Rising Stars: Meet Becky Sehenuk Waite

Today we’d like to introduce you to Becky Sehenuk Waite. 

Hi Becky, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’ve been working as a designer for nearly 20 years, however working as a creative was not always the path I was on. In my undergrad studies, I was fascinated with how people navigate the world and each other (primarily because of a badass professor I had who made the subject extremely cool). So, I studied sociology and only dabbled in fine art. Those studies shifted my senior year and I pivoted to pursue advertising where I felt I could mesh my two interests—art and human social relationships. After college, I worked at a small ad agency and was exposed to the work the graphic designers were doing. I was inspired to say the least. I knew at that point I wanted to be a designer. Fast forward a few years and I had landed a job as a Creative Art Director at a large nonprofit. I was designing materials that engaged various audiences and ignited a passion in people to serve, give, and support. I realized the power of graphic design to not only convey a message but to influence the hearts and minds of people. I wasn’t naive though. I knew my skills had taken me as far as I could go. I wanted to know more, I wanted to challenge myself, and I wanted to learn everything I could about the vast world of design. So, I applied to the master’s program at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. I didn’t know how I would get in (I didn’t meet their undergrad requirements of having an art degree), or how I would manage a full load of classes on top of a full-time job, or an even weightier obstacle of how I would pay for it all. I applied anyway and was thrilled and quietly proud that I got in. That master’s program changed my life. I learned so much and was challenged beyond expectation. Their classes were intense and all-consuming. They push their students to do more, to be better. And man, I was pushed. I learned the ins and outs of graphic design on multiple levels, and I was perfecting my craft. I felt like I was at the peak of my work as a designer. While in school I was working my way up in my career and building my portfolio. With one year left of the program, I was stopped in my tracks when my twin sister was killed in a motorcycle accident. My world flipped upside down. I lost myself and my confidence as a designer and as a person. I hid inside myself and battled with depression. I didn’t feel whole without her, and it took a long time to get to a place where I found fulfillment in creating again. When she died, I took a break from school, but I continued working at my job. After taking a 3-year hiatus I reached out to the school, begging to be re-enrolled. The director of the graphic design program at that time, Anitra Nottingham, called me and shared with me that she is a twin and was gracious enough to bend the rules and let me re-enroll and pick up where I left off. She supported me throughout the remainder of my time at AAU and was a key influence in my life during that time. She’s an extremely thoughtful and experienced designer who has shaped countless students’ lives. Soon after graduating, I applied to over 80 jobs around the world. I was satisfied with my current job where I was working as the Director of Digital Communications at a large nonprofit that serves people affected by disabilities. However, I knew there was more for me, and I wanted to shift out of the nonprofit sector and really apply all that I had learned and developed at a large company. Out of those 80 applications, I think I only landed 4 or 5 interviews. It was a humbling process to say the least. After a 3-month journey looking for the right next play for me, I landed a job as a designer at LinkedIn. I was working at LinkedIn just shy of a year when I got a call from the University of Michigan, College of Literature, Science, and the Arts. They were reaching out in response to a year-old application I had submitted. They had a different job opening and wanted to know if I would be interested. I thought to myself, why not see what happens? At the very least I could make some new connections and meet some cool people. I had only been married for 4 months at the time and I was just starting to get acclimated to a new life with my husband, in a new home, with a fairly new job. I flew out to Ann Arbor for an interview and a week later my husband got an unexpected email from a recruiter asking if he’d be interested in working in Ann Arbor. What are the odds? We couldn’t just ignore what was right in front of us—the opportunity for us both to work in jobs we love and take an adventure together. I truly saw this job as a dream job. I valued higher education immensely, my work in the nonprofit sector gave me experience and appreciation for philanthropy, and my undergrad studies created a fondness for the liberal arts. Match made in heaven, right? We took the leap through fear and hesitation, knowing we were leaving our comfort zone, and our family and friends. No move has to be permanent. We would experience the Midwest for a couple years and go back to California. To our surprise, we quickly fell in love with the city, the school, and all the recreational opportunities that Michigan holds. Fast forward 6 years and I’m now the Associate Creative Director at UM and I’m teaching online design courses at my alma mater. I never in a million years would have thought this is where I’d be when I finished out my 30s. California is always going to be home and I’ll make my way back there. But for now, I’m making the most of every moment that I get to be here. Some lessons I’ve learned along the way: 1. The most debilitating tragedy doesn’t have to ruin you. As painful as it may be, keep stepping forward, even if it’s one baby step at a time. 2. A single person can be an incredible catalyst of change in your life without you even realizing it. Be kind and open as every person you meet has the ability to push you forward in life. 3. Figure out what you love doing and then make whatever sacrifices you need and take whatever fearful leaps of faith you can to go after that. 4. Don’t chase after money. Chase after what fills you and enables you to do what you’re good at. I can’t count how many free design jobs and photoshoots I’ve done over the past 15 years. They all were important in shaping who I am as a designer and making connections that have furthered my career. 5. Humility is important.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I wouldn’t say it has been easy or smooth. When I was first starting out, I needed to build out my portfolio and get work. I did a lot of “free” freelance work in order to enlarge my network, build connections, and gain experience. It required a lot of late nights of working and taking on projects at the last minute that had tight deadlines. On a more personal note, I lost my twin sister when I was just rising in my career and finishing up my master’s program. Her death changed everything for me. She had been my biggest support and source of confidence, especially in my creative work. It took some time for me to find myself again and get back to pursuing the things I enjoyed, which included finishing my graduate program and growing in my career. That kind of a disruption in life can make doing even simple things hard. The main lesson I learned through that was to keep going. I also realized that who I was as a designer wasn’t determined by another person—not a client, not my sister. I worked hard to define my aesthetic and develop a portfolio I could be proud of. 

