Where are you from?
I’m from Carrollton, Georgia.
Where do you live now?
I live in West Midtown here in Atlanta.
What have you been doing since you graduated?
Since I graduated in May, I’ve been doing ux contract work with an early-stage startup out in San Francisco. I’ve also started a co-working space at my studio at the Goat Farm Arts Center, and I’ve been collaborating with four Atlanta artists on an interactive installation project. I’ve also been staring into the existential void and alternating between refusing to listen to electronic music and only listening to future beats. I’ve been meditating.
What is your current job? In 2 or 3 sentences, can you explain what your position is and what some of your responsibilities are?
I’m the Assistant Director of the Innovation Lab at Spelman College. I do strategic planning for student and faculty engagement; I develop programming for the lab like workshops and guest speakers. I make cool stuff with a wonderland of lab equipment (think prototyping lab sandbox), working alongside really talented artists. I’m also doing things like social media management for the lab and mentoring students. I wear a lot of hats all at the same time — like a tall Dr. Seuss Cat in the Hat situation, except that tall hat is actually 10 smaller ones.
Can you tell us about a recent project you’ve worked on that you were really excited about?
I’m really excited about a side project that I’m working on right now with another GT alum. It’s a mobile game that involves building rock cairns.
How do you think the program helped prepare you for your life after Georgia Tech?
Digital Media helped me develop a lot of perseverance. I learned how to pick up new projects and tools that I would otherwise find intimidating — to say yes and give it a shot even if it’s the first time. My experience learning team dynamics has proven to be tremendously useful. Things like defining roles, explicitly stating intentions and stakes, honestly taking stock of skills and responsibilities, and accounting for roadblocks before they affect the whole team often times have a greater impact on a project than ace programming. I learned how to identify allies and keep them close.
