Written by Employer Engagement Intern, Maggie Qi

As part of the USC Career Center’s Industry Insiders series, a group of creatives from the fields of design, branding, architecture, and visual storytelling came together to share their insights and career journeys. The panel, moderated by Amy Lopez, a USC Career Center Employer Engagement Intern, featured Olivia Edwards, Sean David Christensen, Kyle Kinnan, and Stuart Rodriguez, each offering a unique perspective on the art and design industry. The event explored developing one’s portfolio in nontraditional ways, navigating a variety of career paths and networking opportunities, and weaving one’s passions into professional work.

Meet the Panelists

Sean David Christensen is the Marketing & Communications Administrator at the USC Thornton School of Music and a freelance graphic designer. Outside his university role, he also runs Palmer Music, a music publishing and management company. 

Margaret To is a designer, animator, and independent filmmaker. She is also the co-founder of Studio SAKA, a design and video production studio that centers its work around social impact and climate justice. 

Kyra Marsh is a Branded Environments and Experience Designer at Perkins&Will, an internationally recognized architecture firm. Kyra collaborates with cross-disciplinary teams to shape how people interact with physical and branded spaces, acting as both a resident designer and in-house artist.

Stuart Rodriguez works as a Production Coordinator and book designer at The Ohio State University Press, where he manages academic and scholarly publishing projects. 

Olivia Edwards is an Independent Graphic Designer and the founder of OE Creative, a design studio that partners with agencies across the country.

Key Takeaways:

Why Did You Choose This Industry and How Did You End Up Here?

Stuart Rodriguez:
After graduating from USC and moving back home to Santa Cruz in 2011, I was looking for something similar to JEP. I started volunteering at a nonprofit that worked with local elementary and high school students. While doing backend stuff like design work, I taught myself how to design books—starting with Microsoft Word in 2013, then learning InDesign on my own. I kept freelancing for about six years until the organization could hire me full-time. In between, I worked retail and office jobs to stay afloat. During COVID, I came across my current position at Ohio State—it aligned perfectly with my experience and passions.

Olivia Edwards:
I graduated in spring 2020, right at the peak of the pandemic. I had originally planned to apply to agencies full-time, but no one was hiring. To stay busy, I started taking freelance projects, and before I knew it, I was fully booked. I realized I was essentially working full-time as an independent designer. I hadn’t planned to go this route, but I leaned into it—and it’s been such a rewarding journey.

Kyra Marsh:
I actually didn’t even consider art and design until junior year of high school. I realized my passion was in storytelling and creating experiences, and visual design became my medium. USC’s interdisciplinary approach let me explore that—my degree was one-third Roski, one-third Dramatic Arts, one-third Cinematic Arts. After graduating in 2022, I interned at Disney Imagineering in Florida, did a bit of restaurant design, and now I work at an architecture firm doing master planning, wayfinding, and public art. My journey’s still evolving, but saying yes to different projects keeps things exciting.

How Important Is a Portfolio, and What Makes a Good One?

Olivia Edwards:
I was so anxious going into senior year—everyone was talking about the perfect portfolio. And while it is important to show your technical skills, I’ve learned it’s more impactful to show your unique perspective. Companies want to know how you think, what excites you, what makes you you. Don’t get caught up in impressing people with fancy bells and whistles. Be authentic—it’ll take you further than trying to prove you can do everything.

Sean David Christensen:
It’s a competitive job market, especially for graduating students. But employers aren’t just hiring your skills—they’re hiring your perspective. You’re not expected to know everything from day one; in fact, collaboration is key. I ask my team for help all the time. So yes, build those baseline skills, but don’t stress about being a “master.” Focus on how you think critically, how you solve problems, and how your perspective can contribute to the team.

Kyra Marsh:
I’ll echo what Olivia and Sean said—show your process! There was always debate in school: “final work vs. process,” but being on the other side, I say definitely show the process. Employers want to see how you problem-solve, how you collaborate, how you learn. Also, add work that brings you joy. One of my favorite pieces in my portfolio was a silly Arrested Development piece, and I’ve had multiple interviewers bring it up. People want to connect with you—so show them who you are.

What Are the Challenges or Benefits of Working in This Industry? 

Stuart Rodriguez:
I wasn’t a design major at USC — I didn’t even know I wanted to work in the art and design industry until I started gaining practical experience. My first design job actually began through volunteering. I took night classes at a local community college in graphic design, cover art, and digital art. You don’t have to make a dramatic switch all at once; it can be incremental. Volunteer, take evening classes, explore community resources — there are so many pathways to get involved even if you didn’t major in it.

How can students get involved in the art and design industry if they’re not majoring/minoring in it?

Stuart Rodriguez:
I wasn’t a design major at USC — I didn’t even know I wanted to work in the art and design industry until I started gaining practical experience. My first design job actually began through volunteering. I took night classes at a local community college in graphic design, cover art, and digital art. You don’t have to make a dramatic switch all at once; it can be incremental. Volunteer, take evening classes, explore community resources — there are so many pathways to get involved even if you didn’t major in it.

Is there a space for traditional art in the digital world?

Olivia Edwards:
While there’s a ton of new forms of technology and really cool things happening right now, I think the most impressive projects—the ones that make me go, “Wow, that is really cool”—are where more traditional art forms are being introduced. There are projects with tactile elements brought into a brand identity project, or maybe something related to entertainment. I think there’s a space where you can do both. As designers, it’s not just about hopping on a computer and making something in Illustrator or Photoshop that’s fully digital. So much of it is about bringing in influences, textures, and inspiration. That, combined with technology, makes something really unique and different.

Kyle:
I think, too, even if you end up pivoting or redefining what that balance looks or feels like to you, those skills are integral to how you think about the process. Of course, learn the tools that are marketable for what you want to do—but keeping those tangible skills is priceless. How you think about color, form, shape, and how you can control that with your hand—that’s important. Even in a corporate setting, if you’re the one who can get the idea on the table, let me tell you, that goes a long way. Those traditional art skills are priceless. And it’s an important perspective that I think a lot of digital artists are missing.

Find the recording for the panel on the USC Career Center YouTube channel and stay tuned for more updates on the Industry Insights series.