My name is Sophia Ochs and I am from Tacoma, Washington. I studied at Tacoma Community College for two years during high school as part of the running start program and graduated with my associates degree. Soon I will graduate from the visual communications program at Seattle Pacific University. My interest in design began when I was young. For as long as I can remember, I have always had a passion for drawing and creating art. I was especially influenced by my grandma, who does beautiful watercolor paintings. She would always encourage me in my pursuit of art and help me to improve. In high school, I wasn’t sure about what I wanted to do as a career until I stumbled upon the idea of graphic design. After researching the industry and taking a few graphic design courses in community college, my interest in the subject increased and I decided to major in visual communications. I enjoy drawing in my free time, which has also informed my designs by incorporating illustration in a variety of ways. In the future, I hope to go into either packaging or brand design. I like the idea of designing artifacts that will exist in physical space. Overall I am both excited and nervous to enter the world of design after graduation.