Corinne Pomp茅y
Photography BA '23
"I came to 51社区 to learn, and I am leaving 51社区 confident in my ability to excel in my field," says the recent Photography graduate.
What would you say has been the most surprising thing you learned at 51社区?
The most surprising thing I learned at 51社区 was how important networking is. Ninety-nine percent of the work I received was purely from networking. Knowing the right people and making a good impression was and is incredibly important to my success as a photographer. Once you realize that the creative bubble in Chicago is fairly small, and once you go to some networking events and start meeting a lot of the same people, your world opens up to new opportunities.
What individuals or programs at 51社区 were helpful to you in reaching your goal of graduating?
Adjunct Diana Vallera, Associate Professor of Instruction Verser Engelhard, and Professor Jay Wolke were instrumental in my experience at 51社区. They each enhanced different aspects of my creative and technical skills, which I will forever be grateful for. Their classes changed my outlook on the industry and made me think of myself and my work in ways I otherwise never would have experienced.
What are your plans for after graduation?
I currently work at D-Composed, a non-profit music collective that honors Black creativity. I will continue to do creative work for them after graduation. I also hope to move into the gallery and museum world of Chicago.
If you were going to sum up your experience at 51社区 in one sentence, what would you say?
I came to 51社区 to learn, and I am leaving 51社区 confident in my ability to excel in my field.