The annual Professional Portfolio Symposium – part of Understanding the Visual 2 – brought Foundations students and alumni together for a trade show of professionals, with students gaining insights into life after MIAD.
The evening featured numerous working professionals and Keynote Speaker Natalie Schraufnagel.
Alum Schraufnagel, an industrial designer and design strategist at Briggs & Stratton, received a Gold IDEA Award in 2007, and recently completed her Master’s Degree in Product Design and Development Management from Northwestern University.
During her keynote, Schraufnagel detailed overcoming challenges to land a job because of her thesis project, “I never gave up. I got my dream job right out of school. How often does that happen?”
She also gave insights into life as a sought-after industrial designer, her journey to complete her master’s degree and reaching out for help when she needed it. “There’s no shame in not doing it on your own. It’s called collaboration. MIAD is here for you.”
Throughout the event, students engaged and met with 20 professionals in various art and design fields and careers. Current juniors and seniors were also on hand to discuss internships, including how they found their internship, what they have learned, and how the experience has benefited their MIAD education and professional goals.
Alumni professionals included:
- Chelsea Atwell ’10 – Graphic Designer/Art Director/Paper Artist, GMR Marketing
- Arthur Talayko and Ben Husnick – Industrial Designers, Good Land Studio
- Jeremy Shamrowicz – Designer, Founder, Flux Design
- Nate Pyper – Organizer “Designers Talking,” Graphic Designer, Milwaukee Art Museum
- Shane Walsh – Painter, Educator, UW-Milwaukee
The Professional Portfolio Symposium was Thursday, February 19, 7:30 p.m. on MIAD’s Fourth Floor.
Image: Natalie Schraufnagel
