Student Success: Leslie Hernandez Finds Direction in MCC’s Graphic Design Program

Manchester, Conn. (July 27, 2017) – Leslie Hernandez, of Manchester, has overcome cultural barriers and life challenges on her road to an associate degree in the Graphic Design program at MCC.

MCC’s Graphic Design program provides knowledge in both technique and design concepts in order to provide visual problem solving skills and an awareness of the impact of design on culture and community. Students can enroll part-time or full-time, and there are also no prerequisites for entry into introductory courses. Everyone has the opportunity to gain both real-world experience and academic credits within the internship and courses they take, according to Professor Maura O’ Connor, co-chair of the Digital Arts and Design Department.

“Graduates of this program have an understanding and appreciation of graphic design as a form of communication and art; they also have creative thinking skills, and use problem solving techniques across a wide range of media,” O’Connor said.

By her own account, Hernandez’s educational journey has been a challenge. She noted that being a single mother with a Hispanic background comes with its own cultural barriers, and she is determined to overcome those barriers and succeed.

As she tells it, Hernandez’s mother was told that women don’t go to school. Rather, they should just stay home and take care of the house. Her mother didn’t follow through with that, and instead she went to school and became a nurse. Hernandez’s reaction to her mother’s experience: “Independent but open minded is how I will be and the world could be.

She added, “As long as the mind is open to new possibilities, it doesn’t matter what your background is.”

As a single mother, she has struggled to make ends meet with a low-paying retail job. She worked the same job for six years to make sure she and her daughter had food on the table and a roof over their heads.

Now she wants to show others that it is possible to accomplish a goal, as long as the person has the right mindset. Financial aid was one of the most helpful supports in getting her back on her feet.

“If it wasn’t for financial aid I would never have been able to go back to school,” she said. “Even in the beginning, it was hard to start up again, but failure isn’t something I believe in.”

In addition, she is determined to learn about the workforce through hands-on experience. She recently landed an internship through the Arts Workforce Initiative administered by Connecticut Office of the Arts. This summer she is working at The Mark Twain House & Museum in Hartford on a cataloging project. Working with Curator Tracy Brindle, her job is to catalogue items on museum shelves and log a description and location.

She expects to graduate in May 2018 and hopes to be working already in the graphic arts field by the time she leaves MCC. She believes that a key part of the program is the opportunity to gain professional experience through internships.

“It is amazing to watch the progress of students like Leslie – and, really, all my students – from when they first come in, to when they are getting ready to graduate,” said O’Connor. “Most of our students are truly dedicated to what they are learning and to building their portfolios. I have found that the more we connect our students to real-world projects and the work place, the more they flourish.”