Norwalk Community College

Spotlight

Vanesa Merulla, Graphic Design, 2005

Identity and packaging

As far as I can remember, I have always set ambitious goals for myself. To do so, I had to push beyond what my family planned for me and trust my own instincts. At twelve, I asked my parents to learn English. As they could not afford my lessons, my grandmother, perceiving my eagerness, agreed to pay for them. At twenty-three, after many years of saving, I boarded a plane for the first time to realize my dream of visiting Walt Disney World. It was after this visit that I knew I wanted more for my life but had no idea how to go about it. When I read an article about Au Pair in America, I knew immediately that I had found my answer. And so, on October 21st, 2001, a month and ten days after the 9/11 terrorist attack, despite my parents and friends fearing for my safety, I came to the US as an au pair. This move marked the beginning of my life adventure. Each step I have taken so far has seemed risky at first, but somehow I knew they would all work out and amazingly they have.

As an au pair living with a Connecticut family, I had time to pursue my passion in graphic design, which started at NCC. My initial internship with a small graphic design firm later turned into an ongoing freelance position which I kept while pursuing my bachelor’s degree. Although my work had improved tremendously in this position, I felt I had learned as much as I could there and was ready to move on. Then, I found out about the BU graduate graphic design program. Everything I learned about the program touched me personally and although I forced myself to look at other art schools, I knew right away that BU was right for me.

I received my MFA in May of 2010, and a month later I started to work at Ziga Design, LLC. I enjoy being in a competitive surrounding, as it is crucial to my continued development as a designer. Because I am entrepreneurial and very self-motivated, I trust I will eventually start my own design firm. My instinct tells me that I will need that kind of flexibility and independence to self-actualize, or as psychologist Abraham Maslow puts it, to be who I must be.