“My experience at LMU prepared me for a wide range of challenges due to its intensive, well-rounded core-curriculum and variety of professors and students. My advice to underclassmen is, if you have an interest or passion you want to dive into more don’t wait until you’re “less busy” to do it, because I promise you that day will likely never come.”
With graduation upon us, we spoke to some of CFA’s talented #LMU21 graduates as they gear up to leave LMU and take on the world. In our We Love Our Grads series, we asked a graduating student from each of our departments to reflect on their time here, as well as share their plans for the future.
Mathew Martini ’21
Major: Studio Arts, Multimedia Emphasis
Career Goals: Creative house or animation studio
How did you decide to become a studio art major?
As a creative generalist who dabbles in so many different fields, the studio arts and multimedia emphasis really appealed to me. I got to take classes involving different areas I was interested in like graphic design, coding, motion design, and some film production classes in SFTV.
Tell us a little about your time at LMU!
As a studio arts major who started in environmental science, I made sure to take a wide variety of classes throughout my four years to get the most out of my LMU education — and I certainly did not regret it. I participated in Ski Club and stayed connected to the campus during COVID restrictions by working with the Laband Art Gallery to transition the student art shows online.
What are your post-graduation plans and how did you come to that decision?
I recently accepted an offer from a New York-based ad agency, SocialQ, to come on as lead motion designer after freelancing for them over the last few weeks. I wanted to get working and gain real-world experience as soon as possible, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity to work with a team of people I really like.
Did you have a particular experience that led you to this path?
I’ve always been torn between film/video and design, and motion graphics (specifically 3D work) seemed like the perfect combination of the two. I had a realization a few months ago that almost every piece of media we see on our screens these days involves motion design — so I started diving deeper into it as I knew there must be lots of job opportunities in the field.
Tell us a little about your career goals and aspirations.
I don’t have any super specific career goals, but I do know I won’t stay in advertising for long as I’ve always been more of an artist than a business person. Eventually, I’d like to work at a creative house or animation studio that works on more long-form/prestige motion graphics projects, or in the film industry on educational/social justice oriented media and documentaries.
How do you feel your experience at LMU prepared you for this next step?
My experience at LMU prepared me for a wide range of challenges due to its intensive, well-rounded core curriculum and variety of professors and students.
What will you miss most about LMU?
The thing I’ll miss the most about LMU is the beautiful campus and the friends I made here.
What advice do you have for underclassmen?
Always remember to be kind, compassionate, and grounded. It’s easy to feel like you live in a different world at the Bluff sometimes. Don’t be afraid to ask for advice, and get to know your professors. If you have an interest or passion you want to dive into more don’t wait until you’re “less busy” to do it, because I promise you that day will likely never come.
