Today we’d like to introduce you to Andrea Mendoza-Gonzalez.
Hi Andrea, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
My mother had taught me to draw since I was three years old. Throughout elementary and middle school, I would get scolded because I would check out “Learn how to draw…” books instead of chapter book stories. As I grew older, others would tell me to start looking for a “real” thing to do after I graduated high school. That art would never be able to support me financially. I ignored them and attended Columbus State University in January 2018. Throughout college, I have been exploring my Mexican and Salvadorian cultures in my classes.
Creating my version of folk art, sculpting alebrijes and researching how bullfighting was created in Mexico. Once I started to dive in deeper into my chosen concentration, graphic design, I started to develop brands that also included my culture into a modern-day design. Graphic design at this university was very new and students had to push themselves to grow and become better. My Professor Nicolas Mcmillan was good in teaching design, but after 3 years, he had mixed his social life and school life together causing him to get several counts of sexual harassment. Although what I went through was very minimal compared to others, this caused the graphic design programming to fall a bit as we did not have another professor for these classes.
Six months later and our new professor, Samantha Yoo was hired. She has completely changed my life with her knowledge in design. I was able to create catalogs and brochures for the Bo Bartlett Center and The department of art. She also helped me explore App design my last semester of my senior year which led me to what I am today, an Experience Designer. I was applying to several jobs and one looked more interesting than the others. Publicis Sapient was hiring Junior Experience Designers and mentioned in the description that you did not need to know everything to get this posted. As I only had experience designing one app, I gave it a shot. Four interviews later and I was finally given an offer letter I couldn’t refuse. This job has changed my life as a first-generation student, I was able to buy my family our first home and I have worked with big companies in the telecom and vehicle industries.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
I have answered this a bit in the last question, but no, it has been a wild ride to get where I am today. After graduating Highschool, I had to take a semester off to work full time to save up money from college as my family couldn’t financially help. Although I did have the Hope scholarship and Pell grant, this alone wasn’t enough to cover everything. So through hard work, I was able to attend my first semester in 2018. With money still being an issue, I decided to become a resident assistant with Residence Life and had my dorm paid for three years. I also worked at their front desk and did graphic design work at the bo bartlett center. Juggling three jobs was difficult, but not impossible. I believe everything can be achieved with hard work and dedication, and I have proved to myself this method is real and anyone can accomplish what they want.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Currently, I am an Experience designer. I have helped with designing experiences/screens for Electric Vehicle events to designing screens for business customers and store agents. Before this new career, I designed catalogs and brochures and did several prints and stationery items. The work I am most proud of is painting a mural about sustainability at Columbus State University. It took me and my friends two months to finish it in the summer heat, but we were all thrilled to see it complete and had an unveiling ceremony. Although this is not the type of work I do anymore, I still volunteer to help others learn about sustainability. Two months ago, I designed a coloring book for an organization in India which was really fun, and I look forward to continuing to help the community with my art.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
Throughout my college life, I have learned that there really is no such thing has good and bad luck. You get to decide your future, even though there are obstacles that get thrown in your way, these are to help you grow stronger as an individual to achieve what you want in life.
Contact Info:
- Website: andreamendoza-gonzalez.com
- Other: https://news.columbusstate.edu/posts/csus-sga-unveils-the-path-to-the-future-campus-mural/
