Career Area: Graphic Designer

  • Nina Ita

    Nina Ita

    Alli Crandell  00:00

    My name is Alli Crandell, and we are talking with Nina J Ita, and she is a graphic design professional in South Carolina. And as we get started, could you just tell us your current career and where you’re from and where you’re currently living?

    Nina J Ita  00:14

    Sure, I’m a graphic designer at A&E Printing. That is my full-time job in Charleston, downtown Charleston. I grew up in Goose Creek, which is a suburb of Charleston. Everybody says they’re from Charleston, but it’s always like part of a – they’re not really from the city, and yeah, I grew up here. I still live in Goose Creek and went to college here, so just never left. But I love it; it’s a fun place.

    Alli Crandell  00:47

    That’s excellent. And so I know that you know graphic designer holds a lot of different, you know, like spaces. So what bucket? I know if you have had a chance to look through our Uncharted website, what bucket would you say that you’re in?

    Nina J Ita  01:00

    Um. Oh, probably. yeah. Just I’m really production designer a lot of the times just through the nature of my job, but quite often there’s some pretty fun creative jobs that come through where I get to start from the beginning. I’m really good at picking up where people have left off, or like somebody has started a brand guide, and then I just have to continue do a lot of researching. So like researching is real. Just seeing, you know, what have they done? Can I match the fonts? Can I match the colors for continuity? Their style, their design style. So it’s kind of different every day. I work for a medium-sized print shop in Charleston, so and I am the sole designer there. So I do a lot of file checking for people, their files that come in, and but I do a lot of design, mostly prepress too, and you get to see what people don’t know the technicalities, and it’s very important to know how to design for printing. But but yeah, I do a lot of everything. It just the date can differ. I can be doing a bunch of boring things, or I can be doing something hopefully that’s really cool that I get to do from start to finish. So that’s basically my job. Yeah.

    Alli Crandell  02:33

    yeah. And so I’m going to ask you to just kind of like revisit that a little bit, if you don’t mind, just because we talk with a bunch of middle schoolers and high schoolers, all who have no idea what you know a creative career set really looks like, and so when we say graphic designer, there isn’t like a strong like sense. So we have

    Nina J Ita  02:53

    this

    Alli Crandell  02:53

    kind of initiative that we’re calling One Career 60 Seconds, where I know where you describe your job to somebody who might not know anything about design or it’s like or what your work is, similar kind of to an elevator pitch. So would you like to give it a try?

    Nina J Ita  03:14

    Sure. Oh my gosh, I’m going to sound terrible at this. Okay, I’ll go. So basically, my job is I am given an objective of a message to send to somebody. Like there’s a sale. These are, or if it’s like a menu, this is what we are offering. So we have to match the personality of the business, the look that they have already presented, or sometimes we are creating a look that’s a brand for the company. So that includes colors, fonts, type styles. Are we left aligned, right aligned? Are we traditional? Are we a little bit, you know, more abstract, funky, you know, more feminine, more masculine in the middle, and designing a piece that can be usually for me printing printed. So there’s technical issues and a piece that the customer is happy with that conveys the message, and most importantly, that people can look at and understand because that is the whole point of graphic design. Graphic design should not hinder communication; it should make it flow. I always say, if you’re stopping and like, what in the world am I looking? I don’t even know where to start. It’s not in design. If you don’t notice it, it’s a good design is one of my things that I always tell people. That’s pretty much it.

    Alli Crandell  04:48

    Thank you. I want that on a T-shirt.

    Nina J Ita  04:50

    Yeah. Okay. I like to. Yeah. Yeah. I always tell people. I’m like, oh my gosh. Like you know, when people are stumbling like at a restaurant again. A menu, and they’re like, I don’t know where to start. It’s because there’s probably no hierarchy. It’s not organized well, and you know they’re just doing all kinds of things. Like they’ve got bullet points over here and a list over here, and you just don’t know where you’re going. There’s got to be a certain flow to things. So those are things that are important that you notice once you become a more seasoned designer, and you’re like, “Oh yeah. One of my favorite things at my job is to take apart what somebody’s done or try to do in programs that we won’t talk about, and put it back together in a better way. And that’s I always say like I’m just here to fix a problem, and usually the problem is either we don’t have something to design, so we need somebody to do it. Who knows what they’re doing? I tried and I failed. It’s not looking good. It’s not like what I want to look like, or it’s not printable. Can you make it printable? Doesn’t have bleeds, naked bleed, and all that kind of stuff. It’s missing the right bleed, so all this kind of fun stuff is basically a problem fixer, is what I. And so people

    Alli Crandell  06:12

    come to you kind of like in a panic, it sounds like. And

    Nina J Ita  06:16

    yes, yeah, and that’s in. So some of our business is just like straight printing, so people will provide files. They have their own designers, but there’s a lot of there’s a disparity between some designers who can make things look great versus they don’t know the technicalities of like you have to make the artboard the size, the final size. You have to add the bleeds. Like you can’t just plop it in the middle of a big artboard and then call it a day because printers, small printers or big printers, won’t take files like that. You have to have them a certain way. My boss always says design with the end in mind, and that’s one of the things. Not only your mission, but like your print specs, like I always ask in the beginning, like okay, what do they need so that I know, so I’m not doing anything, not having to you know work it back to fix a file later on. Yeah, but some people, I mean, I find it fortunate that this was my first job and well, real job and design was at a print shop. You learn all the technicalities, but then you also see what other people don’t know, and then you learn from their mistakes of what not to do, and then you also learn how to fix it.

    Alli Crandell  07:36

    And I mean, I find it really intriguing that like you’re from Goose Creek, and then you decided to stay in Charleston. So, like, yeah, what impact do you think that this, like, the peninsula and the Charleston region have had on your work?

