Nationwide downtown office

They can be found working on branding or pulling together a commercial or photograph. They’re our alumni, and they work for one of the leading insurance companies in the country, Nationwide. We recently got a chance to chat with four CCAD grads about what it is like to work with fellow alumni at Nationwide.

Meet Brand/Reputation Director Tara Roe (Illustration, 1999), Campaign Manager Pamela Watkins (Advertising & Graphic Design, 1983), Creative Director Marc Lincewicz (Illustration, 1992), and Multimedia Senior Coordinator Mary Kay Kemper (Advertising & Graphic Design, 1991).

Q) What is it like to work with other CCAD alumni?

Tara Roe (TR):  It’s fun! There is a common understanding of design and color because we all had the same foundation courses. CCAD grads have a lot of pride in their work and it helps Nationwide’s design continue to grow and evolve.

Pamela Watkins (PW): It’s great to find out someone is a graduate of CCAD—because of foundation courses and instructors, you immediately have a bond with a co-worker. It is also fun to see where we have landed; our careers can take such diverse courses.

Marc Lincewicz (ML): I guess I would say that when I discover that someone I’m working with has graduated from CCAD it forms sort of an instant bond. We have an understanding that we both went through a similar learning experience and probably have similar levels of understanding with regards to finding creative solutions to complex problems. It’s sort of that unsaid wink and smile that we get each other.

Mary Kay Kemper (MK): It’s great to re-connect with people I went to school with and to meet other alumni. It’s almost like they get it and they have a slightly better work ethic then others (at times).

Q) Why do you think Nationwide has a lot of CCAD alumni?

TR: Nationwide is a great place to work! We have a great creative culture within our design teams and they are encouraged to challenge ideas and push the envelope. There are also a variety of projects and opportunities to move within the company.

PW: There are so many opportunities at Nationwide that incorporate a part of your education from CCAD. We have great creative teams. Having both CCAD and Nationwide as such a big part of Columbus’ culture, it only makes sense that so many of us end up here.

ML:  Some people may be surprised to learn that Nationwide recognizes the impact that strong creativity has on our ability to communicate with our members. In my experience, on the design side of my training, CCAD taught me to always create with users in mind. People may be unaware that Nationwide sells much more than just auto insurance. Our in-house creative also consists of an internal photography department, web and interactive teams, video production, photo retouching, and we’re even moving towards 3D modeling. I also think Nationwide understands that CCAD turns out quality people who are prepared to take on a variety of creative challenges. Finally, the combination of the company wanting to be a creative leader and having a leading creative institution in the same city simply works well together.

MK: A big perk is having Nationwide located conveniently near the school. I was out of state for a while and when I returned to find work in Columbus I knew having a CCAD education on my resume would be a big benefit.

Remodeled Nationwide plaza/lobby

Q) Any advice for current students or fellow alumni who want to become involved at Nationwide?

TR: I started at Nationwide as an intern after attending a job fair just before graduating. My advice is to show up to job fairs and make connections. It truly is a key to building your network. It’s all about who you know. That will help you get the time to prove yourself to a potential employer. Have a strong portfolio, practice interviewing, and continue to push yourself creatively.

PW: Never close the door on what you might bring to the table as a result of your excellent education at CCAD. After a long career in graphic design, my first job at Nationwide was as a print buyer. That opened so many doors, and now I’m a campaign manager for Nationwide Financial, who would have thought!

ML: It can be a long, hard, and competitive process to break into Nationwide. The best approach is to be willing to start in a junior position and work your way up. If you are an alumnus with experience, your book needs to show serious talent and a commitment to your craft. Either way, a candidate’s book needs to be excellent, clean, and professional.

MK: A good way is to start as a contractor and test the water, see if Nationwide is right for you while the company will see if you will work out. I contracted for a while before going full time.

Q) Why do you love your job?

TR: I love managing a team of campaign managers and working daily with designers and writers. Although I’m no longer designing myself, I know that I need to stay close to it. Creative people bring so much more energy to the table.

