Staff Spotlight: Meet Dustin Eby

Thu, 30 Oct 2014 16:49:08 -0400
careercenter, staffspotlight

Dustin Eby

Role at the UMBC Career Center: Graphic Design, Web Development, Photography, Data Management, Technology

Q: Where have you earned your college degrees?

A: I got my B.S. in Digital Media from Drexel University in Philadelphia, PA.

Q: What program(s) did you study? How did you choose your major?

A: Growing up I was always drawing, creating, and interested in figuring out how things worked. I took art class every year and two television production classes in high school.
I started my college career wanting to do 3D animation and special effects, but became much more interested in the graphic design and programming aspects of web design and user interface development.

Q: Tell me about the job and internship process when you were in college. Were you able to find job/internship positions that were related to your major or your career interests?

A: Drexel is a co-op school, so everyone had to do co-op to graduate. If your major was a 4-year program (like mine), your sophomore year consisted of 6-months classes and 6-months on co-op work experience, then junior year was a full year of class. I also took an internship position the summer between my freshman and sophomore year, which I found through a friend of my father's. (Networking is key.)

Q: What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?

A: "Never stop learning."

Since graduating from undergrad, I have kept my skills current by taking classes through UMBC, UMUC, and Teamtreehouse.com and attended D2WC (Designer, Developer and Workflow Conference) and edUi Conference.

Q: Why should students visit the Career Center?

A: I visited my Career Center in college only when I had to in order to get credit for my Co-op, but not when I was graduating and looking for a full-time job. That was a mistake. Looking back and knowing what I know now after having worked in the Career Center at UMBC for years, is that I should have started earlier to look for a post graduation job, and sought advice from the Career Center. I should have learned the art of networking, and learned to research companies coming to the Career Fair before attending.

Q: What is your favorite aspect about UMBC?

A: Coming from a university in a large city, I got the sense that everyone fended for themselves. When I started at UMBC, I was pleasantly surprised by how supportive the students were to each other - from holding doors open for someone, to making sure each other have safe transportation to and from social events, to random students offering to help me when I am outside replacing marketing posters in our poster holders.

And just about everyone I have met that works at UMBC has a real drive and commitment to student success, and the betterment of the University.

Q: What is one item on your bucket list?

A: Visit Hawaii.

Q: What is one aspect of the DC/Baltimore area that you often explore?

A: The various festivals that happen every year: Artscape, Fells Point Fun Festival, Maryland Renaissance Festival (www.rennfest.com), 34th St. Lights, etc.

Want to connect with Dustin or any of our great Career Center team? Call our office at 410-455-2216 or check out our contact us page here: http://careers.umbc.edu/aboutus/