    Nina J Ita  07:50

    It’s just, I was actually wanting to go to Clemson. I was expected to Clemson, but my mom was a little protective, and she wanted me to stay closer to home. So and Clemson has a great graphics program too. So I don’t even know if I would approach it because I was looking at computer science, honestly. And I did do that in at College of Charleston, but I could not. I was not hacking it, so I switched to business and found marketing. But yeah, it’s the you know the hospitality industry was huge. That was one of my first jobs. There’s a lot of great artists that came out of Charleston, and there’s just so much beauty around that. You know, I see water every day I drive to work, which is cool. It’s just a blip, and probably should be paying attention. But it’s over there, and it’s just nice, and I like being downtown. There’s like a different vibe. It’s changed a lot in the like I’m older, so it’s been 25 years since I started going to college. But yeah, it’s just as inspirational. There’s always something going on in Charleston. So, do

    Alli Crandell  08:59

    you ever encounter something like a project that you’ve worked on, like it’s since you’re.

    Nina J Ita  09:03

    I do all the time. Yes, I do all the time. I can drive up the street on King Street, and then I’m like, oh yeah, I did that. I did that sign. We did, you know, we worked on the lettering for that hotel or the window signage. So yeah, it’s kind of all over, honestly. Even like boring things like the you know real estate signs, you know like developers. I mean, it’s nothing big, but it’s like, hey, if it gets your your building sold or leased out, then then it’s effective. So yeah, that’s I’ve seen I’ve seen stuff, and you get to see

    Alli Crandell  09:42

    as you were saying like the design is communication. It feels just like you know you get to see the impact of what you do

    Nina J Ita  09:48

    exactly, and yes, for sure because I I try to you know educate people, you know like if I’m sending a proof for like a sight sign. And I don’t just send. I mean, I’ll send them the artwork, but I also put it in a mockup so that they say, “Okay, that’s what it’s going to look like from you know from the street. You know, or like people that are wanting to put QR codes on a sign that, and like there’s no space, and I’m like, they’re driving by, like they nobody is going to capture it at that speed. So maybe we don’t, and maybe we just make your name really big because people will have your name if they’re interested top of mind, and then they’re just going to Google it and then find you. So things like that are helpful for people and for me too because sometimes you just don’t understand the space until you mock it up and go, okay, yeah, that’ll work. So,

    Alli Crandell  10:43

    and so I was kind of curious, like with something that you said earlier. You know, it’s like we’re trying to like find. You know, it’s like if there was a moment of impact in your life, and you mentioned that like working within a print shop, like that your first kind of design job was in a print shop. You’re working in a print shop now. What was what was that? What impact did? And you kind of mentioned a little bit about the impact. Is that the biggest impact in your design career, or is there another moment?

    Nina J Ita  11:05

    That over the years, I as I, you know, freelance also it kind of has influenced that just education because you, I went to you know I went to school to learn how to use the back to school, rather, I tried in tech to learn how to use the program efficiently because I was like not doing it right. I was using Photoshop for no good reason, and just because that was all I had, and I was like, “What in the world is InDesign? Like, how this is insane! Like, I could not figure it out until somebody sat me down and learned it, but really, your real learning is in the real world in Google. And I mean, I you learn a lot of things in school. It’s important, I think, to go to school and learn. But really, when you’re out there and just kind of making a mistake or learning from, especially honestly, learning from other people’s mistakes has given me more of an education. Yeah, but like, thank goodness for Google. It’s just yeah, there’s so much that you can learn, and like, oh, I didn’t even know. In following, there’s started a tab on Instagram like Illustrator Tips, and it’s kind of just merged into Design Tips. And I’m like, oh, I didn’t know because it’s hard to keep up with all the new things that they’re adding, new features that they’re adding. So I’m like, oh, I’ll try to remember that that’s there. But I try and go through it every now and then, and then I’ve had to refer a couple times to some like new techniques, so the information’s out there. Is you just have to you know look for it and save it and hopefully remember it, but it’s out there. Yeah, I think

    Alli Crandell  12:52

    that that’s yeah. I mean, it’s it sounds like amazing, and it’s like in so many resources that are out there. And so, can I ask a little bit in terms of like, what made you make the decision to go back to Trident Tech to get familiar with the software programs?

    Nina J Ita  13:06

    Yeah, sure. Well, I was just getting frustrated without knowing because it’s really frustrating. I mean, there was like, was it lynda.com? I think that was, but I think you had to pay in the books. It was just kind of I don’t know. It was just frustrating for me to learn that way, and I just really wasn’t happy at my other job. It was it was fun. It was you know great benefits, but I wanted to do something. I always wanted to be a designer. I think, especially in when I was taking marketing courses and doing advertising, and I was like, “Oh man, that’d be cool! Like, you know, to come up with an idea. But I wasn’t like, I’m not an arty kid. I wasn’t drawing. I need to draw a little, but I was like mostly just. I remember drawing Fred Flintstone from scratch. I’m like, “Oh, pretty good. But it’s not. I wasn’t doodling everywhere. Nothing like that. But I did like things to look nice. I like things to look pretty. So, especially when I was we were doing the Asian Student Union, we were making those posters. You know, just oh my gosh, it was terrible. Like we would just photocopy them, you know, and just slap them all around. But I mean, it was something. But even then, I didn’t even realize I was, you know, doing the hierarchy of like big title, you know, like a subhead, and just I was like, I kind of had it ingrained somehow. I must have just picked it up from, you know, seeing signs elsewhere, but it was something I wanted to do. And I was like, I had taken like classes a little at a time, and the stumbling blocks in the beginning were like those beginning classes of like drawing and like color theory, because it was so it was. Pretty much foreign to me. It was as if I was taking like biology, in a way, and it was just we have to just get through it. And I’m glad I did. And then yeah, once we got into the nitty gritty of it, I was like, oh, this is cool. Like you know, this is oh that’s how you make shapes and Illustrator and you know the Bezier curve and all that. You know that stuff. I was like, “Oh my gosh, this is so challenging! And then mesh, gradient mesh. Yeah, I was like, “Oh my gosh, that was tough. And my eyes, you know, were dead after that. But I did it, and then I just had to go full steam to finish, and I had to quit my job because the upper level courses were during the day, and I was like, no way I could. They were pretty strict about time off, so I was like, okay. So I just saved money and did it, and I was like, I hope I can find a job, and and also like networking helped because I just happened to go there and be like, hey, I need a job, and I think I was there to print my portfolio showpieces at Annie, where I work now, and then yeah, and then they called me a couple months later and like, hey, somebody’s leaving, you know. So that was great, and I got hired, and then I’ve been there ever since. So it’s been a long time. So it worked out, thank goodness. I’m sure it would have worked out another way, but I’m glad this was the route that happened.

