As I maneuvered the print media industry for the first six years of my journalism career, mastering print design became more and more of a priority. Because we read with our eyes, perhaps nothing empowers the words on a page more than a pleasing visual aesthetic. The arrangement of photos, the optimization of typography in feature headlines and the execution of a graphic that captures a reader’s attention can bring a story to life.

My journey through print media’s uphill battle began in Morgantown, West Virginia, where I worked as the managing editor of WVU’s independent student newspaper, The Daily Athenaeum. Not only did I manage a staff of more than 60 employees, overseeing the editorial, art and web departments, but I also led all design strategies. Our print production comprised the daily newspaper, special-edition magazines and tabloids, all of which I designed using Adobe Creative Suite.

Upon graduation, my success on the design side of the business—winning 7th-best “Four-year Daily Newspaper” based on design and content at 2015 ACP/CMA National College Media Conference—helped me land a job with one of the most well-known newspaper publishers in the country: GateHouse Media (now part of Gannett). As a designer on the Sports Desk at the Center for News and Design in Austin, Texas, I worked on a number of prestigious publications across the U.S., including The Austin American-Statesman, The Dallas Morning News, The Oklahoman, The Columbus Dispatch, and The Providence Journal.

Simultaneously, I worked for The Longarm Network, a longarm quilting business based in Richmond, Virginia. As a small business that earned its keep through email marketing and in-person exposure at trade shows around the country, they identified a need for someone who could write newsletters and design print marketing content. During my time with the company, I designed magazines, flyers and brochures.