While a student at MIAD, Ethan Keister ‘17 (Communication Design) was named a 2017 Student to Watch by Graphic Design USA
. Ethan recently updated us on his post grad life.
What is your current job?
I’m currently an art director at Zizzo Group – an advertising agency that specializes in digital marketing. I do many tasks including branding, website design, and social media content creation. I like the variety of clients (from the YMCA to Milwaukee Film) and the fact I get to be creative on a daily basis.
What are some other things you’ve done since graduation?
After graduation, I had the chance to travel to the Indian Himalayas and do some design work over the summer. When I returned, I moved back to Milwaukee from western New York (where I’m from) and snagged the art director job at Zizzo. I’ve been there ever since, but have traveled to Ecuador, and back to India. I also freelance with Stock House Brewing Co. doing their branding and labels, and volunteer with Islands of Brilliance – a design mentorship program for children, teens and young adults on the autism spectrum.
How did MIAD prepare you for your career?
MIAD taught me how to teach myself. It taught me work ethic, and what it means to be professional in the hectic world of art and design. Presentation is important, and MIAD helped me refine my skills. I learned of an internship through MIAD [at Zizzo], which is where I currently work. Connection is key!