The UW–Madison School of Education offers academic excellence in areas spanning the arts, health, and education. We are a proud community of innovative leaders, creative thinkers, and fearless trailblazers. Our talented students are committed to making their college experience a meaningful journey that aligns with their interests and helps them achieve their future goals.

Following is a Q&A with Mandy Choy, who is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Art with a specialization in Graphic Design. She is also pursuing certificates in Business and Digital Studies and graduating in spring 2027.

Where are you from, and how did you become interested in pursuing a degree in this field? I’ve lived in Wisconsin my whole life. Currently, I live in New Berlin, Wisconsin (about 20 minutes west of Milwaukee). My interest began at the end of middle school/junior high school — in a time when students were encouraged to explore future careers — when I knew I wanted to pursue the arts. I naturally gravitated towards traditional arts mediums (such as acrylic paints, colored pencils, and pens) but also enjoyed learning about digital art. Graphic design blended these mediums together, and I saw myself in the career. In high school, I enrolled in Graphic Productions courses, experiencing first-hand Adobe programs and designing logos, shirts, and posters. In a digital world, all of these interests solidified into my pursuit of graphic design.

How did you decide that you wanted to become at UW–Madison Badger? In my last year of middle school, I researched different universities that provided a well-resourced arts program. Coincidentally, the University of Wisconsin–Madison (UW) was listed as one of my top choices. However, once high school graduation drew closer, I knew UW would be my only choice as it’s one of the top public universities of the U.S. with in-state costs. It also has a graphic design program with many other potential studies and a great network for opportunities. When I received my acceptance letter, I did not hesitate to become a Badger.

What has been your most meaningful experience with the Art program? My most meaningful experience with the Art program was the “Steady Endeavors 2023 Foundations Exhibition” in Gallery 7 of the Mosse Humanities Building. In this exhibition, the Art program’s first-year interest groups (FIGs) showcased their fall semester projects. As a freshman, entering the university became overwhelming. In a new place with people I did not know, I grew my community of close friends from the Art FIG. Furthermore, I really connected with my FIG instructor, Emily Graves, from Art 212: Drawing Methods and Concepts. This particular exhibition was my first experience in the gallery space with new friends, my favorite instructor, and amazing artwork from all of the FIG students. This moment defined my first experience where I felt comfortable and excited to be a student in the Art program.