{"id":23172,"date":"2018-02-19T09:12:23","date_gmt":"2018-02-19T09:12:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/industrial-design\/2018\/02\/19\/leaving-her-mark\/"},"modified":"2023-03-04T16:30:27","modified_gmt":"2023-03-04T21:30:27","slug":"leaving-her-mark","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/industrial-design\/2018\/02\/19\/leaving-her-mark\/","title":{"rendered":"Leaving her Mark"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"ChancellorsAide1\"<\/a>When senior industrial design major<\/a> Katie-Gray Altmann graduates from the College of Design in May, there is no doubt that she will have left her mark on the University. Altmann has exemplified \u201cthink and do\u201d throughout her university career by serving as a chancellor\u2019s aide<\/a> for three years; facilitating the development of the nonprofit-focused studio, Design it Forward<\/a>, offered last fall; and launching the first Social Innovation Fellows program with NC State\u2019s Institute for Nonprofits, all while managing a demanding schedule of design studios and coursework.<\/p>\n

\"CoD_Interview2014\"<\/a>
This is Katie Gray on the day she interviewed at the College of Design for her acceptance into the design program. She shares that it was a big day and this was the only college she applied to.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Altmann has continually used her designer\u2019s problem-solving mindset to advance her college career, but even so, she was concerned about finding an internship for her senior year. She wanted an opportunity that matched her unique talents and interests, and as an industrial designer who values social impact projects, public speaking, and graphic design, she didn\u2019t seem to fit existing positions. Altmann reached out to Elizabeth Benefield, social entrepreneurship program manager for the Institute for Nonprofits, who Altmann knew from attending a few Institute-hosted events and dinners. Altmann shared her concerns with Benefield and also discussed her interests and what differentiated her from her classmates. Altmann says, \u201cI want to use those differences for a career. I don\u2019t love digital modeling, for example, but I love public speaking. We had a very open conversation, and at the end, [Benefield] said \u2018You are not going to believe this, but I have the perfect job for you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Benefield explained that the Institute was in the process of creating a Social Innovation Fellowship program, and they planned to work with Aly Khalifa [\u201990, \u201893], a design and engineering entrepreneur who specializes in invention development. Altmann had met Khalifa before and knew his educational background and career path were similar to her own. She was also very interested in his work on social impact projects. When Altmann heard of Khalifa\u2019s involvement in the new program, she said, \u201c\u2018sign me up.\u2019 I really wanted to work with him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Altmann began working for the Institute for Nonprofits<\/a> over the summer, teaming up with Benefield, Khalifa, and Richard Clerkin, Ph.D., the Institute\u2019s executive director. They worked together to establish the learning objectives, curriculum, and structure of the Social Innovation Fellowship program. Part of Altmann’s jo, in the beginning, was to organize meetings with potential supporters. She says, \u201cI did a lot of relationship building over the summer.\u201d She also focused on research and strategic planning, mapping out who their supporters were, how they were going to build a presence on campus, and how she would create a brand and visual representation for the program. In the fall, they launched and began accepting applications.<\/p>\n

The Social Innovation Fellows program<\/a> is a supportive and educational program for undergraduate and graduate students interested in learning adaptive and technical skills to become successful social entrepreneurs and innovators. This first year, the program received over 80 student applications and 30 were accepted. Those selected receive guidance from \u201cbrain trust\u201d mentors, monthly skills-based Innovation Lab experiences, and a micro-investment of $1,000 for prototyping and development.<\/p>\n

Altmann’s work for the Institute helped her look at her education and skills in a different light. \u201cIt has been a way to use the creative process like I never have before. It was challenging because of the technical aspects and because it involved a lot of graphic design work, which isn\u2019t my background, but it really opened so many doors. I cannot even say how many people I was able to introduce myself to or the confidence I got from sending emails to so many faculty and staff\u2026 It was a huge confidence builder.\u201d The best part of the job, Altmann says, is that \u201cit put me in some instances I never thought I would be in. I think that\u2019s the best part about a new job\u2014you get a new challenge. It\u2019s different than a studio project because there\u2019s no rubric, you don\u2019t really know which direction to go or how to be successful. You\u2019ve just got to figure it out. Plan it and do it.\u201d<\/p>\n

With all the personal connections that Altmann was forming, she had expected to find full-time post-graduation employment through a network connection, but when the perfect position opened at Red Hat, she applied, even though she didn\u2019t know anyone at the company. Altmann\u2019s experience and education stood out, and she soon had an interview and a job offer to work for Red Hat as a Creative Strategy and Design Intern, a newly created position that will allow her to work with both the design and strategy teams. \u201cThey wanted somebody who could do both\u2014be a part of the creative strategy team and the design team, which though they collaborate often, are not the same. It puts me in a liaison position,\u201d which, Altmann points out, is very similar to her role with the Institute for Nonprofits.<\/p>\n

