In his own words, Zane shares how his time at the University of Oregon offered him a space to nourish his creativity, cultivate community and gain financial stability.
When I look back on my relationship with school, I realize I faced various obstacles before landing on the career I’m pursuing today. I grew up in a low-income household, and my father was the breadwinner, working for TriMet. Higher education wasn’t directly present in my environment, but I always knew that I wanted to follow the college route in order to gain financial stability.
As a junior in high school, hearing about College Possible for the first time in class, I saw my opportunity to carve a path toward my future. From that moment forward, I consistently worked with my coach to apply for scholarships and schools throughout Oregon.
It was at that point that I began thinking about a future career. Nothing stood out to me until I took my first graphic design class in high school. It caught my eye immediately because I had always been drawn to the arts as a kid. Growing up skateboarding and being immersed in the skate scene, I was always interested in the visual language that the sport fostered. Whether it’s a graphic shirt, the silkscreen graphic on a skate deck, or the stickers you slap on your helmet, skateboarding introduced me to different forms of art and design. Because of this, I knew graphic design was something I wanted to do, especially if I could create change in my own community through it.
Although I was passionate about graphic design, I didn’t believe it was something I could go to school for, so I declared myself a business major at the University of Oregon. The long hours I had spent on scholarship applications with my coach paid off when I received the PathwayOregon grant that covered my college tuition.
When I first got to Eugene, I felt a culture shock. It was clear that many of my peers on campus came from a more privileged lifestyle that I couldn’t relate to. During that phase, I really appreciated my coaches’ campus visits to check in on me and hear about how my college journey was going. As I explored spaces I resonated with, I began to open up a lot more and embrace my college experience.
By sophomore year, I realized that business wasn’t for me. I decided that if I was going to continue school, then I was going to study something I was passionate about. So, I made the transition from business to art and technology and fully committed to design as my primary focus. The guidance and emotional support I received from my coach helped me navigate the transition into a more creative field. School became more enjoyable, and I was able to take advantage of the resources at the College of Design where I worked as a print studio monitor.
Since graduating, I’ve worked at a screenprinting shop in Portland. Although it wasn’t fully related to design, it was a good experience that nurtured my creativity. Now, I’m a freelance graphic designer picking up contract work. This summer, I led multiple creative projects at Caldera, a nonprofit that supports youth and artists around Oregon. I’m still pursuing a more permanent role, but I have made amazing connections through my freelance journey that I hope will blossom into something bigger for me.
I’m grateful for programs like College Possible that help make the transition into higher education more accessible for people who come from similar backgrounds as myself. Despite facing challenges throughout my college journey, I grew as a person. College provided me with a space to get out of my comfort zone and adapt to a new environment, align my career with my biggest passion, and create meaningful connections. These experiences proved to be more valuable than anything else.
