Jump to content

Hear straight from our graduates.

The online course really prepared me to work on tight timelines.

Art Director, THE CHARLES

Liam Speranza

Liam Speranza studied at Shillington New York

What were you up to before Shillington?

Before Shillington, I was a scientist and then worked for a science research firm on their communications team.

Why did you decide to study design at Shillington and what made our design course stand out from the rest?

I was looking for a program for about a year before officially enrolling in Shillington. I wanted a truly immersive experience that would let me develop a strong design portfolio, but not leave me in massive amounts of student debt. After seeing student portfolios and speaking with alumni, it was clear that Shillington was the right choice for me.

How was it to study graphic design online?

The online course was definitely different from being in a studio environment. I did feel a greater sense of community from my peers.

What were the most positive aspects of the online course?

Now that I’m working as a designer, the online course really prepared me to work on tight timelines. I’m better able to trust my design process and manage my time because of the online course.

How were you able to structure your time learning from home?

I made actionable lists of what needed to be done that day and would make time blocks for each assignment. Knowing that I needed to submit work and/or questions every day by 8am and 1:30pm kept me accountable and on-track as well. I also found that using the Pomodoro method (work for 25 minutes, rest for 5 minutes) was helpful in structuring my time.

If someone was considering a online learning course option, what would be your main piece of advice?

You need to find the one thing that can keep you driven when studying and working remotely. For me, it was the community. It can be intimidating to learn remotely, but Shillington’s format kept me feeling connected to other students and driven for both my and their successes.

What would you say to someone who is skeptical about studying at Shillington?

If you’re feeling skeptical, then I would say take the plunge, dig deep, trust the process. Shillington can truly change your life; I know it did for me.

Anything else you’d like to share?

I really can’t thank Shillington enough. Before I started the program, I felt lost and like my career was at a bit of a dead-end. Now that I’m a working designer, I know I have the tools to succeed and that my career can only grow from here.

Check out Liam’s website and Instagram to keep up to date with their work.

AJ McLaughlin
Art Director, Cyclone

Meg Yonson
Director, Studio Maybe

Caroline Adams
Freelance Designer

Sarah Galley
Freelance Brand Designer

Manon Prost
Freelance Designer

Linda Gao
Art Director, Warner Bros Discovery

Claire Grocott
Founder, Studio Kokomo

Amee Wilson
Art Director, ICHI Worldwide

Oyinkan Karunwi
Founder & Brand Strategist, Aseda Design Agency

Alexandra Francis
Freelance Graphic Designer & Illustrator

Joseph Lebus
Design Lead, Porto Rocha

Liam Speranza
Art Director, THE CHARLES

Anuja Shukla
Creative Specialist, Twitter

Tom Noon
Design Director, The Midnight Club

Marc Igbinadolor
Brand Marketing & Content Manager, Guest in Residence

Wyatt Welles
Freelance Art Director & Designer

Vanessa Low
Freelance Designer, Studio Van Low & Digital Marketing Officer, Art Gallery Society of NSW

Graphic Design Student Testimonials: Winnie Vuong
Junior Designer, HOYTS

Melissa McAuliffe
Junior Designer, The Walt Disney Company

Lauren Horner
Graphic Designer, Hundred Weight Design

Suparom Ronyut
Designer, Future Brand

Mason El Hage
Designer, Uncommon Creative Studio

Carl McBride
Designer, Toyfight

Melody Yee
Senior Graphic Designer, Sydney Festival

Darsh Seneviratne
Designer, Canva

Ximena Jimenez
Graphic Design Artist, Polemical Zine

Lauren Danger Koste
Studio Manager, The Design Kids

Ayesha Mansour
Freelance Designer, Aah Yes Studio

Maria Vazquez
Founder, Maria Marie Studio

Majo Crespo
Founder & Creative Director, UNÁNIME

Seyi Ogunlade
Freelance Graphic Designer and Photographer

Eman Abdallah
Regional Communication Officer and Designer, International Committee of the Red Cross

Ask a question

Help team photo 1/3 Help team photo 2/3 Help team photo 3/3

The team typically replies within a day

By submitting this form you agree to our privacy notice.
Thanks for getting in touch! We will follow up with you shortly.
Oops, something went wrong. Click "back" to try again. Or contact us.

Apply Today

Course and Intake Date

How it works

Ready to apply for Shillington’s graphic design course? You're four steps away. Select your course, share your details, process your payment and we'll get in touch to confirm all the details.

Still researching? Learn more about our course and view course dates and fees.

Interested in studying online? Use our timezone tool to find course times that work for your location.

Your safety matters to us. Please review our COVID-19 policy. If circumstances change, enrolled on-campus students will agree to transition to partial or complete online learning.

Please hold, loading form...
Please hold, loading form...
Payment
Confirmation

Need help? Let me know.