This student spotlight is all about John Pascarella, a New Media Design student at the Rochester Institute of Technology. You can view some of John’s work on his Boonle portfolio.
What made you want to get started in your field of study?
I have always considered myself an artist, and I’ve always wanted to work in technology. UI/UX design was the perfect match for me, and I love being able to create art that has function and makes people’s lives easier.
What project have you worked on that you enjoyed most and why?
My POLY website is the project that I enjoyed the most. It’s one of the largest projects I’ve taken on. I completed the web design from start to finish – first wireframes, then visual design, then finally completing it all in HTML/CSS/JQuery. The nature of the website allowed me to experiment with the design and have less limitations, which made it a lot of fun to design. In addition, I shot and edited the fashion photography for the site, which was a great experience. The website is for a fictional non-gendered fashion design company, and so the project also serves as a social statement on the importance of gender-inclusivity — something that is very important to me.
What experiences have you had that you feel may benefit other students just getting started?
One of the most important parts of my college experience has been talking to other people. As an introvert, I’m no stranger to the difficulty in participating in the community, but it makes a huge difference. And not just talking to people in your major, but other students as well. For example, many of my friends are 2D Animation majors, and being around them exposed me to all the inner workings and principles of good animation. Passively absorbing this knowledge gave me a huge advantage when I began studying motion graphics. It may not seem like there is advantage in studying industries outside of one’s own interest, but all creativity is connected.
What is your ultimate goal? What will you do if/when you get there?
Good question. I’m not sure if I have an answer to that, though. I definitely like working in User Interface/User Experience design, and right now that’s what I am focusing on for a future career. I know that I want to influence a lot of people with my design, and I think it would be amazing to work on a major operating system. What kind of interaction design is more important than the core usability of a computer or mobile device? My goal is to develop my skills to the point where I can bring beautiful and effortless design to as many people as I can.