The visual arts are central to virtually every aspect of contemporary American life, from popular entertainment to consumer products to information systems. Yet for many art school graduates, the prospect of finding that first real job can seem daunting. Typically, there are not clear career paths that present themselves.

And yet, from the first day of classes, art students are called upon to prepare, present and defend original research, both in groups and individually. That demands a certain resiliency, a certain maturity and-as I recall from my own freshman-year critiques-some pretty thick skin. It also teaches you to think on your feet, to persuasively argue your ideas, and ultimately to make better, more skillful and more compelling products.

And so it should come as no surprise that, every year, School of Art alumni go into the world and begin careers that are meaningful, interesting, challenging and rewarding.

Sometimes the path from degree to profession is relatively straightforward. Jacqueline Gendel, BFA Painting ’96, is developing a strong reputation in the New York City gallery scene. Sandy Speicher, BFA Visual Communications ’96, is now with MetaDesign, a major San Francisco-based agency focusing on interactive development. Ben Lowey, BFA Photography ’01, has spent the last several months on assignment for Time Magazine, embedded with U.S. troops in Iraq.

Just as frequently, alumni find their niche in fields they might not have anticipated as freshmen. Michelle Komie, BFA Painting and BA English ’97, is an assistant editor at Yale University Press. Dan Swift, BFA Sculpture ’89, is vice president for investment banking at Goldman Sachs in New York. Mary Traynor, MFA Sculpture ’89, is a lawyer and social activist in New York.

Still, all of these professionals continue to rely on the extraordinary skill sets first honed in the studio – inventing skills, building skills, researching and presenting skills. Traynor, for example, traces her ability to argue cases in court back to the intellectual rough-and-tumble of artistic critiques.

Peter Durand, BFA Illustration ’91 and principle of Alpha Chimp Studios in Pittsburgh, has used his visual skills to support workshops on complex adaptive systems with major clients ranging from Walmart and Coca Cola to the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff. Art school, he says, shaped his ability to “look at chaos and recognize patterns” and prepared him to “work in teams, explore the creative process, explain my vision to others and internalize their critical evaluation.”

Alan Griswold, BFA Sculpture and BA English ’96, served as a production executive for actor Ben Stiller’s Red Hour Films, where he coordinated the DVD production and marketing of the film “Zoolander,” among other projects, until recently founding his own firm. Griswold concurs that, “I’m able to look at things in ways that others don’t think to because I’ve been trained to do just that.”

Success always takes hard work and discipline but artists and designers are, almost by definition, uniquely trained to bring their ideas to fruition and make their visions reality. They are at once independent, receptive and fearless – a combination equally valuable in the studio or the business environment. In a sense, every artist or designer already operates their own small company, developing intellectual properties, maintaining product lines, distinguishing himself or herself from the competition.

So, to newly minted BFA and MFA degree recipients, beginning the first chapters of your professional lives, my best advice is simply this: stay focused on what your long term goals, on that which most engages all of your skills and passions. I promise you’ll be amazed by what the future holds in store.

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