Discuss your general career path since graduating from UT.
After graduation, I became a Product Designer at a local non-profit startup oriented around helping kids learn about STEM and pursue entrepreneurial interests. I then started working at IBM as a UX Engineer (designer and front-end developer) on IBM Cloud. I have been working at IBM for over 3 years and am now a Team Lead and Design Thinking Coach in addition to my design work. Outside of work, I pursue my own multimedia art and web projects, and occasionally freelance.
How did your BDP experience influence your career path and interests?
My BDP experience had a huge impact on my career path. At the time I joined my BDP, there was no major that taught or certified the expertise I needed for my career goals. Digital Arts & Media taught the specific things I needed to succeed in my desired career. I also moved into the Advertising program, and I later completed a Computer Science certificate. Between those 3 programs I was able to “build my own degree” for a digital design and front-end development career.
What do you value most about your BDP experience?
I most value the support I had from my BDP mentors and professors. They were able to show me that the career path I wanted was achievable. Their advice and guidance was crucial in my understanding of what careers existed in this field and what skills were needed to pursue them.
In what ways did an interdisciplinary education prepare you for what you are currently doing?
The majority of my work is interdisciplinary, just as design is a highly interdisciplinary field. I don’t think I would have been able to do the work I do without an education with that approach.