    Alli Crandell  16:24

    And I mean, I think that you just spoke so well to like, you know, it’s like that kind of like fear, right? To like jump in, and I mean, that must have been a huge decision for you to be like,

    Nina J Ita  16:34

    oh yeah, it was. Yeah, my dad was like, “Are you crazy? Like, you have a job? Like, and I don’t even know if he fully understands like what I do now, but I’m like, I’m okay. I’m you know I’m doing the job I have benefits. You know I’m I’m good. I’ve kept clean shop for you know over 13 years, but yeah. And it’s also I’m Filipino, so you know I’m my brother’s software engineer. You know my cousin’s a dentist. You know everybody’s like has you know like fancy careers, and I mean I love what I do. It really is fun. It’s kind of what I dreamed of when I was a kid. I didn’t know what I was going to do, but I just imagined myself kind of in a in front of a computer or sometimes you know, just taking stuff off, and every time like I put a folder up here, I have a proof folder, you know, so it’s out of my sight, but it’s done. I’m like, man, like I dreamed of this when I was a kid. It’s funny. I didn’t even know what I was dreaming of, but I was like, this is kind of what I wanted to do, so yeah,

    Alli Crandell  17:42

    powerful. Yeah, and I mean, and so you touch on this a little bit, but what does your family think of your career now?

    Nina J Ita  17:48

    Yeah, my brother thinks it’s cool. My, I mean, I’m sure I don’t know my dad. I mean, I’m just like, I guess I’m glad she has a job and she’s employed, but yeah, I mean, they think it’s cool. I mean, I’m, you know, I do things for them too, so I create stuff for them. So they, everybody’s like, “Hey, yeah, can you do this? But yeah, sure, it’s fun. So yeah, they like it. Yeah, I was just

    Alli Crandell  18:12

    thinking about because so many I we when we’ve talked with, you know, it’s like those emerging creatives that they may have that like a similar career where they’re like, I’m not entirely sure what I want to do, but I know that this is like my like exactly as you just said. This is my dream, and so I was just wondering if you had any like words of wisdom for how they translate that to their stakeholders, right? Like their people that are around them and supporting.

    Nina J Ita  18:35

    Sure. Yeah. I mean, just if if you’re happy, like see what what is their ultimate goal? I mean, I know your parents want you to be a doctor, a lawyer, and because it sounds good, but I mean, if you’re happy, you know you’re surviving, you’re paying your bills, you’ve got hopefully you know decent job benefits, and you’re just trying to make yourself better. Just be happy with that, and don’t compare yourself to other people because there’s always, you know, especially if you’re in a good place or be proud of what you’ve accomplished because there’s people who can’t or don’t or don’t want to push themselves. So you know, just do the best you can and be proud of where you are and always look to move forward.

    Alli Crandell  19:22

    And for folks that might be interested in joining the design profession, you know, it’s like maybe following your career. What what advice would you give them as they’re thinking about networking or places to think about? You know, it’s like in terms of looking for, like, just to get their foot in the door.

    Nina J Ita  19:38

    Gotcha. I would definitely, you know, if you’re in school, like talk to your professors and see, you know, who they know. I would, you know, I would recommend a print shop because you get so much hands-on information. You know, we’re not like a press that mixes the inks. And all that kind of stuff. We’re mostly digital. We’ve gotten into sign thing, sign shop, or sign. We do part of it signs, so we’ve learned like the large format latex printers and all that stuff. So that was a cool additional thing to learn. But yeah, even just see if you can intern somewhere and kind of get exposure. Don’t you know? Ask them like, can I just shadow the print production person and just learn about it? Because you’ll really see and start to understand. And I’m focusing on the technical aspect because it’s so important because it gives us a lot of headaches. You know, I mean, it’s either going to cost your client money, or you know, or take your time if they can’t do it properly. But it’s just so important. Like we can always, usually always fix it, but it’s just time and money that it’s going to cost. But you know, I would see what other organizations like you guys seem to have like a good thing going here. I wish we didn’t have anything like that at Tech. There used to be an advertising federation in Charleston. There’s a marketing association, American Marketing Association in Charleston, but it’s more toward like actual marketing, not design. I just went to a great conference, Creative South Conference, in Columbus, Georgia, last month, and they’ve been doing it for 15 years. And they have-it’s actually not very pricey if you want to recommend it to your students. The student rate is like really great, and it’s fun. It’s-it was-it was my first time going. I’ve been watching for a couple of years. The conferences are a great way to network and meet people, and especially if you’re young and ready and wanting to move, the people come from all over. So yeah, just get involved. You know, ask people because you never know. If I hadn’t told my boss like I was about to graduate and I’m be needing a job, do you know anybody? He wouldn’t have known that I was looking for a job. Two months later, I mean, he tried, and if I had a job, I would said no. But I was like, no, no, I don’t have a job. So thank goodness. Two months after I graduated, I got a job.

    Alli Crandell  22:22

    Excellent! You’ve given such amazing insights and advice just from everything from technicality.

    Nina J Ita  22:28

    Oh, good! I hope to help, buddy. Yes. Oh my gosh, the technical. Oh my god, I could go on forever, but yeah, it’s very important to know. Yeah, ask always ask when you’re sending a file to a printer. Do you have print specs? And I’m sure they do, or they will tell you this is what we need. And yeah, very important. Make everybody happy. Yeah, make it go smoothly. Yeah.

    Alli Crandell  22:55

    Well, thank you. Is there anything that I didn’t ask you that you wish I had asked you?

    Nina J Ita  23:00

    I don’t think so. Oh my gosh, I’ve spoken a long time already. I think I’m good.

