Aaron Chu '11 - Art & Design
Aaron Chu '11 - Art & Design
Having graduated from Millersville in 2011 with a BA in Art with a concentration in Graphic and Interactive Design, Aaron Chu has used the skills he learned at Millersville to advance his career in design. For Chu, studying Art at Millersville was rewarding in the sense of community, as well as in its encouragement of critical thinking. Furthermore, Chu enjoyed the numerous famous artists and designers who came to Millersville, broadening the perspectives of many students in the field. Chu’s success in design and marketing helped him get an internship at the Museum of Modern Art, and eventually a job as a software engineer at Apple.
Interview
What made you decide to come to Millersville University?
I heard the Art & Design department was strong within the region. The design program was still young when I got here and I felt it had a lot of potential.
What was one of your biggest accomplishments during your time at Millersville?
I took a lot of studio classes. For me to be able to understand and fall in love with art history, it required me to spend extensive time in studio classes. That’s something I feel grateful for.
Were you involved in any internships or student research during your time here?
There’s a program between the Art department and the Computer Science department call the Software Productization Center where we had clients come to us with problems, which we would solve for them. In my case, I had a client who was trying to build an app that educated about recycling. I did design and marketing work for the program which gave me so much experience and helped me get an internship with the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
How did your experience in the Graphic & Interactive Design program prepare you to work at the Museum of Modern Art?
The design foundation courses are really important. You have to be able to build pieces correctly and use your knowledge to convince designers of better engineering ideas.
Overall, how did Millersville get you to where you are today?
They invited speakers, including famous artists and designers, which helped my perspective on the field. The connection with professionals is great. The critical thinking required in my art history courses was an amazing experience that broadened my knowledge.
Why should students come to Millersville to study Art?
The sense of community. I have heard stories of art being stolen at other schools, whereas at Millersville, there is an opportunity to network. I still talk to so many people I grew up with at Millersville even five or six years after graduation.