Maryland Institute College of Art

During my time at MICA, I earned my Master’s in User Experience Design with a focus on social media, artificial intelligence, and accessible design systems. I was honored to be selected by the institution as the 2025 Graduate Student Commencement Speaker, after receiving the highest number of faculty nominations and student votes. The speech below reflects on my journey as a creative risk-taker, the lessons learned through failure, and the power of defining your personal why—a theme that shaped both my experience at MICA and the work I continue to pursue.

Introduced by Provost STACEY SALAZAR

Skills Mastered

  • Product Management

    Bridging design with strategy to prioritize features, define roadmaps, and lead cross-functional work.

  • Design Lifecycle

    Applied a variety of UX methods to deeply understand and support every stage of the design lifecycle, from concept to completion.

  • User-First Ideology

    Making design decisions grounded in real human needs, with ethics and clarity at the core.

  • Web & Mobile UI Design

    Crafting responsive, intuitive interfaces that feel natural on any scree.

  • Accessible Design

    Designing inclusive experiences that are usable and welcoming to people of all abilities.

  • Usability Testing & Iteration

    Planning, running, and analyzing tests to improve products through meaningful feedback.

projects

Topia

A social media concept designed to combat misinformation using AI-powered credibility analysis. From onboarding to smart saving, Topia blends education and entertainment while promoting media literacy and balanced perspectives. Created as my Capstone project at MICA.

Student athlete (NIL) app

A branding and safety platform for student-athletes navigating Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) opportunities. SportStar helps athletes protect their identity, find verified deals, and build a personal brand beyond the game. Developed to address real-world gaps in the NIL landscape.

The Intersection of Memory and User Interface

A research paper examining how long-term, short-term, and working memory are all activated during social media use—making platforms like TikTok especially addictive. This piece explores the neuroscience behind interface design, how attention is captured and held, and raises ethical questions around designing for memory and manipulation.