Morgan's Designing Abroad Fund

Hello friends and family,

As many of you know, I’m currently studying in Hong Kong! I’m having a wonderful time trying new foods, figuring out the local public transit, and getting to know my international classmates. I’m also taking very challenging classes, including a course that allows me to create work for real world clients that I can use in my portfolio to show potential employers. I’m currently working on a design project for the Hong Kong Government, and soon will start another collaborative project for a Hong Kong real estate development firm. I would mention the company name, but it’s in Cantonese, and I wouldn’t know where to begin spelling it. I also found out this week that I’m on the Dean’s List for the 12th quarter in a row, which is really encouraging recognition of the work I put in here.

My college, SCAD, provides me with many opportunities to further develop my design and collaboration skills, and as I’m becoming more advanced in the department I’m able to step into more leadership positions. I hope to excel to the highest ranks of whatever career path I end up on, so I value these early lessons greatly.

Over the past two weeks, I have been invited to assist on two international design projects; one this April in Japan, and the other this August in Colombia.

The project in Japan is through the Collaborative Learning Center department at SCAD, the same department that has allowed me to work for real clients this quarter, in partnership with UNIVERSAL STUDIOS JAPAN. Though the project brief has not yet been released, this design challenge is a competition, and the chosen design will be produced for real world application. Regardless of winning, this will give me fantastic work experience, a chance to travel, and a stunning portfolio piece that will help me when hunting for a permanent job in an advertising agency next year. The travel aspect of this project is a 5-day visit with the client to go over the brief and begin contextual research with my team. SCAD is covering the work-related expenses, but the trip will still cost students around $830 for the flight, hotels, travel between locations, travel insurance, and a few meals. The research aspect will take place during the trip to Japan, and then two weeks later teams will be given the full brief and only 48 hours to develop the best solution and surpass their peers. It’s an exciting challenge.

The Colombia project is called Project Resound (https://www.projectresound.com/#about) and will be comprised of a team built by one of my Savannah Campus professors, Louis Baker. Professor Baker contacted me directly to be part of the design team after he spoke with members of the SCAD Collaborative Learning Center and they recommended me based off my work on a project earlier this year for the real-world client PYXERA GLOBAL and the Center for Citizen Diplomacy at the Savannah Campus. (https://www.katieconnollycreative.com/pyxera-global/ this link is not to my own portfolio, but one of my colleagues posted this work and they are the same products that I worked on.) I hope to one day work in the cause marketing field, and Project Resound works in the similar field of social design. This project will be a cross-discipline collaboration between graphic design, advertising, illustration and sequential art, service design, sustainability, photography, film and television, and sound design. Our partners are UNITED REACTION, UNIVERSIDAD DE LOS ANDES, and PARTIMONIO NATURAL. We will be developing advertising and design strategies for them to connect valuable natural resources from the region to new markets, bringing in new business and promoting local economic growth. This will be another instance of quick turn-around, as our entire campaign and ideations will be developed over the course of one week.

I spoke to Professor Baker and told him that because of my participation in Travel Abroad at the Hong Kong Campus this spring, my funds were dry and I couldn’t financially afford to participate. He offered to wave $400 of the project fees, bringing the cost of the trip down to $1,525 for a full week including airfare, hotel, ground transportation, and meals. This trip would bring me to a region of the world I have never experienced before, connect me with students from other majors, and help me to make major connections with big companies with design departments who could potentially hire me after graduation. And, as with any major partnered project, it will be a fabulous addition to my portfolio. 

I am seeking financial help to make one, or potentially both projects possible. It is important to note that Project Resound is an official 501c3 non-profit, so anyone who donates money can write it off on their taxes. In addition, I am willing to offer you my design services on commission (https://www.behance.net/mricar20f446) with the understanding that my payment will go towards my work/study related travels. Any small amount will really help add to my travel funds, I would so grateful. Both projects together will cost $2,355 to attend, but if forced to choose between the two I would prioritize the Universal Studios Japan trip, because I don’t know when I will be in Asia again, and because it is sooner and would allow me time to still possibly raise funds for Colombia.