As a fourth-year graphic design major at Wichita State, Janis Hwang has found her applied learning experience to be both creatively fulfilling and professionally transformative. Through her role designing for No Choice but Action, a project that aims to preserve and highlight Kansas' often-overlooked role in American independent and post-punk music, she has been able to develop a deeper understanding of what it means to work as a designer in a real-world context.
Her primary responsibilities have included creating apparel designs and motion graphics for the organization’s social media presence. “It’s been a great affirmation to work in a real client-designer setting,” Janis shared. “Designing for an actual brand has helped me practice the type of collaborative, purpose-driven work I hope to continue after graduation.”
The applied learning experience has not only sharpened her technical and conceptual design skills but has also provided essential financial support through applied learning funds. “Receiving applied learning funds has been incredibly validating. As a student, paid design opportunities can be rare—many internships are unpaid—so being compensated for my work has affirmed the value of what I do and reminded me that designers deserve to be paid fairly.”
Working within a client-based structure has offered Janis valuable insights into the nuances of communication and collaboration. “Client communication can be both challenging and rewarding,” she said. "Understanding a client’s vision and learning how to translate that into design is a complex but enjoyable part of the process.”
Among the most meaningful moments during her applied learning role was seeing all the individual pieces come together into a cohesive collection. “Each design I’ve created has helped me grow in different ways, but seeing my work come together along with everyone else’s as a full collection has been especially rewarding. It’s fulfilling to look back and see how much we’ve learned with each step.”
Janis noted that the experience has dramatically shifted her understanding of the design industry. “This experience reminded me just how different classroom projects can be from real-world design work. It reaffirmed that flexibility, communication, and iteration are essential in professional environments.”
The opportunity has also strengthened the connection between her academic coursework and professional practice. Under the guidance of her motion graphics professor, Janis has been able to directly apply classroom concepts to client work. “I’ve been able to apply what I’m learning in class directly to the client work — particularly through the animations I’ve been creating — which has made the experience feel holistic and valuable.”
Reflecting on her growth, Janis expressed confidence in the skills she’s developed. “I feel much more confident in my ability to represent a brand visually and conceptually. I’ve also gained a lot more confidence in my motion graphics skills and how to apply them to real-world projects.”
Wichita State's applied learning program gives students hands-on, paid experience with industry partners, helping them build careers before graduation.
For more information, contact the Shocker Career Accelerator at (316) 978-3688, SCA@wichita.edu, or visit wichita.edu/Career. You can also stop by in person at the Marcus Welcome Center, Suite 139, on the Wichita State campus.
