NC STATE COLLEGE OF DESIGN
Bhavana Veeravalli (she/her/hers) is a senior studying Graphic and Experience Design. Her integration into the world of design began when she was young – starting with fingerpainting as a toddler and traditional media in high school before graduating into digital media and product design as an adult (even if she has a hard time believing it). Outside of design, she enjoys reading, volunteering at her community’s Women’s Center, and building connections with and between people.
WHO IS SOMEONE YOU LOOK UP TO IN YOUR FIELD? EITHER TODAY OR HISTORICALLY?
For the sake of being succinct, I will focus on someone who is a career mentor. Their name is AJ Griffies (they/them) and they are a UX Researcher who has worked for a variety of companies such as Lexus Nexus, IBM, Amazon, and now Workiva. However, what I find inspiring about them is how they live and embody their values in whatever context they find themselves in. They lead with kindness and empathy. Although they are a researcher and I am a designer, they have influenced how I approach design as a research-centered process. In doing so, I see more of the humanity in what I design, because people are at the forefront.
WHAT ARE YOU READING, LISTENING TO, WATCHING (BOOKS, MOVIES, TV, SOCIAL MEDIA, MUSIC)?
Right now, I am thinking a lot about my spirituality, so I have been re-reading the Bhagavad Gita, which is an important text in Hinduism that discusses what purpose means in life. Outside of that, I am listening to a lot of Shakira.
DO YOU CURRENTLY, OR DO YOU PLAN TO, DESIGN FOR ANY CAUSES OR CHARITIES?
I am currently designing for the Women’s Center at North Carolina State University. I am working on the promotional materials and branding for Take Back the Night, a protest, march, and survivor speak-out for survivors of sexual violence. In the future, I would like to be part of non-profit or NGO spaces that do similar work in protecting survivors.
