Hear straight from our graduates.
Shillington teachers offer their support far beyond the program. They’re such role models in their skills but also their desire to create an inclusive and exciting community for designers.
Freelance Graphic Designer
Wyatt Welles
Wyatt Welles studied at Shillington New York
What were you up to prior to Shillington?
Before Shillington, I was working for an Off-Broadway theater company and school. I originally moved to New York to pursue a career in theater production. During my two years doing so I wound up designing a lot of posters and promotional assets for the company I worked for, as well as friends in the business. Naturally, this helped me realize my full passion and potential for graphic design.
Did you have any previous design experience? What motivated you to enroll in a part-time course?
There’s a saying that goes something along the lines of “whatever you do to procrastinate should be the thing you get paid for.” Obviously, I’m oversimplifying this quote otherwise I should be paid a ridiculous amount for watching Gilmore Girls reruns but the sentiment remains! I found that I was constantly tinkering with illustrator and InDesign instead of focusing on my professional theater goals and Shillington was the gesture that allowed me to take my graphic design skills seriously. I was really excited to push myself as a designer, but I didn’t want to choose between theater and design, and thanks to the part-time program, I didn’t have to.
Did you make any meaningful connections with teachers or students while studying at Shillington?
Absolutely! Shillington teachers offer their support far beyond the program and I still reach out to them for design advice. They’re such role models in their skills but also their desire to create an inclusive and exciting community for designers. With my class, it really felt like a little community and after graduating I’m still very close with two classmates who are my sounding board whenever I get stuck on a project. We almost started a studio together, actually! Unfortunately, I moved cross country before we could make it happen and we still debate it often. Who knows, maybe one day…
If you could give one piece of advice to someone starting at Shillington, what would it be?
I would tell them that Shillington is only about 70% of what will make you hireable to companies. The other 30% is the work you do on your own time. I think it’s imperative that you go to museums, surf design blogs and try exercises for yourself. Shillington does a great job teaching the programs, design theory and giving exciting briefs, but they can’t teach you what your taste is. The most hireable designers are the ones who know the design landscape and the role they play in it.
Check out Wyatt’s interview on the blog and keep up to date with his projects on Instagram.
Shillington teachers offer their support far beyond the program. They’re such role models in their skills but also their desire to create an inclusive and exciting community for designers.
Freelance Graphic Designer
Wyatt Welles
Wyatt Welles studied at Shillington New York
What were you up to prior to Shillington?
Before Shillington, I was working for an Off-Broadway theater company and school. I originally moved to New York to pursue a career in theater production. During my two years doing so I wound up designing a lot of posters and promotional assets for the company I worked for, as well as friends in the business. Naturally, this helped me realize my full passion and potential for graphic design.
Did you have any previous design experience? What motivated you to enroll in a part-time course?
There’s a saying that goes something along the lines of “whatever you do to procrastinate should be the thing you get paid for.” Obviously, I’m oversimplifying this quote otherwise I should be paid a ridiculous amount for watching Gilmore Girls reruns but the sentiment remains! I found that I was constantly tinkering with illustrator and InDesign instead of focusing on my professional theater goals and Shillington was the gesture that allowed me to take my graphic design skills seriously. I was really excited to push myself as a designer, but I didn’t want to choose between theater and design, and thanks to the part-time program, I didn’t have to.
Did you make any meaningful connections with teachers or students while studying at Shillington?
Absolutely! Shillington teachers offer their support far beyond the program and I still reach out to them for design advice. They’re such role models in their skills but also their desire to create an inclusive and exciting community for designers. With my class, it really felt like a little community and after graduating I’m still very close with two classmates who are my sounding board whenever I get stuck on a project. We almost started a studio together, actually! Unfortunately, I moved cross country before we could make it happen and we still debate it often. Who knows, maybe one day…
If you could give one piece of advice to someone starting at Shillington, what would it be?
I would tell them that Shillington is only about 70% of what will make you hireable to companies. The other 30% is the work you do on your own time. I think it’s imperative that you go to museums, surf design blogs and try exercises for yourself. Shillington does a great job teaching the programs, design theory and giving exciting briefs, but they can’t teach you what your taste is. The most hireable designers are the ones who know the design landscape and the role they play in it.
Check out Wyatt’s interview on the blog and keep up to date with his projects on Instagram.
Becky Dore
Designer at OnThree
Ana Perez
Founder of Anecdota Studio
Shireen Roy
Freelance Graphic Designer
Daniele Regan
Founder of Danibydsgn
Jeremy Somers
Founder and Creative Director of We Are Handsome
Darsh Seneviratne
Designer at Canva
Ximena Jimenez
Web Designer at Blackmagic Design
Karina Aslikyan
Freelance Graphic Designer
Lauren Stevens
Freelance Graphic Designer/ Junior Designer at NRMA
Ayesha Mansour
Freelance Designer, Aah Yes Studio
Georgia Latham
Intern at Imagist
Mary Lin
Graphic Designer, Colette Werden
Sophie Bo Schmidt
Senior UX Consultant at PeakXD
Ben Thaler
Junior Designer at Common
Liam Speranza
Associate Design Manager at Tushy
Natalie Taylor
Designer, Mobkoi
Oyinkan Karunwi
Founder at Aseda Design Agency
Elizabeth Diffey
Freelance Graphic Designer, Spotify
Julia Hoolahan
Art Director, Home Beautiful
Rory Knibbs
Designer, The Midnight Club
Stephanie Halovanic
Creative Producer, &Walsh
Eman Abdallah
Graphic & Experience Designer, KAIRO
Mark Osmond
Designer, Thumbs Up!
Araki Koman
Freelance Illustrator and Designer
Veronica Humphris
Digital Designer, Mapway
Benjamin Ngooi
Graphic Designer, Cox Architecture
Khadijah Adbul Nabi
Freelance Graphic Designer
Ella Donald & Charlotte Carnegie Brown
Co-Founders, Studio Duzi
Jamie Krups
Creative at Stab Magazine
Megan Dweck
Visual Designer, McKinsey & Company
Miwako Suzuki
Integrated Creative Director
Eleanor Robertson
Designer, Paul Belford Ltd
Kylie Meller
Founder, duosista Web and Graphic Design
Babeth Olde Hanter
Junior Art Director, SOV
Ashley Ronning
Illustrator and Founder of Helio Press
Anara Davletaliyeva
UX Designer and Developer, Appliances Online
Amy Sheehan
Art Director, Insider Inc.
Alexis Waller
Design Director, R/GA
Arnold Omanyo
UX/UI Designer, Digital on Demand
Kelly Hansen
Graphic Designer, Amazon Books
Pooja Dharia
Branding Designer, FCB Health
Stephen Grace
Designer, Christopher Doyle & Co.
Bea Sambalido
Freelance Graphic Designer
Peta Harris
Graphic Designer, Macquarie University
Pete Conforto
Designer, For The People
Rachel Lee
Freelance Graphic Designer
Olivier Adam
Freelance Graphic Designer
Meg Walker
Designer, Milkshake
Ina Estrada
Founder, Par Vous Designs
Henriette van Baren
Graphic Designer, ABC Carpet & Home