. Outside of classes, I’m constantly creating drawings on paper and concepts in my head. Being different has been a blessing; it has shown me the beauty of creating, and I’m excited to see where this career path takes me.
Austin Solberg
Where does one find intelligent and creative design? And where does one find inspiration? The answer? Inspiration is all around and within us. There is beauty in the symmetry and asymmetry of life and man’s creation. The crashing waves of gray-blue on the beige sands of my Northwest homeland, to the verdant green that stands out from the searing deserts of Death Valley, and the waves of dull green that flow in the windy flatlands of the Lone Star and Mount Rushmore States. The path to success is much like the beauty of nature – It’s never in a straight line.
Before I got into the arts, I had many thoughts I didn’t fully have the words to articulate. Those first art and creative writing classes in high school really opened my eyes to the fact that art is a language all its own. Something that transcends the tongues of man. And with each project I take, I ask myself a question, sometimes aloud, but always in the back of my mind. Is there a new way to get my thoughts out of my head this time? How can I use them to tell a new story?
I understand the competitive nature of the industry, and plan to start my career as a freelancer for those who need it. This will allow me to further build both my reputation and my portfolio through personal work and commissioned projects from my employers. My long-term goal? I want my stories to spread, and I want people to hear my tales, or better yet, see them. I want them to feel what I feel someday and to find those stories worthy of sharing with others.
Keaton Sundstrom
Life involves a lot of change, even more so for a pastor’s kid (that’s me). I was born and spent my young days in Casper, Wyoming, and after bouncing around a couple of times in the eastern US, I ended up in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. This is where my formative years took place and where an interest in the world of media was born. A now mentor of mine saw this budding interest and introduced me to video editing, and my passion grew from there. When I graduated from high school, I still had no idea of what I wanted to do, but I chose the one thing that was both a suitable career path and something that I was passionate about; for me, that was the Digital Media Production program at Southeast Tech.
Since then, my drive and skills have only grown. During my time studying, I’ve become familiar with software like Premiere Pro, After Effects, and have had introductions to Maya and Illustrator. While my main passion lies in video editing, I have enjoyed branching into other areas of the industry and becoming familiar with the terminology and methodology of my fellow creators.
Now that this time is coming to a close, I hope to find a job in media in or around the Sioux Falls area. This would allow me to stay close to home and continue to be involved in the tech and media crew at my dad’s church. Ultimately, I want to invest in my future as much as possible after graduating and set myself up for all future successes. Wherever I end up, I hope that my career allows my mind to continue to visualize beautiful things and to use the skills I’ve learned to bring them into existence.
Ezri Unser
Ever since I was young, I have always shown interest in animation and creative works. I remember that first spark when I was first truly introduced to animation itself. Ever since then, I have learned more about the process and dug deeper into the career. The more I found out about it, the more I wanted to do it myself. Ever since deciding this path, I have wanted to share that spark of inspiration with others, maybe even helping them create a spark of their own, or even helping them with the dreams they create from their spark.
Whenever I watch a scene in a movie or even a show, I can connect with the character’s emotions just from the sound and animation alone. I can sense how much effort went into these works to make the characters feel so real and alive, and I want to be able to create them to tell compelling stories. Diving deeper into this, I want to be able to accomplish things that will have others see my work and appreciate the little details put into it.
One of my main goals is to create my own animated series. Being able to bring characters and creations to life, adding small details that would really polish the whole thing, to just make it seem more alive. I want to be able to build and create these worlds to tell others the stories I have. I want to be able to make others feel certain emotions towards specific scenes through just the characters’ expressions alone. I have seen others put effort into their own work with their own talents, and I have seen the appreciation others give when they witness such talents.
I want to help others find their inspiration in this field or to help them with their dreams. I want to help others who are scared of going into this field due to its requirements and hard work, or to even just help them get that first initial spark.
Kira Zuiderhof
I’ve always had a vivid imagination (for better or for worse, at times). I could feel things just by imagining a story, everything appearing perfectly clear in my head to the point where I could disappear into it. Some of my earliest memories are of a younger me surrounded by my stuffed animals. I made stories with them, went on adventures with them, had specific roles for each one, and even included my friends when we hung out. So I’ve had an affinity for all kinds of creative mediums my entire life, though the medium itself has evolved over the years.
In my final years of elementary school, I went through a really rough patch. Multiple years I struggled to keep up with the world, until eventually I was diagnosed with Anxiety. During those years, my love for music and for creating became my escape. I drew my favorite characters, created my own, and began building a world for them to live in. Creating worlds like these gave me comfort during a time when it felt like life was leaving me behind. I learned to draw with more detail, what made a design appealing, and most importantly, how to push through challenges that I came across to get a better result. As I’ve grown, I’ve continued to develop and hone these skills, and I’ve learned to use that to better manage my anxieties and do things I never thought I’d be able to do.
My biggest driving factor is connecting with people. I enjoy making people happy with the work I create; but more than that, I always want to make people feel seen. That’s something I strive to achieve in the things I create and the way I interact with the people around me. I’m really looking forward to pursuing a career in these things and seeing what I will create in the future.