Tri-C Visual Communications Grad Finds Her Creative Soul in Cleveland

December 11, 2015

High school graduates typically dream of heading off to college, joining clubs and throwing themselves into life on the quad. One semester at Bowling Green State University taught Maggie Halm she didn’t share that dream.

“I’ve grown up in Cleveland, and I’m used to being in a city, and BG is a small town,” Halm said. “That was frustrating. And I’m not big on frat parties.”

The graphic design major came home a lot on weekends to take advantage of Cleveland’s arts and cultural events. She quickly realized she’d prefer to live in the city and commute to college.

Halm, 21, who lives in Ohio City with her two guinea pigs, started at Tri-C in spring 2013. This month, she will graduate with an Associate of Applied Business in Visual Communications and Design. After some time traveling Mexico, Halm expects to continue college as a junior at Cleveland State University in fall 2016. Her goal is to earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a graphic design focus.

Halm grew up in Cleveland and attended Trinity High School, which stoked her lifelong love of art. For three years, she had an internship with a community support services program, taking design jobs for local small businesses. “My boss/mentor was really awesome, and let me work on freelance, too,” she said.

At Tri-C, she knocked out a few pre-requisites before jumping full-time into graphic design, taking most of her classes at the Western Campus. “I feel pretty lucky to have some of these instructors who also teach at other colleges,” she said. “They really know their stuff, especially when they tell us about the workforce.”

Metropolitan Campus staff and students may be familiar with the promotional poster for the Black Box Club, an annual showcase of the work of Tri-C Creative Arts students. “The Black Box Club poster, in years past, has been quite eclectic, and they've been successful in portraying the arts and this group as zany,” Halm said. “I decided to take a more minimalist approach on the project by focusing more on the typography, leaving viewers on a more serious note.”

For Halm, spending her first two years at Tri-C turned out to be the best option. “I think I’d be in debt if I went to CSU for four years,” she said. “I’m not big on college life. I’m a huge fan of being able to ride my bike to school, and then just come back home.”

She has no trouble keeping busy. At Cleveland State, she hopes to participate in the college radio station. “I always wanted to have a radio show,” she said. “I really like music and have a bunch of friends who are DJs.”

See her design and illustration portfolio at www.maggiehalm.com.