Communication Design Alumna Eilidh is flourishing in her role as a Graphic Designer for a hotel in St Andrews. She shares her career evolution and achievements as well as how the course at RGU helped her in developing the skills needed for her work.
My career as a Graphic Designer after graduation
As someone who enjoys puzzles and telling stories, graphic design has always felt like a natural fit as it allows me to help clients solve problems through creative storytelling.
For the past five years, I have been working as the Graphic Designer at the Old Course Hotel in St Andrews. My role encompasses a wide range of design responsibilities from identity designs and internal collateral to nation-wide campaigns.
Within the last year, my role has expanded to include art direction which I absolutely love because it really allows me to stretch my creative muscles through collaborating closely with photographers and videographers, creating mood boards, and planning photoshoots to ensure our visual content captures the essence of the resort and works across everything from print, web, and social media.
The pandemic hitting three months into working at the Old Course Hotel was extremely difficult as I went from being surrounded by people to being alone in my little flat. Thankfully it wasn’t all boredom and loneliness as being furloughed from work gave me the chance to explore new things!
Taking on new challenges in my work
One opportunity came in the form of the Fuel Change x New York Times Challenge. Sustainability has always been something I am passionate about, and this allowed me to explore it in a new light, opening my eyes to how the design world can tie into the world of sustainability. As part of this challenge, I got to attend the NYT Climate Hub during COP26 and since then I have joined the Old Course Hotel Green Team.
I am extremely proud to be part of the Green Team and earlier this year I played a key part in helping obtain our Gold Green Tourism award. I hugely enjoy getting to use my skills as a designer and passion for sustainability to come up with ideas and solutions that contribute to our green efforts.
How the Communication Design course at RGU helped with my career
Thinking back to my time at RGU, it really helped set me up for working as a Graphic Designer. Communication Design was a hugely self-directed course, especially in fourth year.
I widely credit the way I work now to Iain Morrison who was my fourth-year lecturer. He helped me understand how to plan, organise and run a project successfully within a given timeframe.
I’d really recommend to future students that you make time for your course work. My final year was significantly less stressful because I scheduled it well to avoid burn out! Also, for those of you going to study at the art school, get stuck into all the workshops you can. You are provided with so many opportunities at Gray’s that you don’t get once you leave university.
Aberdeen was a brilliant place to study. I loved the campus at the art school, especially during those early autumn months. The best thing though was being so close to my friends, cheesy as it sounds! It really felt like we were building a life and community as well as studying together.
Eilidh Motion
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