    Alli Crandell  23:05

    Yeah. Oh, excellent. Well, thank you so much for talking, you know, like with us today, and like in sharing these amazing words of wisdom for like our. Oh, good. I

    Nina J Ita  23:13

    hope. Yeah. Yeah. Perfect. I hope I help. I hope you know you get some great designers out of your program, and yeah, it’s great. I love what you guys are doing.

    Alli Crandell  23:25

    Thank you so much, and thank you so much for all of your work in South Carolina and in Charleston, and so.

  • Nina J Ita

    Nina J Ita

    “Don’t wait for someone to give you a manual. Be the person who solves the problem.”

    Quick Facts

    Education: College of Charleston and Trident Technical College

    Years of Experience: 13+ Years

    About

    Nina J. Ita is a Senior Graphic Designer at A+E Printing in Charleston as well as a freelancer based in the Low Country of South Carolina, specializing in print design with over thirteen years of professional experience. By her own admission, she was never the kid who was constantly sketching in a notebook. Design found her through direct purpose and a willingness to raise her hand when no one else would. That combination became the foundation for a career built on solving problems. She describes her discovery as “the thrill of creating something from nothing was addictive.” 

    Her first real taste of design came in at the College of Charleston, where she and a group of friends founded the Asian American Student Union. With only MS Paint and Word at their disposal, they created poster campaigns and event programs for fashion shows featuring local Asian businesses and student work. With a formal background in Business and Marketing, Nina’s path into design is a classic case of the right place, at the right time, and a willingness to say yes. After college, she landed an internship that grew into an entry-level marketing role with a local restaurant group.

    Despite having a comfortable but routine corporate job where “the most fun I had all day was making my Excel spreadsheets look pretty. That’s when I knew I had to commit.” she took a leap of faith. She began taking night classes at Trident Technical College, saved every penny, quit her job, and completed a degree in Graphic Design. Two months after graduating, she landed a position at her present company, the printing press she had been a client of during her restaurant days.  

    As the sole graphic designer at A+E Printing, Nina’s days are defined by variety and velocity. She might open the morning with a menu update for a long-standing restaurant client, shift to a corporate business card order, then pivot entirely to a brand-new client with a detailed, multi-part design project and a tight deadline. She has developed what she calls “rapid context switching”, which is the ability to move fluidly between different brand voices and industries without losing the creative thread.  

    Most recently, she led a full brand refresh just in time for A+E’s 30th anniversary in 2026. She balances her own client relationships with her day-to-day internal marketing and design responsibilities, a skill which has kept her versatile and sharp. For emerging creatives, her advice is direct: lose the fear of doing it wrong. You just need the drive to solve problems and the courage to say, “I can help with that.” 

  • Gil Shuler 

    Gil Shuler 

    “I’ve always been an artist; I drew all the time.”

    Gil Shuler is a graphic designer and business owner in Charleston, South Carolina. He holds a Bachelor’s in Fine Arts with a concentration in Graphic Design from Western Carolina University. He has owned his design studio and company, Gil Shuler Graphic Design Inc., for over forty years and is known for his artwork of the “Palmetto Doves.”  

    About

    Gil Shuler was born and raised in Sumpter, South Carolina, where he started his art journey at an early age. From spontaneous art drawings to private art lessons and his early mastery of oil paintings, Shuler’s creative side was a driving force in his life. However, as he approached his junior year of high school, Shuler began to lose interest. Despite his deep-rooted passion for art, he focused on academic education. With two older siblings already in college and after an intensive search, Shuler attended Anderson Junior College, but he was still unsure exactly what his career path would be.  

    “I was there for two years, and after the second year of basically partying, I was like, I need to do something,” said Shuler.  Shuler found his “something” when speaking with one of his art professors at Anderson, who introduced him to the field of graphic design. From there, Shuler attended Western Carolina University, where he received his degree in Graphic Design. Later, Shuler created his design studio and company, Gil Shuler Graphic Design Inc., In the early days of his career, Shuler took on jobs with individuals and small businesses, such as posters for a theater company where he first met his wife. Since then, Shuler began to grow his business and was able to recruit larger clients. 

    Shuler’s typical workday is anything but typical. He sets his own pace with multiple jobs, working from a punchlist throughout the day. This flexibility allows him to engage in other activities such as reading and fishing, but also to create work for himself and the Charleston community. One of his notable projects is the “Palmetto Doves,” a project he crafted to honor the nine victims of the 2015 Emmanuel Baptist Church shooting in Charleston, South Carolina. 

    From Shuler’s experience in running his own business and establishing his career as a graphic designer, he offers advice to up-and-coming creatives who are interested in entering the graphic designer career path and working within companies.  “Be flexible, listen. Don’t talk, listen, then execute,” said Shuler. 

  • Tori Hord

    Tori Hord

    “The more you push yourself out of your comfort zone and out of the box you’re used to, the more confident you get.” 

    Tori Hord is an Associate Professor of Graphic Design at Methodist University in Fayetteville, N.C. She grew up in Loris, S.C., and earned her bachelors in graphic design at Coastal Carolina University. She continued her graphic design with a  Master of Graphic Design M.G.D. at North Carolina State University.  

    Interview

    Transcript

    Tori Hord

    My name is Tori Hord. I am from Loris, South Carolina, so very close to Coastal [Carolina University], like 30-ish minutes. And I currently teach graphic design at Methodist University in Fayetteville, North Carolina.

    Emma Plutnicki

    So how long have you been working there?

    Tori Hord

    Seven years.

    Emma Plutnicki

    Wow. Amazing. And your official job title, would that just be graphic design teacher?

    Tori Hord

    Associate Professor of Graphic Design.

    Emma Plutnicki

    Amazing. So how did you get into that? How did you find that job? And how did you just end up in that field overall?

    Tori Hord

    That’s an interesting, so I started when I started Coastal. I went to undergrad there, I started as a biology major. About a semester or two semesters in, I decided to switch my major to graphic design without telling any of my family and made them all have a small heart attack when they found out.

    Emma Plutnicki

    Oh my gosh.