PW: I still get to be a huge part of the creative process without doing the actual designs. I co-lead projects from strategy through completion. I’m always working on various platforms from collateral to conferences to web presence. I still get to partake in the background I love, while learning new things and developing new relationships every day.

ML: I love that Nationwide offers more creative opportunities than many people realize. I love the variety of creative challenges—there’s something new each day. I’ll be honest, I love a steady paycheck; the freelance world wasn’t for me, although I understand the corporate world is certainly not for everyone. I also like that what I do plays a small part in helping people get their lives back together after a problem. This company believes in the success of our city and our community.

MK: I just love it here and love the people! It’s a great creative environment!

Q) What past experiences do you share and remember from being a student at CCAD? How has this impacted your professional career? 

TR: I do lunch with Marc Lincewicz. We challenge each other to work on our art outside of Nationwide since we are both in management roles. I continue using my Color Concept and 2D skills in creating cards and occasionally selling them at the CCAD Art Sales, and Marc has showed his drawings/paintings in local art galleries. It’s great to have a fun, creative full-time gig, but also express our art on the side.

PW: All nighters! I worked part time, so my time was valuable and every minute counted. That taught me the discipline it takes to run a large campaign, work with so many teams, and balance budgets and deadlines. I also have an eye for what works and what doesn’t from messaging through design and that doesn’t come naturally. My education taught me to look at the details.

ML: My experience at CCAD was about constant work, a ton of pressure, and deadlines. I learned those deadlines had to be met. (Even the time I was at the hospital at 3 a.m. getting stitches for an Exacto knife cut.) It was an endless period of trial and error, of reworking and refining. I remember on my orientation day, President Cazani said to the freshmen, “Look to your left, look to your right, those people will not be with you on graduation day.” I knew at that moment I was probably facing a tough four and half years (it took 4.5 years to earn a BFA when I attended CCAD).  But the program being that tough taught me that I could take on seemingly impossible challenges. While I was never the smartest or the most talented artist, I knew I could hold my own. That core idea has stayed with me during my 17 years with Nationwide. It also applies to my fine art work that I do outside of the office.

Illustration alumnus David Breaux worked as an animator on feature film "Thor."

We do our best to get most of the news you submit to us onto the CCAD News Blog, but since there are more than 10,000 of you making news all over the world, not everything can make it into the blog. We’re glad to have another venue where we can share everything with you—this newsletter’s classnotes.

You, too, can submit classnotes via the easy-to-use form on the alumni landing page. We only post career-related successes, awards, exhibitions, and publications, but we’d also love to know when you move, get married, or have children—just use that same form.

Now, without further ado, your classnotes from February-May 2011.

Ron Miller (CCAD 1970) has provided cover and interior art for Astronomy, Sky & Telescope, Scientific American, and Geo magazines. His work has also been featured on two Scientific American sites and on the cover of a new science fiction novel. Miller has also written and illustrated three new young adult books for Lerner Publishing and is working on a coffee table art book for Farrar, Strauss, and Giroux. Read more on the CCAD News Blog.

Kurt Fondriest (CCAD 1985) partnered with the Brookfield Zoo to provide a learning experience for his students at Misericordia Home North through expressive art. Read a complete article and see the amazing footage here.

Lisa Horkin (CCAD 1985), Marty Husted (CCAD 1979), Ryan Orewiler (CCAD 2004), and Denise Romecki (CCAD 1976) all exhibited in Face 2 Face: 25 Years of Art and Community, which opened Friday, April 15. Read an article about this show on the CCAD News Blog.

Tracy Hayes (CCAD 1990) has opened a new Skuba Design Studio location on Magazine Street in New Orleans. Click here to learn more.

Peter Wachtel (CCAD 1990) has published two new e-books—Kid Toyology and The Wonderous World of Wonders. Read more here.

