I didn’t grow up around design, but I had the kind of childhood where my Dad sculpted dinosaurs out of snow and whipped up green eggs and ham. His creative gene formed and continues to inspire me and it was at his suggestion that I attended Hillsdale College, majoring in Art.

Determined not to become a “starving artist” I landed on Graphic Design as a blend between art and business. But whatever I thought design was, several classes into my second semester, it wasn’t working out. Every homework assignment seemed either self-indulgent or pointless. I was starting to second guess everything, from my ability to my major to the school. Maybe I needed to transfer?

And that’s when The Hillsdale Forum provided a new canvas. My friends had been slaving away over the ISI school magazine for a semester already, publishing their sophomoric ideals in its glossy, sponsored pages. I would catch them in the union arguing and editing and would dutifully read their essays, but always kept it at arms length.

Until they were in crisis. The previous graphic designer was graduating and there was no one to replace her. They needed to get this next issue to the publisher in one week. Their ideas needed a vessel to convey them. It finally clicked. Design was more than self-expression, it also fulfilled a need. I could help people with this. Could serve a higher Good.

Their need overpowered my insecurity and and the race was on. I scoured the entire magazine section in the library, borrowed half the shelf, and shamelessly copied page after page. I purchased Adobe InDesign with my meager Freshman income and churned out the orange issue you see to the left. It wasn't perfect and obviously the blatantly plagiarized designs weren’t ideal either. But the zeal of that week continued through college into today. I’m so grateful to God and good friends for giving me the gift of self-knowledge. I wouldn’t be doing this without them.