The social media and recruitment director for the Arkansas State University Art + Design Department has found a way to combine creativity with professional ambitions.

From Bryant, Arkansas, Emily Briones said she chose A-State after visiting the campus a few times in high school. She received a scholarship that solidified her decision. She will graduate this fall with a degree in graphic design.

“My main role is to run the Art & Design Instagram; I spend a lot of time taking pictures of student work, attending and taking photos of events, and of course editing and posting photos,” Briones said.

Briones also works on designing buttons and stickers for the department, and this year began writing letters to send to the incoming first-year students. Each semester, the art department offers grant-in-aid positions to help with different areas such as graphic design, studio ceramics, galleries, and more. Briones applied for several roles and was selected for her role.

Katherine Baker, art + design department chair, works closely with Briones and oversees the art + design Instagram account.

“She is absolutely one of the hardest workers I have seen,” Baker said. “She can see a vision in her head and execute the design, while easily moving between being an independent, collaborative, and leading worker.”

Administrative Specialist Laura Hennings also spoke highly of Briones, highlighting her creativity and adaptability.

“She is extremely creative, adaptable, and a clear communicator; she also seems to have a lot of personal ambition, being very dedicated to her crafts and wanting to do well,” Hennings said.

Briones said she draws her inspiration from influencers and art accounts, trying to follow trends to keep her post relevant and engaging.

Her hard work has not gone unnoticed; Baker said they have seen growth with the account from followers and engagement.

Outside of the art department, she is also a member of Red Wolves for St. Jude, American Advertising Federation Chapter, through which she will be participating in the National Student Advertising Competition in Dallas, Texas.

“My overall goal professionally is to just be a successful artist,” Briones said. “The graphic design degree will help me not just to be a designer but to make work in other mediums that I enjoy too, such as crochet, knitting, and painting.”

Briones said she hopes to work as a designer in any field after graduation and aspires to one day sell her own work. She said time management has been a big challenge, since she is graduating early. Still, Briones said she stays driven by the love for her work and the confidence she has in what she creates.

From running social media pages, doing assignments and creating art, Briones’ hard work and dedication to her craft are paying off.

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