Ringling College of Art and Design is more than your average art school. At Ringling, with over 1,300 students from over 46 different countries, we excel in 14 areas of study, ranging from Fine Arts to Computer Animation. I’m a freshmen Graphic and Interactive Communications major with a minor in Business of Art and Design. Even before the first day of college, Ringling offered a month long “PreCollege” program for high-school juniors. In that one month at Ringling, I not only learned about the basic principles of graphic design, photography, figure drawing, 3D design, and art history, but I also learned a lot about myself.
    Ringling’s campus, located in Sarasota, Florida, is teeming with creative juices that flow from each and every single student. As much are passionate about our art, the teachers and staff are equally passionate about our continual development as an artist. At Ringling, they want to break that age old adage of the “starving artist.” So there’s a phenomenal department called the Center for Career Services that specializes in providing students, and alumni, with the connections and resources to find a job in, not only this tough economy, but the most competitive field- the creative field. Career Services is a department that Ringling prides itself in, and it should. The staff there will work with you to create a professional resume, strong portfolio, and great connections with huge companies such as Apple, Disney, Dreamworks, Hallmark, MTV, Target, VH1, and so many more.  Each year, those companies, and more than 50 others, send recruiters to visit campus to pursue Ringling students.
    Donna Turk, director of The Recruiting Studio for Creative Talent at Hallmark
 says, “Hallmark looks to Ringling College students not only because of their creativity, craft, and technological skill, but also because they are taught to understand consumers, clients, human emotion, and social awareness.” That quote speaks for itself and is one of many featured on Ringling’s website.
    Ringling even has a “Design Center” that manages the development and design of a variety of print and web-based marketing, recruiting, fundraising, and marketing materials for the college itself, from conceptualization to delivery. The design staff is made up of upperclassmen Ringling students that have exemplified outstanding creative  experience in graphic design, photography, and illustration. The Design Center works directly with on-campus and external clients to identify project objectives and provide creative design solutions to fulfill those objectives. It is my goal to be accepted into the Design Center for my senior year. Many of the students that were in the Design Center this year are moving to New York City, Los Angeles, or another large urban city for jobs at Hallmark, Behance, MTV, and other successful design companies.
    Ringling College of Art and Design is a true creative community that I’m glad I am a part of. I take pride in going to Ringling because they provide the creative environment, world class teachers, and Career Services, that will help me succeed once I graduate.

This scholarship is sponsored by CenturyLinkQuote.com.