When Kristen Sadlocha watches a movie, she looks for clues provided by the filmmaker that foreshadow an unexpected twist or turn. But she had no clue what would happen when curiosity led her to enroll in a Media and Communication Arts (MACA) class at Macomb.
“I was in the last semester for my general studies degree when I took design,” relates Sadlocha, who is now pursuing additional degrees in Design and Layout, Motion Design and Interactive Web Media. “From then on, I knew I wanted to major within the MACA program.”
A 2017 graduate of Lutheran High School Northwest, Sadlocha once thought about playing clarinet with an orchestra. She also plays the guitar and ukulele, but decided to keep music as a hobby versus a vocation. And after winning her first design contest, she knows she made the right choice.
“I felt very excited, accomplished and grateful,” says Sadlocha of winning the logo competition for the annual Shorewood Kiwanis Harper Charity Cruise. “It was nice to see that other people outside of my little bubble enjoy my work.”
In addition to receiving a $1,000 monetary prize and a matching Macomb scholarship, her logo, which features a classic Ford Thunderbird, was to be printed on T-shirts to be sold as a fundraiser at the event. While the cruise stalled this year because of COVID-19, her involvement with it inspired a business idea.
“I would like to screen print some of my designs on tote bags and shirts,” she says, “and sell them on Etsy or another site.”
Sadlocha also hopes her three MACA degrees lead to a full-time position with an ad agency or design studio. And while earning three degrees simultaneously may seem overly ambitious, the 21-year-old says the structure of Macomb’s MACA makes it easy.
“What interested me most about the MACA program was the variety of specialties that it has,” relates Sadlocha. “A lot of the classes overlap within the different specialties so you can get a degree in one and just take four more classes to get another degree.”
In high school, Sadlocha took most all of the art classes her high school offered, but drawing and stamp making failed to keep her interest. The digital realm, however, continues to provide exciting twists and turns that keep her engaged.
“I’ve had a blast in my classes thanks to my awesome professors. They’re passionate about teaching, and they truly care about their students and want them to succeed,” says Sadlocha. “Every single professor that I have had in the MACA program has been fun.”