Spotlight on // Andrew Margolin
Advertising Design Concentration
After attending the University of Central Florida for a year in pursuit of a business degree, Andrew Margolin realized he needed to “change gears.” He had long been practicing website design and graphic art as a hobby. So his uncle, a videographer, suggested that Andrew and his parents look into schools that might help him develop his design talent.
Andrew found out about the Digital Media Arts College (DMAC) and visited the campus. He immediately felt comfortable, particularly with the small class sizes. “My classes at UCF were usually 300 people in a lecture hall, and here were classes of maybe 20 or 30 people. That was a big draw for me. The way I learn is with one-on-one interaction with teachers, and that’s what DMAC offers.”
Andrew enjoyed the “personal feel” of the school and made a number of friends very quickly though, as he says, “I have never been the most social person.” He especially appreciated the small late-night classes where “I learned a lot, everyone had a good time, the teachers were great, and classes were fun.”
Andrew chose the Advertising Design concentration as his major and “learned an array of skills I didn’t know before.” At first, he found the drawing classes difficult. “I’m fabulous with design on computer, but the drawing was always a challenge for me. I didn’t really want to take those drawing classes, so the teachers had to sort of push me through, but they really helped a lot in the long run. Today, in my job, I have to do a lot of sketching throughout the design process.”
Andrew specifically credits his teacher Jo Maggiore. “She is amazing. The most important thing I learned from her was project management, and how the idea is what comes first in the design process when you’re doing an advertising campaign. Taking the idea and rolling it out in different media is what it’s all about. Jo helped me become multifaceted. I had to do video editing, website design, and work in all different types of programs.”
Today, Andrew works with Green Group Studio in Lake Worth as a project manager, graphic designer, and web designer. Green Group is a firm that specializes in eco-friendly design and offers a wide array of product packaging and branding. Their products include brochures, logo design, web design, business cards, SEO services and more. “It’s a small firm, and we all have to wear many hats,” says Andrew, “It’s a lot of responsibility because I have to deal with clients directly all through the production process and make sure we deliver what they want.”
Andrew started with Green Group as an intern after graduating DMAC, and was quickly hired on as a full-time staff person. “The team I work with is great,” says Andrew. “In the past year I’ve learned so much from them, being in the field. Every day is a learning process. So I take it day by day and I’m really happy. I enjoy where I’m at. I don’t have specific plans for the future right now, but they say want to keep me for the long haul, and hopefully that can happen.”
Andrew would “definitely recommend” DMAC to aspiring graphic designers. “They have a great staff, they give you the tools you need, and they have the resources. If you are passionate about design, and you really apply yourself, they will hone your skills. When I went in there, I thought I knew it all, but they were able to sharpen my pencil and get me where I needed to be.”