Category: Feature

NESADSU graduates of the past ten years (at least those for whom we have current email addresses!) have just been sent a survey that is designed to provide us with current information on your whereabouts and your employment status, as well as answers to a few other questions. We’d appreciate your taking the few minutes necessary to complete the survey as the information will help us entice prospective students, convince potential employers to hire our graduates, and in general, get the word out to the public about the great job that NESADSU does educating graphic and interior designers, illustrators and fine artists.

Added enticement? For every 25 recipients who complete the survey by February 15th, we will hold a drawing for a $50 American Express gift card. In other words, if you and 200 of your fellow alums respond, we will have a drawing for eight gift cards. That means you have a 1 in 25 chance of winning! So do it!

Sean Solley, Associate Professor of Interior Design, has been working with Dr. Greta Meszoely, Director of the Center for Business Complexity and Global Leadership, and together they have organized a pilot event exploring issues common to their respective disciplines. The event is co-sponsored by the Suffolk Center for Entrepreneurship and NESADSU. Ben Waber of Sociometric Solutions will discuss social sensing technology and its use in measuring human behavior in the built environment. Ben’s work can be viewed at: http://www.sociometricsolutions.com. The discussion will kick off at 5:30pm and will be followed by an informal reception where participants can meet and share ideas. Please join us!

 

Just last month NESADSU said goodbye to our very talented and beloved friend and professor, Tommy Yamamoto. Although we will all remember him in spirit, we felt that it would be wonderful to honor him by creating a design award in his memory. Both undergraduate and graduate students will be eligible to receive this award for design excellence upon completion of their Senior Studio or Thesis project. This award will be funded by donations, and we would be grateful for any contributions you might like to give.

Checks may be sent to Robert Roetger, the Director of Development for the College of Arts and Sciences at Suffolk. Please make checks payable to ‘Suffolk University’ and mail them to the address below. Online credit card gifts are accepted as well. Please go to www.suffolk.edu/giving and in the ‘other’ category indicate ‘Yamamoto Award.’

Please send checks to:

Robert Roetger

Director of Development

College of Arts and Sciences

Suffolk University Advancement Office

8 Ashburton Place

Boston, MA 02108

Five years ago Eileen Riestra (Graphic Design 2005) decided to establish a company that would provide creative solutions and strategies for businesses in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Ever since she was a teenager she had dreamt of changing the world through design, technology and innovation. During her years at NESADSU, the dream edged toward reality and DYAStudio was conceived.

Eileen left NESADSU upon graduation and returned to Puerto Rico, where, after two years learning the intricacies of the business from some of the most competitive firms in Puerto Rico, she opened DYAStudio (www.dyastudio.com) in 2007. Through the world-wide recession, through good days and better ones, she managed to mold her business into one of the most innovative design firms in Puerto Rico.

Now, five years later, DYAStudio is celebrating its 5th anniversary and Eileen has clients from Boston to London and from Florida to Mexico and back to Puerto Rico. With five employees in equally diverse locations (Puerto Rico has no design schools of its own, so the pool of local talent is small), they carry on their brand development, website design, environmental graphics, social media and new product development, if necessary by Skype and PayPal. It all works and she’s busier than ever.

In 2012 Eileen was given the opportunity to attend the prestigious Yale School of Management in New Haven. The program provided her with the tools, theory and experience she needed to become a prolific entrepreneur. The creative side of the company acquired a successful business edge and DYAStudio strengthened its position in the market through interactions with some of America’s most successful business people.

As DYAStudio continues to grow, Eileen is always willing to talk with NESADSU graduates in Graphic Design, who might be able to contribute to the firm’s continuing success. If you think you might be that candidate, contact Eileen at eileen@dyastudio.com.