Middle of Somewhere Design

I’ve always had an “eye” for good design. My entire life people have told me that they’re surprised by my creativity and impressed by my opinions on what constitutes an appealing aesthetic. I think I’m very well-balanced in right-brain and left-brain strengths because my creativity is juxtaposed with needing things to be orderly and make sense logically. In many ways my creative side has been stifled over the years as I originally pursued a degree in engineering. I then took a left turn from that route and pursued outdoor, wilderness-based education. Although I loved that work, the seasonality of contracts was challenging, and I wanted to pursue new opportunities. If anything else, I love learning, and I don’t want to be put into a box of what I’m capable of. 

I actually didn’t know much of anything about User Experience or User Interface Design as a career until I happened to stumble upon a job posting. I was using the app, Glassdoor, and came across a job posting from a company I’m very familiar with. The job was for a Senior UX Designer at Strava, a company whose product I use often to track my fitness workouts. I didn’t know what UX Designers were, but the company caught my eye as somewhere I’d be interested in working. After reading the job description I had two immediate reactions. The first was, “I’m not even remotely qualified for this, bummer” and the second was, “this sounds right up my alley and plays to my strengths and interests.” 

Something about reading about Strava’s open position really resonated with me and I dove into researching UX/UI and how to get into the field. My previous education and background weren’t exactly the ideal foundation to just apply for positions so I looked into going back to school. My wife’s career as a child psychologist was already flourishing, so I knew I’d have to look at local schools, which wasn’t an issue since I already love Colorado, and the in-state tuition would be significantly more affordable. Long story short, I applied as a non-degree seeking student at University of Colorado – Denver to take the first semester of Design classes and determine if everything felt like a good fit. It was, and now I’m a degree-seeking student pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Digital Design with a focus in UX/UI Design, as well as a minor in Photography. I feel like I’m on the path I was meant to be on, and I’m extremely driven to learn and succeed as a Designer.