Drake Long, a user experience design major in the Department of Computer Graphics Technology (CGT), is an outgoing and ambitious junior that many students in CGT might know. Long is president of the Purdue UX Design Student Organization, he has minors in communications and psychology, and he spent a week studying abroad in the United Kingdom with Colin Gray, assistant professor in the Department of Computer Graphics Technology, and other CGT students last year.
Long fell in love with design after taking animation and digital arts classes at his high school in Atlanta, Georgia. That is where he learned about the possibilities of animation and design, and realized he wanted to learn so much more. Ever since then, he has had his eye on Purdue CGT, and now plans to graduate in May 2020.
Shortly after becoming a student, Long started to feel a strong connection to the Computer Graphics Technology Department. He feels the small number of people have strengthened the supportive network between faculty and students. This team environment has allowed him and others to know their professors and comfortably reach out with ideas and questions. This work space has already made an impact on his college career
Long led the Purdue UX Design Club in planning a new, multidisciplinary hackathon, with the help of the Anvil and Purdue CGT. Although there are other Hackathons that take place on campus each year, Hack XD was different because it was Purdue’s first design and development hackathon. Long and his team wanted to create an inclusive event, in which any major could participate, with the hope that it would help bridge the gap between STEM majors and liberal arts majors.
In his free time, Long reads fashion and redesign blogs, and likes to try new foods. He is excited to use his skill sets from CGT to bring more diversity to campus organizations and events, and to utilize those skills in the industry next summer as he takes on the role of a digital technology intern for GE Aviation.