James Johnson, a graduate student in the MFA in Visual Communication Design program, is originally from Fort Hood, TX.

Why did you decide to come to JSU?

I came to JSU because I was looking for an MFA program close to my home in Georgia. And I had friends who had come here, and so had my mom. My dean at Alabama State told me about the program.

What are some of your hobbies?

I like to design, eat, attend social events, and watch movies. 

What is your favorite thing to eat on campus?

I like fried chicken Wednesdays at Hopper Dining Hall, and Mein Bowl in the TMB is good.

Why did you choose an MFA in Visual Communication Design?

One goal is to open more doors in corporate America for myself as a designer. Ultimately, though, I plan to be a professor at any Historically Black College and University (HBCU). 

What are your plans after graduation?

I plan on finishing my degree in May 2021, prior to graduation I’ll be applying for design jobs at various marketing companies. I plan to go into user experience/user interface design, and I’m open to working almost anywhere. But the goal is to eventually work in Atlanta when I was living before I decided to attend JSU.

Do you have any recent accomplishments?

I recently gave my very first conference presentation. At the Southeastern College Art Conference in Chattanooga TN in October, I presented on “Black Men Design.” My talk had a positive reception.

What has been the most impactful experience you’ve had at JSU?

Coming to JSU helped me with the concept of “Black Men Design” because I was the only African American in the MFA program for my first two years. So I researched this topic and discovered that there is a low percentage of African-American students in art schools and in MFA programs. Being able to present my research at a professional conference allowed me to explore this topic while helping others.

What has been your favorite course so far, and why?

Interactive Design Studio is the course that got me interested in user experience. It was taught by Chad Anderson, and the course taught me a new program to create mock-ups for user experience. I now want to work in that area.