During my senior year at Lincoln High School, I was granted the opportunity to join the “Learners to Leaders” program. This particular program allowed a select few seniors from each high school in Sioux Falls to take desired courses at Southeast Technical Institute, giving them both experience and the ability to earn credits early. I was skeptical at first, but I also understood that this was a great educational advantage I had been given. As soon as I began my first class, Design Fundamentals, I knew that this was a step in the right direction. Maintaining grades proved to be a challenge for me, yet I enjoyed the duration of my time in Learners to Leaders. As soon as the year was over, I knew where I wanted to continue my education in graphic design.
Fast forward to August 2017. I began my courses involving Adobe Photoshop, After Effects, InDesign, and more. All of my instructors were very kind and taught me a plethora over the 9-month span. And while I’m still working on my work ethic, I thought the first year of my college experience went great. At Southeast Tech, and especially in the graphics and digital media departments, you learn a lot from a hands-on experience. And I can safely say that I have a lot more understanding of what it means to be a graphic designer with the knowledge that I have gained. There isn’t anywhere else I’d rather be and I am highly looking forward to the second and final year of my two-year program at STI.