Altmann is excited to find that her experience with the Social Innovation Fellows program and her design degree are helping her forge a path where creative strategy and design can coexist. \u201cFor awhile I thought I was going to have to choose between a company with a good mission and heart or a big company that can offer job security where I used my design skills. I was so distraught about it. I don\u2019t think that\u2019s the case anymore. I see there\u2019s plenty of opportunity to use both skill sets and have that happy middle.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Studio\"<\/a>
Altman (fourth from right) with her ID studio class.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This semester, Altmann has a light course load, owing to her summer study-abroad in Prague<\/a> in 2016. She is catching her breath, reconnecting with friends, and checking off items on her college wish list before graduation. She also continues her work for the Institute until May, creating a marketing plan for the second year of the Fellows program, reformatting the application, and designing all of the program\u2019s visuals and social media postings. Looking back on her work creating the Fellows program, Altmann is pleased with the sense of connection it gave her to the NC State community. \u201cIt made me feel so close to the University. After working for the chancellor for three years, I already had that\u2026 but now I\u2019ve been able to build something [the Social Innovation Fellows program], and it\u2019s a real thing and every time I see all the student fellows together, I\u2019m blown away because I think \u2018I helped do that.\u2019 This is a \u2018real thing\u2019 and will continue to be a \u2018real thing\u2019 after I leave. It\u2019s like leaving a mark.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

Staci Kleinmaier is a professional writer and photographer living in Apex, North Carolina. She uses words and images to tell stories. To see her work, visit\u00a0www.stacikleinmaier.com<\/a>.\u00a0<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

