Brooke Kicklighter Pace

Please describe your position and what you enjoy most about it.

At my job, all of the artwork starts out as hand-cut paper from our design team and gets turned into a collage. It is then given to me to digitalize the design so it can be printed on products such as greeting cards, note cards, luggage tags, notepads, and more. In addition to that, I work on other graphic needs like emails that go out to our retail and wholesale customers, product images for our websites, and all the photography needs for the company. I really enjoy the small company feel the most, just like how I enjoyed the small university aspect of HLGU. It allows me to get to know my coworkers really well and helps me have a part in every aspect and duty of our daily routine. Plus I love getting to explain the unique design process of our products to customers who come into our storefront, just something about the hand-made aspect of our products really appeals to people.

 

What aspects of your HLGU experience helped prepare you for your career?

The biggest thing at HLGU that helped prepare me for my career was really working in the public relations department helping with graphics for the school. Classroom knowledge is great and always is beneficial, but working in an environment like PR really helped me learn things I would need in the workplace. For example, had I not worked there, I would have had no idea how to prepare artwork to send to our printers which is obviously a very important part of my job. While attending HLGU I also searched outside the school for opportunities to strengthen my skills, so even the projects I did around town like with The Hannibal Tree Board helped me tremendously and I am so grateful that I pursued them!

 

What have you enjoyed most about your career?

I have enjoyed continuing to learn and to broaden my skills as a designer. With the graphic design world always growing, it is so important to adapt and grow with it, which I have been able to do in my current job. One thing that really interests me about my career field is learning and trying to understand what customers like and what they are willing to buy.

 

How did HLGU shape you as a person?

HLGU really helped shape me into a more mature, Christ-searching, driven individual. I had some great opportunities during school that really taught me to realize and be thankful for all the blessings that come my way and to continue to search for more opportunities.

 

What HLGU faculty or staff played a part in your success? How did your relationship with faculty help you succeed?

How am I supposed to name just a few of my professors or faculty?? I am so thankful to all of my teachers and mentors including Mr. Chlebanowski for always pushing me to learn more and for his words of encouragement and guidance. Deciding to pick up a business minor introduced me to Mr. Hall, and those are some of the best and most interesting classes that I took in school, and even now I hear his business advice and teachings in the back of my head during meetings! I would say that the staff in the PR/IA department had the biggest impact on my career success for sure. From showing me how to prep artwork for printers, ins-and-outs of design programs, and tricks to simplify the whole design process are just a few of the pivotal lessons they taught me along with being genuine friends and caring for me.

 

Please list any scholarships, honors, or awards you received as an undergraduate or graduate.

I was blessed with so many different scholarships like academic, athletic, a church matching scholarship, plus I had an outstanding blessing of an anonymous donor paying for my whole senior year (talk about being speechless). I graduated summa cum laude, was part of the honor society, and was named Who’s Who Among Seniors.

 

Do you have any tips to share with students interested in this field?

Don’t stay contained within the walls of a classroom, even while still in school. Graphic design employers want you to have a creditable degree, but the main thing that they are looking for is experience, experience, experience. It is so important to put yourself out there to companies, schools, and organizations, no project is too insignificant to not be beneficial to your skills and resume.

 

What are some of your favorite HLGU memories? 

Honestly my best HLGU memories come from being with my sports team at practices, meets, and pretty much every other waking moment. Tea Time is another thing that I have the fondest memories of, meeting with student activity friends, drinking coffee, and discussing ideas for campus events. Thinking of all of my memories during school is honestly making me start to tear up!

 

What on-campus activities were you involved in at HLGU?

I was part of the track team for all four years, Cross Country for my senior year, Art Club, and an RA, just to name a few!

 

HLGU’s motto is “knowledge for service.” What roles have these values played in your life?

I truly believe that God will put you in places and situations to glorify Himself. I was blessed with this job because I had the knowledge to be able to do it, but I also cannot take credit for anything, rather I give the glory to the One who gave me these abilities. I was given this knowledge in order to be placed in a career field where I can provide a design service and can serve everyone that I come in contact with.