"My favorite thing about my major is getting to show off my work in a physical form. There’s nothing more satisfying than finishing a project and being able to show people what you created."
Lacey DeJordy is tailoring her aspirations based on her passions for fashion and photography. Pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Fashion Design and a minor in Photography. “I am an artistic and creative person and after I graduate, I plan on moving to New York to pursue a career where I can do both of those things,” she says.
Lacey chose Stevenson because of its fashion design program which made her look forward to her classes. “My favorite thing about my major is getting to show off my work in a physical form. There’s nothing more satisfying than finishing a project and being able to show people what you created.”
She also found the same satisfaction in her photography courses, and during one summer, she worked with Chris Metzger, Assistant Professor of Art/VCD, on the Inside Out project at Stevenson. Inside Out is an internationally acclaimed project known for its themes such as hope, diversity, gender-based violence, climate change, Black Lives Matter, and more. Photos representing these ideas are plastered on the sides of buildings to bring awareness to the community.
Inspired by the project, Metzger brought it to Stevenson, and Lacey played a significant role in bringing it to life. “My job was to edit all the photos that had been taken for the project, select the final photos, and create several mock-up designs for potential installation sites,” she says. “I also created the project proposal that we submitted to the higher-ups for approval. It was a really interesting project to work on — I had never done a community/public art piece before and I learned a lot about the work that goes into a project of this size.”
Because of these experiences, Lacey says that she already feels prepared for life after college. “I still have two semesters left so I know I’m going to learn more but I think I’d be prepared to go out on my own even now. The wide range of classes and skills that I’ve learned cover so much of what I could encounter when I really get into my career. My problem-solving skills have improved immensely since I’ve been here and I think that’s the most important thing college should teach you.”
