I recently started as an adjunct professor at a local university, teaching three courses this semester: Web design, digital graphics production, and media literacy. As I embark on this new journey, I’ve noticed a remarkable difference regarding how specialized knowledge is valued. Professionals, such as designers, are regarded quite differently in the academic world compared to the corporate world. In particular, there appears to be more mutual respect and autonomy within the educational domain.
Most of my professional experience stems from the corporate industry — a significant chunk as an in-house creative director for a publishing company where I managed nearly 20 designers and aided in developing many successful brands, products, and services. I also served as a designer and brand strategist in the agency environment for several years.
I left the corporate world at the end of 2023 to pursue a self-employed consulting gig, which allowed me more time to focus on my education and potential teaching/mentor roles.
In my experience, designers of all levels in a commercial environment face subjugation on a regular basis. If ambiguous projects do not drive you insane, the constant…