This post was originally published<\/a> in College of Design Blog.<\/em><\/p>","protected":false,"raw":"\"ChancellorsAide1\"<\/a>When senior industrial design major<\/a> Katie-Gray Altmann graduates from the College of Design in May, there is no doubt that she will have left her mark on the University. Altmann has exemplified \u201cthink and do\u201d throughout her university career by serving as a chancellor\u2019s aide<\/a> for three years; facilitating the development of the nonprofit-focused studio, Design it Forward<\/a>, offered last fall; and launching the first Social Innovation Fellows program with NC State\u2019s Institute for Nonprofits, all while managing a demanding schedule of design studios and coursework.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11416\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"600\"]\"CoD_Interview2014\"<\/a> This is Katie Gray on the day she interviewed at the College of Design for her acceptance into the design program. She shares that it was a big day and this was the only college she applied to.[\/caption]\r\n\r\nAltmann has continually used her designer\u2019s problem-solving mindset to advance her college career, but even so, she was concerned about finding an internship for her senior year. She wanted an opportunity that matched her unique talents and interests, and as an industrial designer who values social impact projects, public speaking, and graphic design, she didn\u2019t seem to fit existing positions. Altmann reached out to Elizabeth Benefield, social entrepreneurship program manager for the Institute for Nonprofits, who Altmann knew from attending a few Institute-hosted events and dinners. Altmann shared her concerns with Benefield and also discussed her interests and what differentiated her from her classmates. Altmann says, \u201cI want to use those differences for a career. I don\u2019t love digital modeling, for example, but I love public speaking. We had a very open conversation, and at the end, [Benefield] said \u2018You are not going to believe this, but I have the perfect job for you.\u201d\r\n\r\nBenefield explained that the Institute was in the process of creating a Social Innovation Fellowship program, and they planned to work with Aly Khalifa [\u201990, \u201893], a design and engineering entrepreneur who specializes in invention development. Altmann had met Khalifa before and knew his educational background and career path were similar to her own. She was also very interested in his work on social impact projects. When Altmann heard of Khalifa\u2019s involvement in the new program, she said, \u201c\u2018sign me up.\u2019 I really wanted to work with him.\u201d\r\n\r\nAltmann began working for the Institute for Nonprofits<\/a> over the summer, teaming up with Benefield, Khalifa, and Richard Clerkin, Ph.D., the Institute\u2019s executive director. They worked together to establish the learning objectives, curriculum, and structure of the Social Innovation Fellowship program. Part of Altmann's jo, in the beginning, was to organize meetings with potential supporters. She says, \u201cI did a lot of relationship building over the summer.\u201d She also focused on research and strategic planning, mapping out who their supporters were, how they were going to build a presence on campus, and how she would create a brand and visual representation for the program. In the fall, they launched and began accepting applications.\r\n\r\nThe Social Innovation Fellows program<\/a> is a supportive and educational program for undergraduate and graduate students interested in learning adaptive and technical skills to become successful social entrepreneurs and innovators. This first year, the program received over 80 student applications and 30 were accepted. Those selected receive guidance from \u201cbrain trust\u201d mentors, monthly skills-based Innovation Lab experiences, and a micro-investment of $1,000 for prototyping and development.\r\n\r\nAltmann's work for the Institute helped her look at her education and skills in a different light. \u201cIt has been a way to use the creative process like I never have before. It was challenging because of the technical aspects and because it involved a lot of graphic design work, which isn\u2019t my background, but it really opened so many doors. I cannot even say how many people I was able to introduce myself to or the confidence I got from sending emails to so many faculty and staff\u2026 It was a huge confidence builder.\u201d The best part of the job, Altmann says, is that \u201cit put me in some instances I never thought I would be in. I think that\u2019s the best part about a new job\u2014you get a new challenge. It\u2019s different than a studio project because there\u2019s no rubric, you don\u2019t really know which direction to go or how to be successful. You\u2019ve just got to figure it out. Plan it and do it.\u201d\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nWith all the personal connections that Altmann was forming, she had expected to find full-time post-graduation employment through a network connection, but when the perfect position opened at Red Hat, she applied, even though she didn\u2019t know anyone at the company. Altmann\u2019s experience and education stood out, and she soon had an interview and a job offer to work for Red Hat as a Creative Strategy and Design Intern, a newly created position that will allow her to work with both the design and strategy teams. \u201cThey wanted somebody who could do both\u2014be a part of the creative strategy team and the design team, which though they collaborate often, are not the same. It puts me in a liaison position,\u201d which, Altmann points out, is very similar to her role with the Institute for Nonprofits.\r\n\r\nAltmann is excited to find that her experience with the Social Innovation Fellows program and her design degree are helping her forge a path where creative strategy and design can coexist. \u201cFor awhile I thought I was going to have to choose between a company with a good mission and heart or a big company that can offer job security where I used my design skills. I was so distraught about it. I don\u2019t think that\u2019s the case anymore. I see there\u2019s plenty of opportunity to use both skill sets and have that happy middle.\u201d\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_11428\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"500\"]\"Studio\"<\/a> Altman (fourth from right) with her ID studio class.[\/caption]\r\n\r\nThis semester, Altmann has a light course load, owing to her summer study-abroad in Prague<\/a> in 2016. She is catching her breath, reconnecting with friends, and checking off items on her college wish list before graduation. She also continues her work for the Institute until May, creating a marketing plan for the second year of the Fellows program, reformatting the application, and designing all of the program\u2019s visuals and social media postings. Looking back on her work creating the Fellows program, Altmann is pleased with the sense of connection it gave her to the NC State community. \u201cIt made me feel so close to the University. After working for the chancellor for three years, I already had that\u2026 but now I\u2019ve been able to build something [the Social Innovation Fellows program], and it\u2019s a real thing and every time I see all the student fellows together, I\u2019m blown away because I think \u2018I helped do that.\u2019 This is a \u2018real thing\u2019 and will continue to be a \u2018real thing\u2019 after I leave. It\u2019s like leaving a mark.\u201d\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n

\r\n\r\nStaci Kleinmaier is a professional writer and photographer living in Apex, North Carolina. She uses words and images to tell stories. To see her work, visit\u00a0www.stacikleinmaier.com<\/a>.\u00a0<\/em><\/span>"},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When senior industrial design major Katie-Gray Altmann graduates from the College of Design in May, there is no doubt that she will have left her […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":270,"featured_media":23173,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"source":"ncstate_wire","ncst_custom_author":"","ncst_show_custom_author":false,"ncst_dynamicHeaderBlockName":"","ncst_dynamicHeaderData":"","ncst_content_audit_freq":"","ncst_content_audit_date":"","ncst_content_audit_display":false,"ncst_backToTopFlag":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[5],"class_list":["post-23172","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-_from-newswire-collection-279"],"displayCategory":null,"acf":{"ncst_posts_meta_modified_date":null},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/industrial-design\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23172","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/industrial-design\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/industrial-design\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/industrial-design\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/270"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/industrial-design\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23172"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/industrial-design\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23172\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":23799,"href":"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/industrial-design\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23172\/revisions\/23799"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/industrial-design\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23173"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/industrial-design\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23172"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/industrial-design\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23172"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/industrial-design\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23172"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}