Enrichment Scholarship Recipient
Amanda Wallace – Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo

My design philosophy is simple: refine, refine, refine. NOTHING can be ignored, because everything counts.  It is easy to overlook little things, but little things can influence a design in a big way. 

I entered school dreaming of designing for a web savvy corporate firm, and now I find myself in a different place. Technology and computers drive the design world, but I find myself longing for the hands-on methods of the past: letterpress, toothy papers, and handmade books. This makes the future challenging because I have yet to find where I fit. However, fitting in isn’t always necessary, and ultimately it’s better to stand out. My future is about taking risks, pushing the limits, and failure. Yes, failure! Failure sounds intimidating, yet it is the best way to learn. Failure really means modify and try again.

I know times are tough and it isn’t going to be an easy job search, so I am prepared to blaze my own trail and make it on my own. The path I am on may lead anywhere, but I bet someday I will end up in the world of book publishing. I see books in my future, mostly because I adore them! They spill from my shelves and the collection inspired me to write, illustrate, and design my own travel guide.

So, time will only tell where I end up. I face the world with my head held high, no fear in my eyes, prepared for whatever comes, while always preserving my bookish dreams.