Tiana Tutt, a Graphic and Information Design major with a minor in Cultural Anthropology is on co-op at Boston Public Market. She describes what it has been like to work at such an established venue and what she has learns in this Q&A.

What drew you to your area of study?

I wanted to choose an area of study that would complement my passion for the arts. Graphic Design is a career that feeds my artistic/creative side while allowing me to learn about multiple industries and constantly adapt to them. I love that I can apply my graphic design skills to almost any other profession.

How has your co-op helped you grow so far?

Working at the Boston Public Market has helped me understand graphic design from a more business mindset. As I learn more about the food industry, the customers, the vendors/farmers, my design has evolved to match the atmosphere of the Market and it has been enjoyable to learn when and why certain techniques are successful or unsuccessful. I have also gained more confidence in presenting and explaining my work to people who do not have a design background.

What is your co-op and what is your position?

I work at Boston Public Market in Boston. I work as a graphic designer for them.

What are some of your responsibilities?

I create all promotional materials for the Market. These include event signage, social media ads, subway and newspaper ads, large scale interior and exterior banners, posters, calendars, sidewalk chalkboards and many more food related projects.

What are some of the projects you have been working on?

Some of my favorite projects at the Market were on a large scale and allowed a lot of creative freedom. For instance, I designed an exterior and an interior banner that each combined photography with illustration and typography. Another enjoyable project was designing poster ads to be displayed in three Boston subway stations. I have also really enjoyed doing weekly chalkboard illustrations that give shout outs to vendor deals in the Market.

What are some courses you have taken at Northeastern that have influenced you?

The most influential glasses I have taken are Graphic Design Synthesis with Professor Doug Scott, Graphic Design II with Professor Margarita Barrios Ponce, and Latin American Society & Development with Professor Anjuli Fahlberg. They all helped me grow so much and changed how I approach my work.

What was the biggest surprise at your co-op?

The amount of responsibilities and varied kinds of work that I get the opportunity to do.

What has been your favorite part of your co-op so far?

The BPMA team is small which gives me a chance to get to know everyone and learn what their roles are in the business. From day one everyone I work with has been welcoming, helpful, and motivating which makes me glad to spend my days here.

How did your classes help prepare you for your co-op?

My graphic design courses helped me learn the technical skills of design and how to apply those to various situations and problems. They also taught me how to speak about my work and back up my design decisions. My Anthropology courses have helped me with my research and writing skills and how applying my knowledge of other cultures can really add to my design work.

What has been your biggest learning experience?

Understanding the dynamics of a professional office space and how my role as a co-op fits in has been interesting to navigate. Also, since I am the only graphic designer for the Market, I have had to be confident in my designs and in communicating those decisions to the rest of the team while taking in their feedback as experts of the Market and its customers/audience.