Student Highlights

In short, graphic design. I didn’t know much about the project when I first started. That being said, it’s been awesome working with a team where we’re all focused on a common goal of educating military families. During my first full introduction to the entire REACH team, at our annual holiday party, it was obvious that everyone was there to lift each other up and to encourage each other to excel in every way, not just with work.

They are very different, but at their very core, they’re both design fields. I use a lot of the same tools that I’ve learned in classes when working with Military REACH, so I have gotten to sharpen my design skills by working with REACH. I think the biggest impact REACH has had on me is my understanding of military families and the issues that affect them. I hope to be able to incorporate these new perspectives into my work in the future.

I think my favorite design tasks have been the ones where I’ve collaborated with someone else to help out with a project they’re working on. The dictionary project of Allison Tidwell, a REACH Undergraduate Researcher, showcases awesome collaboration among the full team, including myself. I’ve recently been working on designing images for dictionary terms that will further clarify the definitions for our readers.

An assignment I’m most proud of is the REACH flyers we pass out at different conferences and events. They’ve turned out really well, and the first time I saw how they looked when printed was exciting!

There are a ton of resources (like forum posts, YouTube videos, and social media pages) out there to learn most programs. You can only get better by practicing, and the best way to learn to do something is by trying to do it. There are a lot of niches in the design industry, so it’s important to position yourself well and develop the right skills for you to be successful.

Students are an integral part of Military REACH because they provide our team with a new perspective, high-quality products, and invaluable assistance. Continue to look out for our Student Highlights, where we will feature students from our team and will highlight the contributions they have made not only to our team, but to the larger military community.