The Power of Visual Communication

For Uyen, graphic design is about much more than just aesthetics鈥攊t is about deep, resonant communication. “I am always curious about the meaning behind the visuals,” she explains. Her ultimate goal is to craft visual systems that deliver powerful messages, helping audiences grasp complex ideas “faster than a thousand words.”

The NewSchool Advantage

When asked what makes earning her degree special, Uyen points to the clarity and career-readiness built into the curriculum. The structured program gives her a clear understanding of her educational path and how each step directly benefits her future career.

A major highlight of her time on campus has been the faculty. Uyen values the variety of instructors who bring real-world industry experience directly into the classroom. By demonstrating industry standards, expectations, and diverse workflows, these instructors are preparing students for the professional world. Furthermore, the regular inclusion of guest experts helps students experience professional critique, understand how graphic design intersects with other disciplines, and build their professional networks.

Real-World Studio Experience

Uyen鈥檚 favorite鈥攁nd most challenging鈥攁ssignment so far has been the IKO project in Comprehensive Studio I, taught by Mrs. Deny Ehrlich.

“The goal of the class is to give students real-world studio experience, where creatives work on their individuals鈥� projects but also help their peers whenever they get stuck in the process,” Uyen shares.

Under Mrs. Ehrlich’s motivation and guidance, Uyen learned how to seamlessly combine visuals and branding for highly effective presentations. While the design work was a major component, Uyen notes that the collaborative, supportive experience of the class itself is what makes it her most memorable moment so far.

Looking Ahead: Future Creative Director

After graduation, Uyen has her sights set on leadership. She aims to become a Creative Director, bringing amazing projects to life and ensuring that her clients’ most meaningful messages are perfectly expressed to their target audiences.

Words of Wisdom for Incoming Students

For new students just beginning their creative journeys, Uyen offers four excellent pieces of advice:

1. Seek guidance:听Help is always available when you ask the right person.
2. Keep growing:听Your skills shouldn鈥檛 stop developing just because an assignment ends.
3. Build your body of work:听A strong portfolio starts with good, finished projects.
4. Master the message:听Good designers are good communicators.

We are incredibly proud to have Uyen in our creative community and cannot wait to see the amazing projects she will undoubtedly bring to life in the future!

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During his time at NewSchool, Arya developed a passion for graphic design while also expanding his interests into filmmaking, photography, branding, motion graphics, music, storytelling, and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence. He enjoyed the freedom to work across creative mediums and discovered that some of his strongest ideas emerged when different disciplines intersected.

Among the projects he is most proud of are Koffee Korners, a coffee brand inspired by his love of coffee and the sense of community found in coffee culture; Billionaire, a fashion and lifestyle magazine that allowed him to combine editorial design with luxury branding; M膩y膩 Rasa, a fragrance brand that explored storytelling through visual identity and sensory experience; Cue, a social media application designed to help people build meaningful connections through shared interests; and Pacified, a short film project that brought together his interests in cinematography, storytelling, and visual communication.

Beyond the classroom, Arya served as a Student Ambassador Lead, where he helped represent the NewSchool community and supported prospective students throughout their admissions journey. One of his proudest accomplishments was being selected as a student commencement speaker, an opportunity that allowed him to reflect on his educational journey and share it with his graduating class.

When reflecting on his NewSchool experience, Arya considers one of his greatest takeaways to be the confidence to pursue multiple creative paths. His education taught him that design is not limited to a single medium and that creativity can thrive across disciplines when approached with curiosity and purpose.

Looking ahead, Arya hopes to continue building a career that blends design, filmmaking, photography, and creative direction. Whether through branding, visual storytelling, cinematography, or emerging technologies, he aims to create work that connects with audiences, sparks emotion, and leaves a lasting impact.

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A graduate of Santana High School, she is passionate about designing spaces that are meaningful to people and creating buildings that allow individuals to experience thoughtful, well designed architecture in their everyday lives.

Throughout her academic journey, she has been actively involved in leadership and community engagement. After attending an American Institute of Architecture Students West Quad Conference in Seattle, she became deeply involved with and contributed to numerous events, including the organization鈥檚 signature Napkin Sketch fundraiser. She also participated in the school鈥檚 former diversity club, reflecting her commitment to inclusivity and community within the design profession.

Her experiences have shaped her into a thoughtful emerging architect dedicated to creating spaces that positively impact others.

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Her journey to NewSchool was influenced by both inspiration and intention. Introduced to the program through her boss, an alumn of the Master鈥檚 in Architecture program, she was struck by how highly he spoke of his experience and the role it played in shaping his professional growth. That recommendation, paired with her own desire to expand beyond design, made NewSchool a natural next step. As an international student, she also embraced the opportunity to gain a new perspective, both academically and within the industry.

Throughout her studies, Waldron鈥檚 perspective on projects has evolved in meaningful ways. She has come to understand that successful design extends far beyond aesthetics, requiring careful consideration of feasibility, efficiency, and long-term performance. Her exposure to cost control and project delivery systems has been particularly impactful, while her growing interest in value engineering reflects her ability to think critically and creatively at the same time. For her, it is not just about achieving a vision, but about doing so in a way that is thoughtful, efficient, and grounded in real-world constraints.