    Tori Hord

    But it’s always something that I’ve loved. So it was a really good change for me. And from there, I just, I was just very passionate about it. And when I graduated, I got a job in the field. And I worked there for a couple years and then decided that I wanted to pursue my masters in graphic design. So I went and got a masters in graphic design from NC State. And then when I graduated from NC State, there were, y’know, lots of applying to jobs, and I landed here in Fayetteville at Methodist University.

    Emma Plutnicki

    Amazing. So what made you switch from biology to graphic arts? Was it more hating biology? Or was it more a passion for graphic arts?

    Tori Hord

    It was more passion for sure. Always loved it growing up, but just never considered or thought of it as a turning something I loved into the career. And once I figured out that I could do that, I was like, “Absolutely. Let’s do this.”

    Emma Plutnicki

    Yeah. More fun, probably. So can you walk us through a typical work day? Like, what’s expected of you, what your work process looks like, what kind of things you work on?

    Tori Hord

    Yes, absolutely. So for me, I think being, teaching design and being a professor, you kind of get the best of both worlds. So my initial attraction to teaching it, you know, other than just loving the subject and wanting to share more was that it has a great schedule. You have time for, you know, it’s a great work life balance for the most part. And that also gives you lots of time to continue to work in the field, which I was adamant about not stopping, I didn’t want to stop my design career to teach, I wanted something that would allow me to do both. And that’s what the shop does, which I love it, you get a great schedule, you get a, you know, it’s a steady, it’s not like you’re freelancing all the time, it’s a steady income. Day to day, it depends on what classes I have offered, but I teach anywhere from two to three, like studio length classes a day. So I’m in the art building, in the studio, working with students. And then when I’m not teaching I’m in my office, you know, doing housekeeping things and preparing and also working on my own work.

    Tori Hord

    Amazing. So the classes that you teach, are those different levels of graphic designer, or do they have specialties within them?

    Tori Hord

    Yes, I teach at all levels. So I teach the freshmen their first semester, on up to the seniors in their last semester. And everything in between. So I see a little bit of all of them all the time.

    Emma Plutnicki

    Yeah, that’s great. So can you describe a defining moment in your, like, creative journey so far? So maybe it’s a specific project that really showcased your creativity or had a significant impact on you?

    Tori Hord

    The one, this is ironic, but the one that really comes to mind as being most memorable for me was actually at Coastal at the Athenaeum Press.

    Emma Plutnicki

    Oh, really?

    Tori Hord

    Yes, we worked on the Gullah Geechee project. And there was, we traveled out to these different places and took photographs and did interviews and then the project itself won an Addy Award at the end. So it was kind of like a, a quintessential moment for me. I was like, “this is actually going to work. This is neat. We’re getting recognition for work that me and my friends have, you know, kind of poured our hearts into.” So that was a big moment for me.

    Emma Plutnicki

    Yeah, I’ve seen that work. It was great. So I’m sure that was a really fun time to work on. So do you think this career path is challenging? What challenges have you faced and how have you been able to kind of overcome those challenges? Because being in a creative career as a whole is pretty challenging, but how have you kind of worked through this?

    Tori Hord

    It is, I would say it was challenging. And it’s um, it’s like with anything you do, the more you do it, the more you push yourself out of your comfort zone and out of the box that you’re used to, the more confident you get in it. I do remember my first year teaching anything, I was terrified, right? I’m standing up in front of this group of people. And you’re suddenly faced with like, “I know nothing,” right? “I am not qualified to do this, I should not be here. Why did these people give me a job.” But the more you do it, you realize, “okay, I’m equipped, I have the knowledge, I’ve done the education, I have a passion for it.” So for me, it really was just making sure I was getting out of my comfort zone, and putting in the effort… and it was fantastic. But the more I was in those classrooms with the students and got to know them, and saw their excitement for it, everything just came together.

    Emma Plutnicki

    Yeah, that’s amazing. So within your specific field, can you think of any skills that you possess that helped you land that role, or any skills that you think an applicant should have to increase their chances of getting that role? I know, like you’re in teaching, so is there any like connection with teaching that you had to help you or was your skill in graphic design, like the driving force to lead you to teaching, or just in general, like any skills that helped you?

    Tori Hord

    Obviously, to be able to teach art or graphic design or anything, you have to have a certain level of knowledge, but especially for art design, you also have to have a certain level of skill, right, you have to be able to get to that point. So a portfolio is still a big part of this job, even though it’s not a, the focus is not necessarily all design, you know, work all the time, you still have to have a great portfolio, you still have to make sure that you’re paying attention to the detail, because it matters when getting these roles. And I think the other part of it is, is communication, being able to talk about what you want from that job, but also be able to talk about your work in ways that ties it in to people that might not necessarily be in your field. Which is a great skill for designers have anyway, because there’s lots of contact with people outside of the art world. So being able to communicate those ideas and your thoughts and passions to those people is really important, too.

    Emma Plutnicki

    Yeah. It’s a very important skill. And so, you studied in South Carolina, and now working in North Carolina. Are there any like organizations or programs or events that you recommend for people who are trying to get into that field? Is there any like conferences you went to that helped you network to figure out, like, gain more connections within the creative world or anything like that in the area?

    Tori Hord

    Yeah, I’m a big supporter of AIGA [the Professional Association for Design] I’ve been a member of AIGA since I was an undergrad, and continued that. But more so than that, I found a lot of helpful was these kind of like open houses for different schools. So when I was pursuing my master’s or thinking about going to get my graduate degree, I looked into these different kind of open houses, kind of meet and greets. And I met a lot of really great people and lots of great networking opportunities just from doing that. And that had no ties to it. You didn’t have to, no commitments, you’re just kind of going and exploring and learning about what your options are.

    Emma Plutnicki

    That makes sense. So AIGA, you said?

    Tori Hord

    Yes.

    Emma Plutnicki

    What does that stand for, do you know?

    Tori Hord

    American Institute of Graphic Arts.

    Emma Plutnicki

    Okay, awesome. I’m sure a lot of people know that. I didn’t know. That’s amazing.

    Tori Hord

    The chapter here is in Raleigh, the closest one. But a lot of universities have like local student chapters. I know Coastal used to have one, whenever I was there. And we have one here. It’s just a great opportunity for professionals and students to kind of connect.

