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A passion for design and a desire to ignite excitement in Creatives
through inspiration, research and exploration.



Why I'm excited to be your Instructor for the Project Design Analysis program at UNT's New College in Frisco!


Ward key photo

I enjoy creating connective classes and experiences for the new  Project Management, Design Thinking and Data Analytics program (PDA) Bachelor of Science program at UNT's New College in Frisco. This program is centered around creating cohorts of students that take classes together for the entire 3 years of their program. Project Partners come into the classroom fostering an immersive work-like environment on both intensive business and not-for-profit projects.

Each year I see amazing students coming into the program and then see those same students grow and take on leadership or creative roles that I wonder if they could of ever imagined before they started the program. I'm always excited to be in the classroom with such dedicated and energetic individuals. I hope to see your work on my website as we explore your talents and potential.

Appreciatively,
W


Spring 2019 Graduates
Spring 2019 Grad Review
Spring 2019 Grad Review
Spring 2019 Graduates
Spring 2019 Grad Review
Winter 2019 Portfolio class
Winter 2019 Expressive Type class
Winter 2019 Expressive Type class
Winter 2018 Portfolio class
Interface Design Winter 2018
Expressive Type 2018 Fall
Interface Design class at Clampitt Wi2018
Bell's Last Portfolio class
Fundamentals Web Spring 2018
Interface Design 2018 Spring
Intermediate layout class Wi2018
Interface Design class Wi2017
Intermediate Web class Wi2017
Intermediate Layout Fa2017
NSSC13 Show
Spring 2019 Graduates


Thank you for a wonderful 12 years at the Art Institutes!


My professional career began 25+ years ago starting at small design firms and eventually moving to Tracy-Locke, the largest agency in Dallas. I’ve also worked in-house as Assistant Marketing Manager of a manufacturing firm winning local and national awards. About 10 years ago I was asked to perform final critiques at my alma mater, and later requested to assist when classes were too large to manage. I enjoyed it so much that I enrolled in the MFA program at Texas A&M-Commerce with an emphasis in Communication Design in 2007.

My teaching career began in summer of 2010 before the completion of my MFA; starting as an adjunct instructor at the Art Institute of Houston-North. My introductory classes were Foundation Design and Typography but given my industry experience, I moved to senior and Portfolio classes. After six months as a teaching instructor, I was promoted to Program Coordinator and managed 120 students and eight adjuncts for the Advertising, Graphic, and Web Design programs while teaching three senior-level classes. The challenges of being a new academic director include managing persistence (student success), creating class schedules and registration advising. I also managed our SACS accreditation and involved the adjunct instructors so all in my program were involved in consistency between classes. Being responsible for my own program was challenging and yet seeing my graduates walk the stage was a reward without words.

I stay connected to the professional world through my volunteer work with the National Student Show and the Dallas Society of Visual Communications, the largest professional group of designers and art directors in the southwest. I try to engage my students in these programs to help them better understand the professional world through interaction with these professional organizations.