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Name:
Diane (Hebert) Arias
Residence:
Hobart, Indiana
Graduation Year:
1994
Major:
Communication and Theatre Arts
Minor:
English
Why did you choose SJC?
From the moment I stepped on campus, I instantly felt a sense of belonging and community. Everything was accessible to me, and the emphasis was on the students, education, and resources. It just felt right.
As a student, what were you involved in?
I was involved in Campus Ministry and was a two-time Co-Director for the Kairos spiritual retreats. I performed in the campus production of Grease, designed both the yearbook and the student handbook for the 1993-1994 academic year, and was the unofficial "Macintosh Guru" for one of the campus computer labs. I was also an Assistant in the Office of Student Affairs for four years and worked part-time at Campbell's Printing in downtown Rensselaer.
What are you doing now?
I have spent the last nine years as a professional in the creative industry, filling the following roles: Graphic Designer/Multimedia Specialist at PricewaterhouseCoopers in both Chicago and Boston; Production Artist/Manager at Fitch, a design firm in Boston; Traffic Manager at 141 Worldwide, a promotional marketing agency in Chicago; and various instructor/adjunct faculty positions teaching software utilization. Currently, I am a freelance graphic designer.
How did SJC prepare you for the "real world"?
I came to SJC with some computer software skills and an interest in graphic art. What I didn't have was a creative process or even a sense of direction or confidence in my abilities. My skills and certainty grew out of the continued recognition, encouragement, and opportunities I received from professors and staff at SJC and outside the classroom. Having gone through the Core Program and the Communication and Theatre Arts Department, my creative, social, political, and religious beliefs were formed, questioned, and challenged on a regular basis. My analytical and critical skills were painfully molded through what seemed like countless writing assignments. I had to define and defend my ideas on paper, and do it well. The ability to communicate with confidence through the written word has served me in countless ways in the "real world." For example, each time I was asked to edit my boss's e-mails, design a presentation, or write a process paper for my department, I had a better appreciation for faculty members like Professor Emeritus of English John Groppe and Associate Professor of Art Bonnie Zimmer. Their high expectations, along with those of so many other professors, have served me well.
Now I have a deeper understanding for my education and experience at SJC. I was viewed and taught as an individual. I became a dedicated "life learner" - creatively, spiritually, philosophically, and intellectually. When I began my college search, I was not looking for a small, Catholic school, but I am so glad I found and chose SJC.