    Emma Plutnicki

    Yeah, that’s amazing. So great. Thanks for saying all this. This is such an interesting field. I’m sure you have fun with it every day. But just as we wrap up, do you have any advice for current college students or just people who are looking to get into these fields in creative professions?

    Tori Hord

    Follow what you’re passionate in. That was a big thing for me. So I went along with, like I said, the biology doing what I thought I was supposed to do, and what, you know, everyone was like, “Oh, you’d be great, at you know, XYZ, you’d be a great doctor, you’d be great at this.” And in the back of my mind, there was always something like, “Maybe but I don’t know that I want it.” And just listening to that little voice, and you know, going after what you do want, regardless of what other people might think which, I mean is, you know, life anyway right?

    Emma Plutnicki

    Yeah. No, that’s great advice. I definitely need to listen to that too.

  • Marius Valdes

    Marius Valdes

    “Everyone’s got their own journey, and you have to find your way. I would never discourage anyone from a journey in the applied arts or the creative arts if they have the drive and the will to do it. Because that’s the biggest part of it: just being disciplined.”

    Marius Valdes is an artist, illustrator, and professor of Studio Art teaching graphic design and illustration at the University of South Carolina. Valdes received his BFA in graphic design from the University of Georgia (UGA) and his MFA in visual communication from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). Valdes is originally from Charleston and lives in Columbia.

    About

    “Being a professional creative is not for the weak of heart,” said Valdes. “You need to be patient and persistent.” He recalled the first time, as a college student, that he told his father he wanted to major in art. “I remember driving with my dad and telling him, ‘I think I’m going to be an art major.’ I was waiting for him to say, ‘What are you thinking?!’ but he just said to me, ‘Well, if you do something that you love, you’ll never really work.’ And I feel like that. I do work, but I work on things I care about. And that, to me, is one of the most important things.”  

    Valdes didn’t set out to be a university professor. After graduating from the University of Georgia (UGA), he worked as a graphic designer for several years and allowed his creativity to determine his next step. 

    “I was exploring illustration and enjoying it more than graphic design. I wasn’t very good about talking about my work, and I thought grad school would help with that, as well as allowing me to refocus my work and make myself more marketable,” said Valdes. Valdes earned a scholarship for his MFA at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), and part of that scholarship included teaching a class.  

    “I just loved it,” said Valdes. “I found that even though some of the students were in some ways more talented than I was, I knew more than them because I’d been doing it as a professional, and I really enjoyed it.”  

    In addition to teaching, Valdes works as an artist creating work for area organizations. “The past couple years I’ve been working with the Medical University of South Carolina children’s hospitals,” said Valdes. “I created some murals for them, created some kids’ activities books for therapists to use, and that’s been the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done. One day, a man I work with came up and said, ‘My kid is obsessed with your frog mural. It’s made a real difference.’ So it’s sad because seeing that mural means you have a sick kid, but it’s also rewarding to know it had an impact.”  

  • Tori Hord

    Tori Hord

    “The more you push yourself out of your comfort zone and out of the box you’re used to, the more confident you get.” 

    Tori Hord is an Associate Professor of Graphic Design at Methodist University in Fayetteville, N.C. She grew up in Loris, S.C., and earned her bachelors in graphic design at Coastal Carolina University. She continued her graphic design with a  Master of Graphic Design M.G.D. at North Carolina State University.  

    About

    Tori Hord’s path to graphic design was not always clear. She began her studies at Coastal Carolina University as a biology major with thoughts of pursuing a medical career, her family remarked that she would make an excellent doctor. After a couple of semesters, she changed majors without telling anyone, giving them “small heart attacks” when they found out.  

    Upon switching to graphic design, she went all in, joining the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) and working at The Athenaeum Press, Coastal’s student-driven publishing lab. Specifically, she worked on the Gullah: The Voice of an Island with the Athenaeum Press and recalls the joy and excitement of getting recognition for work that she and her friends poured their hearts into — work for which they earned an national American Advertising Award, or ADDY. 

    Working as a professor is a career path that has allowed Hord to pursue the “best of both worlds.” She enjoys sharing her graphic design expertise with college students as she continues cultivating her own artistic skill. “I didn’t want to stop my design career to allow me to teach,” Hord said, so she leads two to three studio classes per day while carving out time to focus on her own projects as a freelance designer and consultant. 

    Professor Hord encourages other aspiring graphic designers to join professional groups like AIGA (American Institute for Graphic Arts) and to get some pre-professional experience. Her essential advice for college students is, “Listen to that little voice and go after what you do want, regardless of what other people might think.” 

  • Lauren Rose

    Lauren Rose

    “Let your ego go and be willing to learn.”

    Lauren Rose is a publication designer and the Design Editor at North State Media in Raleigh, NC. With roots in student journalism, she now brings clarity and creativity to print layouts in a fast-paced newsroom environment. 

    About

    Lauren Rose’s love of design began with school projects and scrapbooks, but it took off in the newsroom. As art director for The Chanticleer, the student newspaper at Coastal Carolina University, she found herself juggling creativity with tight deadlines skills she now uses daily as Design Editor at The North State Journal. 

    Based in Raleigh, NC, Rose handles the design of a weekly print newspaper. Her Sundays are devoted to page layout and collaboration with editors, while the rest of the week focuses on refining and preparing content. “The design changes constantly between issues, and I love that.” 

    Though her career evolved organically, Rose credits her growth to patience and openness. “Let your ego go and be willing to learn,” she advises. She views design not just as an art, but as a way of organizing information to serve the reader. 

    Rose encourages other creatives to take chances, embrace mistakes, and explore different media before settling on a path. For her, the magic of design is in the details and the opportunity to keep learning every week. 

  • Lex Stress

    Lex Stress

    “Once you’re in tech, there’s room to grow.” 

    Lex Stress is the Principal Graphic Designer at Ellucian, a tech company specializing in software for higher education. From Charleston, SC, Stress brings creativity and strategy to every project whether for clients, internal teams, or freelance ventures. 

