ASU interdisciplinary reports graduate delivers really like for structure, Japanese language and society, and mindfulness to portfolio
Editor’s note: This tale is aspect of a series of profiles of notable spring 2021 graduates.
You might not know spring 2021 ASU graduate Taylor Kephart by title, but if you have engaged with ASU’s Faculty of Integrative Sciences and Arts or Solar Devil Exercise about the last numerous many years, you have likely been moved by her standout design and style get the job done — every thing from flyers, posters and social media property to video animations, branded id pieces and new-university student welcome kits. 

Interdisciplinary scientific studies graduate Taylor Kephart (with cat Niko) has by now recognized a total-time position as a graphic artist with a nearby company. Kephart interned with the Japanese Friendship Back garden of Phoenix this spring semester and labored in graphic design and style and advertising and marketing positions at ASU during her undergraduate expertise.
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For the duration of her freshman and sophomore many years, Kephart worked with the Sunshine Satan Fitness Complex as a graphic design assistant and afterwards as a marketing and advertising coordinator. Since tumble of junior 12 months she’s been a graphic layout assistant and integral component of the Innovative Solutions team in her academic home — the Faculty of Integrative Sciences and Arts — the place she’s accomplished the significant in interdisciplinary experiments with concentrations in style and design studies and Japanese.
Like several interdisciplinary scientific studies majors, Kephart was drawn to this choice simply because she has extensive-ranging passions.
“For a though I’d been interested in Japanese language and society, alongside with distinct varieties of style and design, these types of as graphic and industrial,” she stated. “I was at first an intermedia art important, and later on on a Japanese main, but I didn’t want to review just one matter. Fusing my interests and pursuing a degree in interdisciplinary research seemed like the best selection to me when I realized that.”
At ASU, the cornerstone of the interdisciplinary scientific tests diploma is a student-organized applied working experience — commonly an internship or investigate — that melds their two focus locations in a significant way. Fittingly, Kephart initiated a placement as design and style and electronic advertising intern with the Japanese Friendship Garden of Phoenix.
She said her internship and scholar worker experiences had been similarly impactful.
“They enabled me to study a large amount about myself, my work type and my innovative system,” she stated. “I was also capable to satisfy some terrific, like-minded people.”
Two of the more substantial ASU jobs in Kephart’s portfolio — the 80-webpage “Integrate Your Health” manual dispersed to pupils by the Live Well @ ASU initiative and a 120-webpage inspirational bullet journal established primarily for very first-12 months CISA college students — include insights she’s acquired from William Heywood, associate clinical professor in The Layout School and a practising scientific psychologist.
“I took two courses with Professor Heywood and would consider both of all those again in a heartbeat,” Kephart mentioned. “He taught me a good deal about mindfulness and how it can have a important effect on your well-remaining and your innovative process. No subject who you are, what your beliefs are, or what your targets in existence are, it is immensely effective to sluggish down each and every as soon as in a even though, quiet your mind and hear to your inner voice. By means of mindfulness and meditation, you can vastly enhance your focus and obtain answers and inspiration when you had not been in a position to prior to.”
Kephart, who is graduating with ASU’s prestigious Moeur Award (for finishing her bachelor’s degree in just 4 a long time with a 4. GPA) and was also aspect of a crew recognized with a Higher education of Integrative Sciences and Arts 2021 Excellent Team Award, claimed that one more unexpected takeaway she’s realized though at ASU is to basically rely on in the journey that is lifetime.
“I truly came to see just how unpredictable everyday living is. In the grand plan of points, it’s Okay to not definitely know your purpose, or what you want to do with your life. New prospects can appear to you seemingly out of nowhere and you may possibly conclude up modifying your way completely,” she reflected. “I learned that it’s Ok if points don’t always convert out how I envisioned them. There are constantly unlimited alternatives, and everyday living has a way of operating alone out.”
Taylor Kephart shared some further reflections on her ASU knowledge.
Problem: Why did you choose ASU?
Remedy: I chose ASU due to the fact it was a chance for me to go away my hometown of Shock, Arizona, and eventually encounter new points. I’d lived in the identical location with the exact same people today my total everyday living, and moving away for college or university was a major step for me. The President’s Award scholarship was also a significant selecting component in choosing ASU — it took absent a good deal of my concerns about the monetary facet of items
Q: What’s the most effective piece of guidance you’d give to all those nonetheless in college?
A: It may possibly audio cliché, but try new matters! University is a excellent time to check out your passions, and it’s an even much better time to get to know yourself. I’ve attempted a lot of new factors, and went via a lot of ups and downs all through the very last four several years, and by means of it all I’ve appear out with a considerably clearer eyesight of who I am.
Q: What was your beloved position to be at ASU, whether or not for researching, assembly close friends or just considering about life?
A: My favorite spot to be was “A” Mountain. I would hike up in the mornings sometimes when the sunshine was coming up and just sit at the major and believe about everyday living. It would help place the entire world in point of view, and allowed me to recenter myself when matters bought frustrating.
Q: What are your ideas immediately after graduation?
A: I’ve been fortuitous plenty of to discover a comprehensive-time position as a graphic artist for a nearby enterprise, so just after graduation I will be settling into my new part. I also system on investing some of my totally free time rediscovering outdated hobbies that I haven’t experienced as a great deal time to cultivate about the earlier four yrs. Other than that, I’ll absolutely be catching up on some sleep!
Q: If somebody gave you $40 million to fix a single challenge on our world, what would you tackle?
A: There are so many really serious troubles in our globe now — it is really difficult to make a determination. The 1st dilemma that sticks out to me is ocean pollution. At minimum 50 % of Earth’s oxygen comes from the ocean, and it’s the supply of an countless variety of plant and animal life. It is also one of the major forces that assists to regulate the worldwide weather. If we don’t pay out exclusive attention to cleansing up and safeguarding our ocean, the implications will be sizeable — even more so than they now are.