What made you decide to choose your specific major?
I have always been fascinated with visual arts. The Animation & Visual Effects major (paired with my Marketing major in the business school) provides a fun intersection that allows me to explore 2 different mediums that can both be widely used in the professional world!
What are a couple of your favorite things about your program of study?
I really love the freedom I have within CGT as well as the support. There are great, highly-accessible resources, like the labs we have the opportunity to work in, and the CGT professors are always ready to hear your "crazy" ideas and help them come to life!
What has been one of your favorite class projects?
My favorite class project was the final in my CGT 147 class (Visual Effects). Our assignment was to create a short video using Houdini, a common visual effects platform used in the movie industry (think Marvel special effects). My group and I decided to create a smoke effect, which required an outdoorsy setting for filming. The morning after some heavy rain, my team and I sat outside for 2 hours trying to build a fire with wet sticks. We ultimately did it, but all throughout filming, the smoke was blowing right into our faces! We aced the project, and it was some of the most fun I have had in my academic college experience.
What other activities are you involved in on campus?
I have an on-campus job at the CoRec as the Outreach Coordinator promoting upcoming events, and I am part of a student ministry called Salt that meets Thursday nights!
What do you know about your program of study now that you wish someone had told you when you were choosing a major?
With great power comes great responsibility! In CGT, you will need to apply yourself. Your professors are experts of their fields. They will always be a great resource to lean on, but learning comes when you buck up and fight through the struggle!
What would be one piece of advice for prospective students or new Purdue students?
The most valuable thing I can tell you is to get comfortable with being independent. You can't always wait for someone to hold your hand, go discover on your own!