    About

    Lex Stress didn’t plan to work in tech, but after spotting the Blackbaud headquarters on a daily drive, they decided to apply. That bold move opened the door to a thriving career in design for the tech world. 

    Today, as Principal Graphic Designer at Ellucian, Stress leads visual direction across digital platforms, email campaigns, and social media. A graduate of Coastal Carolina University, they credit their education for building a solid foundation but it was curiosity, networking, and real-world practice that propelled them forward. 

    Stress enjoys the dynamic pace of tech and its flexibility. “Once you’re in tech, there’s room to grow,” they say. Their role allows them to blend strategy with creativity, and they also freelance on the side to keep their skills fresh. 

    They encourage aspiring designers to explore the business side of creative work, and not to underestimate the value of a strong portfolio and clear communication. Their advice? Keep evolving. Keep making. And always be ready to take the next leap.

  • Robert Taylor

    Robert Taylor

    “Growth happens outside of your comfort zone.”

    Robert Taylor is a graphic designer for RallyUp, a tech platform supporting nonprofit fundraising. With over a decade of experience, he blends technical skill with emotional storytelling to design brands and campaigns that inspire. 

    About

    After ten years working in Coastal Carolina University’s student accounts office, Robert Taylor made the leap into full-time design. He started in advertising handling quick-turn print and social media projects before discovering his passion for deeper brand work. 

    Now with RallyUp, Taylor works remotely on design projects that support nonprofits and charitable campaigns. He loves the combination of design and mission-driven storytelling. “It’s more than just making something look good it has to connect,” he says. 

    Taylor has worked in both agency and corporate settings, including a stint at WE*DO Worldwide in Asheville, NC, where he dove into full-scale web development and branding. He believes every role taught him something essential especially the value of stepping into the unknown. “Growth happens outside of your comfort zone,” he says. 

    Taylor encourages other creatives to take chances and chase the work that aligns with their values. He still looks back on his early work to see how far he’s come. It’s a reminder that design is a lifelong craft and every project is part of the journey. 

  • Lauren Rose

    Lauren Rose

    “Let your ego go and be willing to learn.”

    Lauren Rose is a publication designer and the Design Editor at North State Media in Raleigh, NC. With roots in student journalism, she now brings clarity and creativity to print layouts in a fast-paced newsroom environment. 

    Interview

    Transcript

    Lauren Rose   

    My name is Lauren Rose. Currently I am a publication designer, and I’m from Longs, South Carolina. I’m right outside Loris, a small unincorporated area. So I usually say Loris so people know. 

    Emma Plutnicki   

    And you’re, you’re from there? Or are you currently working there? 

    Lauren Rose   

    Oh, yeah, yeah. So yep, I was born and raised in that area and lived there until I was 22. And then I got, I graduated college and got my job. Pretty much three months out of college, I was very lucky and just moved to Raleigh, North Carolina. So I’m just up the state a little bit ahead, or above. But yeah. 

    Emma Plutnicki   

    Okay, so what exactly do you do for work? What’s your official title? And how long have you been working there? 

    Lauren Rose   

    So my official title today is Design Editor. I am basically in charge of all the design at a publishing company in North Carolina, North State Media, I’ve worked with them for, oof, 2016. So going on eight years, actually, March 1 will be eight years, I joined. So when I started, it was just one newspaper, I joined from the second issue. And I’ve been on every single issue since. Now, we have grown from one newspaper to seven newspapers. We do a statewide paper, and then we do local county papers. So when I was hired, I was just hired as a graphic designer, one of a few people, just putting words on the page. And since then, it has evolved into being in charge of the design and the direction of that for the paper. So it’s been, it’s been a lot, a lot of growth, but I’m very grateful for where I’m at right now. 

    Emma Plutnicki   

    Yeah. So you started as a graphic designer. How did you end up in that field? And how did you end up with your job now and kind of transition from graphic designer to now? 

    Lauren Rose   

    Yeah, so the field, it really started in high school, funny enough. I’ve always been into art. And even before high school, like as a kid, like, I love the art sets and just being creative. And going into high school, I was introduced to graphic design, digital photography, and for me that, like, it really combined my artistic side with, I also am a more analytical person. I like numbers, you know, very logic based. So graphic design to me was like a perfect mix. It was important to me if I was going to pursue this as a career that I do have some element of passion in it, I want to enjoy it. So through high school, I would do little, like, side gigs for people, flyers and all that. And then going into school, I didn’t really know what type of design I wanted to do. You know, there’s publication, there’s logo, branding, all of that. I think it was just kind of a series of events, I ended up applying to be the art director of the Chanticleer [the school newspaper]. And I was the art director for a year and a half. I was very proud. It really solidified my love of design, but then, newspaper, which is very interesting, because we think of paper newspapers, very dated and dying, like print instead. But it’s just, it’s been very interesting working in the industry, and just kind of, just kind of a series of events happened. And I happened to enjoy the journey along the way. 

    Emma Plutnicki   

    Yeah, I love that. So right now, what does your typical workday look like? What’s expected of you? What do you work on on a daily basis? What’s kind of your process? 

    Lauren Rose   

    So this is, this is gonna be fun to talk about, because my work week is not a typical nine to five at all. A lot of creative careers will probably, some won’t be like that, you know, I’m sure there are plenty of design firms with a nine to five, but a lot of my like, co workers and my peers, they’re up at all hours of the night. They work, they don’t work during the week, and then they work on the weekend, you know. So right now we’re weekly, we publish weekly. So the majority of my work happens Sunday through Tuesday on any given week. So I’ve really learned to be like flexible and it’s difficult to describe because it is so like fast pace, kind of like so during the week it, like, slows down and then I’ll do like your basic housekeeping, make new templates, maybe explore new design ideas. And then once Sunday hits, and I do work on the weekend, which is fine, but just on Sunday, but around Sunday is when I start getting all the content and the writers get their stuff in, the photographers get their stuff in. So I need to start formulating how I’m gonna lay this paper out. I, along with being the designer, I also work very closely with editors. They appreciate my input not only artistically, but with an editorial work, the design is as important as the content a lot of times so. So yeah, it is, it’s kind of like, it’s hard to describe, because it’s just so up and down. But we get it done every week somehow. And I think a lot of people can relate in this industry. 