Looking ahead, Waldron hopes to apply her knowledge to projects that bridge design, construction, and innovation. She is especially interested in working in tropical and developing environments, where well-considered solutions can have a lasting and meaningful impact. Her goal is to contribute to spaces that are not only visually compelling, but also practical, buildable, and sustainable, while integrating modern technology to enhance how projects are delivered and experienced.

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Mehdi Taghavi is the Founder of Taghavi Design Studio, an architectural design practice based in Arizona; focused on thoughtful, client-centered residential architecture, interior renovations, and both small, and large-scale commercial projects.

Taghavi’s background spans over two decades of international and U.S. experience, with work across the Middle East, North America, Central America, and the United States. His approach emphasizes design integrity, human experience, and contextual sensitivity鈥攂alancing strong architectural ideas with buildability and real-world constraints.

When asked why he chose NewSchool, he shared that 鈥渢he strong emphasis on design excellence, critical thinking, and hands-on engagement with real architectural challenges stood out to him. The academic rigor, paired with a culture that encouraged exploration and responsibility, played a key role in shaping how I approach architecture today鈥攂oth creatively and professionally.鈥�

Through his perspective and experience, Taghavi provided meaningful insight for prospective and current students alike, helping them better envision their path saying “to treat school as more than a place to earn a degree. Use it as a laboratory; test ideas, make mistakes, build relationships, and develop your design voice. Focus on learning how to think like an architect, not just how to produce drawings. Most importantly, stay curious and resilient; architecture rewards those who continue to learn and adapt”.

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Shawn Sistrunk, an alumnus of the Product Design program at 91福利社 in San Diego, discovered early on that design was where he truly belonged. Driven by his passion for creativity, curation, and problem-solving, he made the bold decision to leave the hospitality industry and pursue a new path at NewSchool. As he progressed through the program, his appreciation for critical thinking and intentional design only grew stronger. In Shawn鈥檚 words, he 鈥渒new right away this is what he was meant to do.鈥�

Now celebrating one year as co-owner of the local lifestyle brand Vagrent, Shawn is designing products that merge innovation with purpose. Vagrent focuses on environmental and social responsibility while staying aligned with modern trends; offering a unique blend of luxury, sustainability, and urban-inspired products. With several products that have the potential to push the industry forward, Shawn continues to build a brand rooted in intentionality and impact.

Looking back on his NewSchool journey, Shawn encourages future designers and prospective students to connect deeply with their passion for art and creativity, and to consider how they can use that passion to solve real-world problems. He also reminds students to stay grounded in the reality of bringing ideas to life. Establishing personal principles and values as a designer, he says, will guide you throughout both your career and your life.

 

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From drafting table to the skatepark, Shane Yee has always followed a passion for building spaces where communities can come together.

Throughout his time at NewSchool, Shane has carved a path that unites architecture, community, and skateboarding into one seamless vision.听

Balancing the Navy, NewSchool, and Student Leadership

While working toward his Bachelor of Architecture with a minor in Construction Management at NewSchool, Shane was enlisted in the U.S. Navy Civil Engineering Corps. While balancing school and active duty, he stepped into leadership as president of the co-educational college fraternity, Alpha Rho Chi, where he led initiatives to foster community and professional development among students studying architecture and related professions.听听

Shane鈥檚 hard work and dedication didn鈥檛 go unnoticed. In 2019, Shane was awarded a scholarship by the , an organization dedicated to supporting skateboarders in achieving academic and career goals.听听

Thesis on Wheels: Merging Skateboarding and Architecture

Growing up, Shane always had a love for skateboarding and skate culture, which became the inspiration for his final thesis: 鈥淪kateable Architecture,鈥� an exploration of how skateparks can be designed as an enriching part of skate culture and urban life.听听

Shane Yee credits his coursework at NewSchool with teaching him the foundation of architecture so that he could apply it toward his passion: 鈥淟earning architecture at NewSchool helped me with the phases of design such as schematic design and design development, while learning construction management helped me with knowing how to build schedules, budgets and safety plans.鈥�听

Beyond Graduation: Designing the Future with Skate Ecosystems

His passion for skateboarding didn鈥檛 end with graduation. As co-founder and design leader of 鈥攁 skate Design + Build firm rooted in innovation, technology, and sustainability, Shane now helps shape skateparks that are not only functional, but also fun and visually stunning. 听

鈥淚t鈥檚 super fulfilling to work on municipal projects and the various populations and communities they serve and represent.鈥� 鈥� Shane reflects.听

Their work Del Rio Skate Garden in Texas, a municipal skate garden and the first AI-assisted skatepark, was recently recognized in the in the category of Landscape Design/Historical Landscapes.听

Bruce Matthes, Director of Integrative Studies at NewSchool couldn鈥檛 be prouder of Shane and his accomplishments. “Shane is the perfect example of what can happen when a student from NewSchool applies their education to a passion with purpose. Seeing photographs and videos of young kids and their parents overjoyed that their community of Del Rio opened a new skatepark, one that Shane’s company designed, says it all.鈥�听

Shane currently lives in Austin, Texas serving as the Chief Design Officer for Skate Ecosystems.

Follow him on Instagram @skate_ecosystems or watch his interview on

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