QUENTIN MAGNETT

I am simply a movie theorist, sports lover, music playlist creator, Graphic Designer turned UX designer, podcaster, who happens to be in grad school for Human-Computer Interaction/ design. My life, so far, has been filled with twist and turns, but I'm thankful because I have gained a vast amount of experiences, which have molded me to the guy you see in the photo above. 

My HCI/d program at Indiana University has challenged me with different scenarios and problems in order to build me a designer. Learning that "everything is design and design everything", the process and solutions are complex. This opens up to endless opportunities and creations. 

The passion for graphic design runs deep. Ever since my youth, I have practice art to express myself. Now, art is still the center of my life. Majoring in Fine Arts: Graphic Design, I have been to mature my creativity. Here you can find examples of my recent work. 

Being creative, it is important to find what motivates you. For me, I find my motivation in different pockets of my life. When I look to be inspired, I often lean towards music, different videos on YouTube, my peers, and attending conferences. When I listen to music, I tap into the mindset of when I played soccer in high school. It helps me perform better. The music flows through me and helps get my ideas out. With videos, I find inspiration from other creators like music producers, artist, musicians, and motivational speakers like Gary Vee. These videos help me create and I find ways to explore my own ideas differently. In addition, it supports one of my favorite quotes by Paul Rand that everything is design and design is everything. I believe as the world is complex, so are people. In return, the opportunities to create are diverse due to this formula. With Conferences, I am able to explore this space more. Seeing how others are looking at the design process, learning new practices, and networking like-minded individuals inspire me to challenge myself as a designer. 

These ongoing lessons push me to share these ideas through leadership, my work, and everyday conversations. As the graduate advisor in the Diversity and Inclusion program at Indiana University, I strive to motivate my students to find their voice and be innovators as they come up with programs to uplift their peers and communities. In this program, I find it important for them to be comfortable telling their story and display their abilities. We all have a gift that we must share with the world, and I aim to make them confident in exercising theirs. 

 I search for motivation and understand that it comes in many forms. Sometimes, it can come in the shape of failure. Failure is not a sign to give up but an opportunity to learn. These lessons do not only lift us up to new heights but also play an important role in educating generations after us.