Hilary Frambes (CCAD 1992) was chosen as the Ohio Delegate to Parenting magazine’s Mom Congress, April 10-13. More information about her trip is available in the CCAD News Blog.

Celene Hawkins (CCAD 1992) was awarded a 2010 Aid to Individual Artists grant through the Summerfair Foundation in Cincinnati. Read more here.

David Breaux (CCAD 1995) completed animation work on Iron Man 2, Tron Legacy, Real Steel, and Thor. Read an interview with Breaux on the CCAD News Blog.

Tiffany Liss (CCAD 1995) has accepted the position of marketing communications specialist manager for Rexford Industries, LLC, in Indianapolis.

Christopher Maslon (CCAD 1996) was the first foreign elected official appointed to Daejeon Health and Sciences College’s board for the Executive Committee of Liberal Arts. The college is located in Daejeon, South Korea. Included in his nomination was a move by the board to add more arts and design courses to the college’s curriculum. Maslon will head the arts courses offered. Read a complete story about his appointment in the CCAD News Blog.

Anthony Anselmo (CCAD 1998) recently returned to CCAD to provide mock interviews to current students. He shared this album from his self-guided tour with us.

Justin Shady (CCAD 1998) wrote about Joshua Peters (CCAD 2008) on his blog. Peters recently designed a poster for Billy West’s appearance at Packrat Comics in Hilliard, Ohio. Read the blog here.

Michael Guinane (CCAD 2000), Marc Lincewicz (CCAD 1992), Ryan Orewiler (CCAD 2004), Michele Ulmer (CCAD 2005), Molly McNitt (CCAD 2004), and Jurate Phillips (CCAD 2002) participated in the German Village Art League exhibition The Language of Art. Learn more on the CCAD News Blog.

Anthony Nesossis (CCAD 2000) worked as creative director and graphic designer—along with MediaFLOW’s Vincent Blake—to create a new logo, tagline, and web presence for the Educational Council Foundation of Ohio.

Beth Dean (CCAD 2003) has accepted the position of director of user experience at Ongo.

Anousone Panyanouvong (CCAD 2007) received a $10,000 grant from Microsoft to launch her urban forest plan as part of the company’s Make it Great competition. Read more about her project (and how CCAD helped to make it happen) on the CCAD News Blog.

Chelstin Ross (CCAD 2009) exhibited her work during the 2011 Columbus Arts Festival. She was one of 10 central Ohio artists selected to participate in this year’s Emerging Artists Program. She was also featured in the Columbus Dispatch. Read the article here.

Nick Cavalier (CCAD 2010) directed the Felix Culpa’s Our Holy Ghost music video, which debuted at Alternative Press magazine and was featured on Absolute Punk and Blank TV (and the CCAD News Blog). The video has also been entered into the Chicago Underground Film Festival and the Chicago, NY, and SF United Film Festivals.

Katrina Seitter (CCAD 2010) was promoted from freelance designer to graphic designer at Stonefly Communications Group in central Ohio.  She has also taken up a freelance position with the Creative Good, which was started by CCAD alumnus Brian Greenwood (CCAD 1999).

Have news you’d like to share? Click here.

Six CCAD alumni will participate in the German Village Art League's "The Language of Art."

Works by six CCAD alumni will be on display at the third annual exhibition, The Language of Art, hosted by the German Village Art League (GVAL). Participating alumni are: Illustration alumni Michael Guinane (CCAD 2000), Marc Lincewicz (CCAD 1992), and Ryan Orewiler (CCAD 2004); Fine Arts alumnae Michele Ulmer (CCAD 2005) and Molly McNitt (CCAD 2004); and Interior Design alumna Jurate Phillips (CCAD 2002).

The Language of Art features visual art complemented by poetry. Selected artworks were assigned to a poet, who produced a poem to reflect their experience with the art.

The show runs June 1-25 at The High Road Gallery in Worthington, Ohio. An opening reception and poetry reading is June 5 from 2-4:30 p.m.

To read artist biographies or to learn more about GVAL, visit their website.