Ashley Girouard

SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF DESIGN

Being a designer was never my plan, but somewhere along the way, this whole design thing really grew on me. I have always loved the thrill of having a crazy idea and working backward to figure out how to pull it off. I was surprised to realize that designers get to do that every day! Many of my interests in life aren’t directly related to design, but I love bringing design to everything I do. Whether I’m interviewing artists for my radio show, helping on the set of a music video, or planning a birthday party for my friend, I’m not technically doing any design, but I often catch myself still being a designer. Being a designer, to me, is a perfect concoction of curiosity, passion, and the relentless pursuit of awesomeness. I’m realizing more and more that I might have been a designer all along. I love big ideas, working through the “impossible,” and bringing energy to every aspect of a project. Right now, I’m most excited about package design, branding, illustration, and video, but my interests grow every day.

WHAT MAKES YOU FEEL INSPIRED?

I love acquiring random hobbies and getting really invested in them. Recently, I accidentally became a DJ. It’s so cool to be all in on learning something new, and I’m often inspired by the new people, jargon, and experiences that a hobby brings me. This semester, I designed a musicrelated app that I would never have been able to do without my newfound DJ knowledge.

WHAT AREA OR AREAS OF DESIGN ARE YOU HOPING TO WORK IN OR SPECIALIZE IN?

I want to be a builder of worlds. Design that excites me most is design that allows us to experience something that has its own rules, characters, and feelings. I would love to work with startups or new brands to build from the ground up, collaborate with musical artists to create immersive tour and album experiences, or assist anyone trying to orchestrate an experience that allows others to enter a land of fantasy and surprise.