    Emma Plutnicki   

    Yeah. On a specific project that you worked on, that you were like extremely passionate about, or like a defining moment in your creative journey, it could be a specific project that had a significant impact on you, or just something that really showcased your creativity? 

    Lauren Rose   

    So, probably when I was at Coastal [Carolina University], my favorite part about Coastal’s design department was the freedom you had. Like, of course, they had projects and guidelines, but they really encouraged you to do what you want, like, take this theory and make it work for you. So I did a few projects there that I was super proud of with the Athenaeum Press. I worked on Gullah: The Voice of an Island. I was very, very excited to work on that. We went to St. Helena, I did photography, I did some web design, even though it’s not necessarily my forte now, but very, very proud of that one. And I’m still good friends with Jen and Alli, and I see all the updates. And it just makes me happy to kind of see that as just kind of still existing. But that’s the one I tell everyone about I think kind of both in my professional career and just my colleagues, I always bring that up because it was like my first big project, but also one I had a lot of passion for. So. 

    Emma Plutnicki   

    I love that. Just in general, do you find your career challenging? How do you kind of bridge the challenges that you face, especially in a creative career? 

    Lauren Rose   

    Yes. I think in any career where you are engaged and growing, it’s going to be challenging at points. And I think that’s how I get through those challenging points. I really try to frame it as, you know, this isn’t a problem. This isn’t a struggle. It’s a way to test myself and adapt myself. I’m going to use last year as an example. We probably doubled company size last year alone, and we went from a small company to a midsize one. And that doesn’t sound like a lot. But you know, when you’re in a small startup, it’s changes. And there were some times last year I was like, “I’m quitting, I’m living in the woods. I’m not doing this, like it’s done, I’m done.” And, you know, what really just pushed me through was, let’s be realistic, we have bills, we have bills to pay, but again, like coming out with more knowledge. And I told myself today, like, if I had to redo it, I would be able to do it 10 times better, I would, I would have a better system. So the challenges aren’t there to keep you down. I kind of look at it as a way to grow. And I know that might sound a little cliche, but it is so applicable. And I find myself like thinking about these cliches that I’ve heard and I’m like, “You know what, they’re cliches, they’re for a reason, you know, like, they’re applicable. So. 

    Emma Plutnicki   

    Yeah. And in your work, are there any specific skills that you have that you find particularly important to have? Or can you recommend any special skills that someone applying for a job should have in their kind of toolbox to increase their chances of landing a field, er, landing a role in a creative field? 

    Lauren Rose   

    I think one of the biggest things that you can showcase to make yourself solidify your part at a company or within your coworkers, is going to be adaptability. Definitely being adaptable, and being open to different perceptions of things, especially in a creative field because you’re going to meet with clients who you’re like, “This is, my design, professors would kill me if they saw, like, what these people want,” you know, but you’re, it’s kind of like, that adaptability, that overcoming those challenges and letting them help you grow. And just being kind of, letting the ego go, like go into a job, willing to learn, willing to mess up and know that like you’re not being judged. I think more employers and co-workers appreciate someone who can say, “Yeah, you know what, I’m wrong. You’re right. Let’s go this direction.” And then, you know, you learn something along the way. 

    Lauren Rose   

    A few weeks ago, I had, I was designing an ad for an advertiser, and they were being very, very specific with their instructions. And it almost felt overbearing, and you know, I let myself, I was getting frustrated. I was like, oh, like, “design it yourself, blah, blah” in my head. And at the end of it, all their suggestions looked great and I was like, “You know what? They were right,” you know. I, learned something today, and I can implement it now. So, a lot of just being humble, kind of. 

    Emma Plutnicki   

    Yeah, that makes sense. 

    Lauren Rose   

    And I guess that’s more of a soft skill. I mean, obviously, you want to have technical skills, but I think that’s maybe not so much a skill, but a mindset also. 

    Emma Plutnicki   

    Yeah. And so you grew up in South Carolina, but you are now in North Carolina. Do you have any, like local organizations, programs or events that are either in South Carolina or North Carolina that have kind of helped you grow, either network or just helped inform you about creative fields? 

    Lauren Rose   

    This one was very specific to me. My high school art teacher, of course, you know. She was kind of my first line, to finding out about these things, being aware of these things, even knowing to look for these things. And just the fact that, you know, as my teacher, she was so accessible. And, you know, when she found out how passionate I was about things, and how serious I was about art, and pursuing it, like, you know, that gave her a directive to help me and, you know, really utilizing people and counselors at my high school. So that was probably my first way in. I definitely also entered a few small like little county fairs just to kind of get experience getting work out there, and just networking. And honestly, also in high school, I won the congressional art award for my district. And so my art like was in Washington DC for a while. And I just think little things like that helped, obviously, kind of get my name, get some stuff behind my name, but also, like, helped me realize, like, “Yeah, I’m an artist,” like people are looking at my work. 

    Lauren Rose   

    So there’s really not like one organization I can suggest. I think I would honestly suggest, especially in today’s age, it’s so different, because like, you can go on Facebook and Google or search like anything, and there’s groups for anything. So some of my advice might be a little outdated, but I just think like, the importance of kind of starting small, and not like shooting for the biggest, like the country wide competition, do your county, you know, do little things and, and then expose yourself. And then yeah, I think it’s all about growth. 

    Emma Plutnicki   

    Yeah, yeah, that makes sense. And so, just as we wrap up, do you have any advice for someone who is looking to break into a field, whether it’s a current college student or high school student who’s looking to get into a creative field, any advice? 

    Lauren Rose   

    It’s so hard, because there’s so many different types of creative fields. So I think if I had to just, like, generally approach it, I would just say, you know, you know, it is a job, it’s a means to an end, but you need to have some passionate about it, and you need to be interested in it. And you also need to think about, do I want to do this every day for 50 years? Like, is this something like, you know, there’s a lot of factors to that and it’s very individualized.