In 2015, Blackburn received her bachelor’s degree from Franklin University in Columbus and landed her first full-time job as a graphic designer a few months after graduating. She is now is a senior graphic designer at Orange Barrel Media, where she has taken the lead on Emmett the Eagle’s redesign.
“As a student, I had performed with Clark State’s Theatre Arts program for a few seasons, and I ended up doing some design work for them - show posters, programs, etc.,” Blackburn said.
In 2022, the college had a naming contest of is mascot plush, and Emmett was the winning entry.
The new design will be a companion to the existing Clark State athletic eagle logo, the release said, and will include a head and a full body design. It will be used in bookstore retail items, social media and other ways.
“It’s still early in the process, but the goal is to design a new version of Emmett the Eagle that will work alongside his existing design,” Blackburn said.
She credited Clark State with teaching her about the graphic design industry and about the fundamentals of design. She has passed along that knowledge to junior designers as a mentor.
The Clark State program is a two-year computer intensive learning experience focusing on industry-standard practices. It integrates technology with fine arts sensibility.
Blackburn said Clark State students save money vs. students in other programs and are “just as hireable as they are.”
“But you’ll have learned so much more by learning alongside people of all different backgrounds, all at different stages in their lives, all there for different reasons,” she said.
Graphic designers work on magazine, billboard and newspaper advertising, product packaging, brochures, brand development, catalogs, editorial graphics, book covers and posters.