Katherine’s Chester Made Story: Making the most of every opportunity

As a BA Graphic Design student, I was eager to study internationally so I could practice design in a different culture, observing and analysing individual perspectives relative to diverse audiences.

Before starting my journey as an international student, Chester seemed like an obvious choice as the top-ranked university in the UK for international study. I’m so glad Chester was my choice; I’ll always look back with pleasure and appreciation for the people and the opportunities that it introduced to me. Every day gave me a new chance to put myself out there as a designer while discovering my own creative talents, interests, and where I might fit in the industry. 

Exploring My Creative Identity

My time at Chester pushed me to experiment as a designer, while also asking myself what my specialities and strengths are.

You can learn a lot about your creative identity when your mentors encourage you to explore, question and dig deeper for the purpose and details in each project, which is exactly the guidance I received at Chester.

Learning from my peers was similarly invaluable because taking in their feedback opened my eyes to new perspectives on approaching a project that I hadn’t seen or considered myself. The diverse collaboration I experienced at Chester reinforced for me that design requires intent, purpose and, most of all, use. 

Collaborating on a Real-world Community Project

One of my most memorable projects took place during my final year. I had the opportunity to work with the Chester Community Law Project collaboratively with Chester Law School students, as the lead graphic design student.

With the Law School students investigating how they could support Cheshire West and Chester’s Refugee and Asylum Seeker team in assisting sanctuary seekers, I led the Graphic Design team in the design of the visual layout of the research report, including all graphic assets.

I am especially proud of this project because of its involvement and impact within the local community. Personally, I relished the opportunity to develop my leadership and teamwork skills while simultaneously growing as a designer. The project took place at such a significant point in my journey where my academic experience began to bridge with my professional career. I was able to walk away from the project, and similarly from university, thinking to myself – I’ve got this. 

 Life as a Digital Marketing Lead

When asked what I do now, I like to say that I wear many hats. This makes every working day look different. As a Digital Marketing Lead for an in-house company, I get to combine my knowledge as a designer with marketing experience to visually communicate to our brand’s target audiences across a variety of platforms, including digital and print.

Working as the voice of the company, it’s my responsibility to recognise and understand the perspective of the user in connection with how they engage with the brand through every touchpoint. It’s exciting to work with a handful of mediums, and I feel like I’m always learning new things, despite having finished my studies.  

Staying Connected After Graduation

Since graduating, I’ve returned to the University as an alumni for a panel discussion during Creative Futures 2026. Honestly, what a full-circle moment, which I accredit to the strong connections I built with my lecturers during my studies. Keep in mind that once you graduate, the relationships you share with the staff and the University don’t have to end.

I’ve also had the opportunity to work on other projects, such as designing the layout of a children’s book for a local author, including illustrations by their granddaughter. I’m meant to receive a physical copy of it soon, and I can’t wait. In my opinion, seeing your work come to life will always be the greatest feat as a designer. It’s also worth mentioning that the person who put my name forward as a recommended designer was someone I built a relationship with after cold emailing them during my work placement module…  

Go For It!

That all goes to say that my biggest advice to current or prospective students is put yourself out there, go for it, and start to get comfortable with being uncomfortable, because that’s how you’re going to learn the most. When you hear about a networking event or any kind of workshop, go to it, even if it’s by yourself. It gives you the chance to talk to people you don’t know, which can do wonders for your confidence, while developing your practical skills too. Having the opportunities available to you during university won’t always be there once you graduate, so make the most of them while you can.

To work in the creative industry, you first have to be willing to become a part of it. From my experience, university is one of the best foundations and resources for building a personal brand as a designer and finding my place in the industry today.