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I do a lot of different types of creative work. As a graphic designer, I have the pleasure of coming alongside clients to help them bring their vision to life. Most of my clients are super passionate about what they do (as they should be), and I get to help them elevate the work they do. Sometimes that’s through designing print collateral or doing custom illustrations to support a long-form story. Other times it’s doing a photoshoot for promotional materials. I get to do it all and come up with solutions that best support the client. There’s a lot of gratification in that. I specialize in print design, brand development, illustration, and marketing campaigns. Projects I have the most fun with are ones in which the client has given me complete creative freedom. Most of the time that’s through poster designs, mixed media projects, and custom typography. What sets me apart is I have a well-rounded approach to my work. I view every project as valuable and really try to deeply understand the needs of the client. I have experience in multiple creative disciplines which helps me have a unique perspective when approaching a project. For example, I’m not just looking at a logo design trying to come up with something that is cool or looks pretty. I’m considering how it’ll be implemented across various platforms, who the audience is and how well it translates across deliverables. The work I’m currently doing at the University of Michigan is what I’m most proud of. We strive to produce compelling designs that excite incoming students, inspire current students, and create a sense of belonging and pride across the campus. We have a handful of brilliant writers on staff who work hard to produce stories for our bi-annual magazine that is sent to tens of thousands of readers. I’ve had the honor of creating compelling graphics and illustrations to help bring those stories to life. In addition to my work at UM, for the past 6 years, I have been deeply involved in producing designs and graphic support for an independent film called Wake Up. This film has been running in the film festival circuit this past year and has been racking up awards. I designed the logo, promo collateral, the website, and other materials. The film addresses sex trafficking within the foster system and its goal is to bring awareness and support to the issue. It’s been an honor partnering with the producer/creator of the film. 

How do you define success?
There’s something to be said about creating the perfect end product for a client. However, in my opinion, success as a designer comes when you’ve satisfied the client and the work you’ve produced has a lasting impact. Design has the potential to have such a huge impact on people. Creating work that is authentic and tells the right story is really important to me, and sometimes that means pushing back on the client’s initial ideas in order to produce the strongest solution. When the client and I are able to land on something that we are both happy with and I’m able to execute it well, I feel like we’ve both been successful. It isn’t just about making money on a project. If the work isn’t good, no one wins. While monetary success isn’t everything nor the reason why I do the work that I do, it is important for me to be able to make a good living doing what I enjoy, which I’ve been very fortunate in doing so far. Being able to make decent money as a designer helps to validate the work that I do. 

Contact Info:

• Website: beckysehenuk.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bsehenuk/