Tell us about your life since graduating CCA.

Upon graduating CCA, I went on to pursue a degree in Graphic Design. I graduated with an Associates Degree from MontCo and then a Bachelors Degree from Philadelphia University (now known as Jefferson University). I was able to land a job at a design & marketing firm right out of college, where I spent the first 5 years of my career, and then joined the creative team at a motorcycle gear company! I now have my motorcycle license and a bike—I guess you can say I was fully committed to learning the industry. Being a designer has been a really fun experience—there really aren’t any limits to what you can do. I am married to my husband, David, who works as an architect, and we currently reside in West Mt. Airy with our Aussiedoodle, Olive.

In what ways did CCA prepare you for the future?

I got a lot of support as a student from my art teacher at the time, Joanna Liegel, who helped me figure out my path to pursuing design. I am really grateful for her guidance because I felt like I made my decision a little late and wasn’t quite sure the best route to take. Thankfully she was able to steer me along and give me pretty solid advice. Thank you Joanna!
Other than that, I generally think CCA was a place that I could genuinely be my authentic self. High school can be a really traumatic time for some people, but I am thankful that my experience allowed me to be free to be myself, which in turn helped me be confident as I ventured into college and beyond.

What is a favorite memory from your time at CCA?

One of my favorite memories is Friday night football games. As a cheerleader, and also a sister of two players, I got to experience life as a spectator and an athlete for nearly 10 years. CCA was such a tight-knit community—especially when it came to football, and being able to spend those Fall nights with my family and close friends was really special.

One more fun memory was terrorizing Chris Spittal for his birthday every year. The cheer squad would come up with a really elaborate plan to celebrate his special day, and it never failed to make him both happy and stressed at the same time. I got in trouble one year for bouncing a basketball in the hallway during class, but it was okay because it was just a part of the plan for Chris (I have no regrets Mrs. Wilson!).

What advice would you give to a current CCA student?

The world is much bigger than you realize! There is so much out there to explore and so many perspectives to view life from. Be open to new experiences and look for opportunities to learn from others—it will make you a critical thinker and help you shape your opinions in your own right. It’s a good thing to have values and beliefs, but it’s just as important to know the why behind it all.