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Hometown: Kanpur, India
Year graduated: Spring 2005
Currently working at: Thomas-Bradley Ltd. (Gridley IL)
How does it feel to be a professional designer: My feelings are mixed. On one hand, school was a haven of security (I didn't have to worry about the REAL world) and in student projects I had so much more creative freedom. On the other hand, it feels good to be in the professional world, respected for what I do and actually make a living with what I love doing! I can't always design the way I want because the bottom line is: design is always for a purpose, and the client always has the last word.
How do you like your job: I love it! School set the foundation for what I'm practicing but I have learnt so much more in the past year. Until you're out there in the real world you don't realize how much more there is to learn. Every project I have done has contributed to that reservoir of learning and experience. I've had the opportunity to work on a variety of different projects that have ranged from designing wedding albums to making a website for a pepper spray company!! I've loved every minute of it.
How did you get this job: I posted my resume online on careerbuilder.com. That is where I found the ad. I sent my digital portfolio and got a call for the interview!
What was the most exciting project you've worked on since graduation: There have been many. But the most exciting would be the Peoria Air Show web site. Every year it has a new look and feel to it. So far I've created two. The whole process of concepts to revisions that finally lead up to the day of the event is a thrill ride. Each day, more parts of the event unfold. Also, from the design aspect, there was such a huge bank of cool photographs to work with. The challenge was getting everything into the site without making it look too busy.
What were some of the most important things you learned while at Parkland: The portfolio seminar was the most informative class of all. It helped get my portfolio together (digital and print) and armed me with everything I needed to pass an interview!
Who is your favorite designer and why: Jefferey Zeldman — the father of web design. He is the one guy who's making the web a more enjoyable place and bringing standards to this community. There wouldn't be much web "design" without him.
Web link: www.shweta-agarwal.com
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