Whitworth University Art Department

Alumni Achievements

Michaela Allen, '11
Major: Art

Current position: Graphic designer and print specialist with MM3 Design Agency, in Kennewick, Wash. She also oversees the production of The Perfect Move, a quarterly community magazine produced by MM3.

Why Whitworth? "Attending a small university was important to me, and I knew I would thrive best in a Christian setting. Whitworth just felt like the right place for me when I visited."

Whitworth Activities: Performed with Cool Whip, the improv team, and was involved with The Natsihi, Whitworth's yearbook, including serving as its editor-in-chief.

Quote: "When I accepted my current job, I had the initial panic that I think most college graduates face, asking myself, "Am I really qualified to do this job? Did I learn everything I needed to?" I've found since then that my Whitworth education prepared me for my career in a much broader sense. My professors helped give me a clear picture of what my industry was like while I was still in the classroom. From class projects requiring me to work with actual clients to theoretical discussions about good design principles and ethics, I was equipped with a core understanding of my vocation. This has proven far more valuable than merely building technical skills, which I'm able to do as I work in my field."

Influential Whitworth Professor: "Ron Pyle's communication theories class completely changed the way I relate to others. Having strong communication skills, especially influenced by a Christian perspective, has helped me form better professional and personal relationships."

Career Goals: "I would love to specialize in branding and identity work or pursue a career as an art director for a magazine."

Here's what some other recent Whitworth graduates are doing with their art degrees:

Nate Elefson, '10, is enrolled in the MFA program at the University of Texas at Austin, where he studies printmaking and teaches.

Betty Gardner, '08, has had works accepted to a number of juried exhibits and is working on a commission with acclaimed sculptor Sister Paula Turnbull.

Damon Buck, '11, is a designer for Gravity Jack Software, in Liberty Lake, Wash.

Thayer Wild, '08 (art and chemistry double major), is enrolled at the University of Washington's College of Built Environments, where he is pursuing a master's degree in architecture.

Lindsey Merrell, '07, is a graphic designer for Invisible Ink, a web and print design firm in Yakima, Wash.

Joanna Kendal, '10, is a photography teacher at St. George's School, in Spokane.

Marco Tulluck, '05, had his acrylic and mixed-media paintings and drawings featured in a 2006 exhibit, "Inner Darkness," at the Infohazard Gallery, in Seattle.

Maddison Colvin, '08, was accepted to the M.F.A. program at the Savannah College of Art and Design. She has exhibited her works and led a workshop at the Tinman Gallery, in Spokane.

Bryan Putnam, '09, is enrolled in the MFA program at the University of Oregon.

Jennifer Ahre, '07, had her artwork featured in an emerging-artists exhibit at the Kress Gallery, in Spokane.