If you’ve been at Campus Rec for a while, you’ve probably admired one of our very cool T-shirt
designs or extra eye-catching posters that are displayed around the facility. Believe it or not,
these were actually designed from scratch by our very own graphic designer, Ash Kukuzke.
After her journey moving all the way from Iowa to Corvallis, Ash then moved over to Portland
and attended Portland Community College for two years before transferring to PSU to finish her
bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design.
Unfortunately, the 2020 Covid outbreak was following the exact same timeline as Ash, forcing
her to go completely virtual just 2 weeks after moving to Portland. She explains that although it
was convenient to be able to do all of her work from home, she knew she was definitely missing
having a workplace with a strong sense of community, as well as opportunities for leadership,
networking, and real-world experience, which is exactly what made her decide to begin working
at Campus Rec last fall. Fortunately for all of us, it turned out to be the perfect fit!
After she graduates, Ash hopes to work for a graphic design firm or ideally, a nonprofit. She
explains how when her supervisor first asked her to take on more responsibilities, she was a bit
nervous. However, she now reflects on experiences like when she designed and produced all of
the shirts for this year’s Night at the Rec completely by herself, including holding consultations
about the design to placing orders for all the finished shirts. “This sort of real life experience
was incredibly helpful for me,” she says. “It was so rewarding to see everyone wearing my
shirts.”
In addition to developing leadership skills, Ash also reflects on her ability to expand upon
Campus Rec’s value of inclusion in her work. She loves being able to include all different kinds
of people in the posters and visuals she designs, which serve as a visual reminder that everyone
is welcome here, regardless of size, ability, race, gender, or any other factor.
Not only is she one step ahead of the game in terms of her professional development, but also
carries an extra asset in her belt as she holds the title for one of the winners of this year’s
Arlene Schnitzer Visual Arts Prize Ash applied for the award last spring and uploaded a
portfolio, a written statement, and a video of herself talking about her current focus for her art:
woven bead sculptures and rhinestones meticulously placed over photographs. Her final
portfolio will be displayed in the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art in the FMH building from
February 27th to April 27th, so definitely make sure to stop by and check it out!
Ash has created some truly amazing work both inside and outside of the Rec Center, and we
really appreciate her great adaptability, creativity, and dedication to making Campus Rec a
more inclusive and awesome-looking place!