A one to two-page essay must accompany your application. Your essay should address the major influences on your decision to pursue art, architecture, design, or writing. It should also address how you see yourself contributing to the CCA community, specifically with respect to the college's values, summarized below:
CCA understands the import role of artists, designers, architects, and writes in solving social, cultural, environmental, and economic problems. The educational experience we provide supports the following values:
Cultivating intellectual curiosity, risk taking, collaboration, innovation, compassion, and integrity
Fostering social justice and community engagement
Promoting diversity on our campus
The brisk wind repeatedly hit against the floor to wall window as my first grade teacher began with our daily morning assignment "List three careers you wish to be when you grow up and circle your top choice" excitement filled my eyes while my pencil swiftly moved across the paper carving the first word inventor then the second engineer and last ballerina. She went to each student one by one asking what and why do you want to purse your circled career choose. After a few minutes, she bend down slowly next me with a smile as her hand extended out grasping my paper then reading out load my choices to me then asking the famous question of day "Why do you wish to be an Inventor?" to my respond "I like how Bill Nye the science guy and the scientist in Scholastic take an idea from their mind then create it into the real world" still to this day that statement is the core reason why I wish to pursue industrial design.
Design is about seeing something as simple as a pen and thinking "how can I make this better?" Or "how can I make something that betters this product?" Then I start to plan out the design on graphing paper, taking it to the next step of drawing into Inventor Autodesk. Being able to take an idea from your mind that produces into a physical form is a true talent that only so few people can achieve. That's why I fell in love with design again in my IB design class, as we learned about the different materials, product innovation, and sustainable development. Over the years I lost sight of what I wanted to do career wise and ended up focusing on photography before I found that same passion that I had as a child when taking IB Design. Even though I don't have much experience with design it's something I feel that at CCA I will be able to foster my re-found passion while also enhancing my photography.
As a military child moving from place to place photography is a way to have a memento to capture a moment and the atmosphere of an environment where ever we are at the time and that's what you'll see through out in my portfolio. For example the relaxed atmosphere at the food truck stop near my house, there's laugher ringing in my ears coming from the sitting area as they watch old 80s movies right along with the sizzling smell of burgers, Vietnamese tacos, or Australian shepherd pie, young adults chatting amongst themselves to distract their hunger till the holler of their name being called.
Compassion and diversity is definitely something I will contribute to the CCA community after having that period of my life where I was unsure of my career choice, and finding that passion again to which lead me to be to able to help out my fellow classmates who may have ended up having these dispassionate moments about their career field and remind them of why pursue their career or hopefully guide them in the right direction. Having moved around to different places my whole life and gaining the ability to adapt easily I will be able to help those who may have a hard time adapting and break the barrier of differences between my fellow classmates at CCA by showing our similarities.
