The Art of the Future
Written By Daisy Willis
UH Hilo Graphics and Printing Department Accepting the APEX Award for excellence in Printing in 2012. Photo found on the UH Hilo Chancellor’s Blog at http://hilo.hawaii.edu/blog/chancellor/?s=graphics+&searchsubmit=
Hiding in the back corner of the third floor of Mookini Library, The University of Hawaii at Hilo Graphics and Printing Department works with exceptional speed and efficiency to meet the demands of faculty and student staff members across campus. This department is in charge of producing flyers, posters, table tents, door signs, business cards, certificates and much more. They also contract outside printing companies that do additional work that our facilities are not equipped for. UH Hilo Graphics, as the office is commonly coined by students, also offers graphic design services for anyone who needs help designing their material. The staff for the department is relatively small, but very talented and Tori Kaya is currently the only student worker.
In her second year at the graphics department, Tori is responsible for “much of the productions, which include trimming posters, book binding, signage, folding, table tents, restocking paper, and duplication orders. Sometimes if the others need help, [she will] do billing and business cards.” said Kaya.
As a Kinesiology & Exercise Science major, Tori is not working in her field, however her time at Graphics as taught her valuable lessons that she can apply to her major and her life. Tori stated that “working at Graphics has taught me to be an efficient worker, causing me to think of how to do the most in the least amount of time. Since I plan to become an athletic trainer after graduation, I find this extremely valuable due to having to produce quality tape jobs with athletes in the shortest amount of time possible. Being a student worker at Graphics has taught me to think in different ways and discover that there isn’t just one way to do things. With such creative people around me, it has made me realize that everyone has their own way to do things and the same goal is still reached. I feel this is important to take into consideration in the real world because everyone thinks differently; even if we may not like or enjoy one person’s methods of doing something, that is their way of doing things and we should not change them.”
UH Hilo Graphics Service Department student assistant, Tori Kaya. Photo provided by Tori.
Darin Igawa, the Graphics Service Department Coordinator and one of Tori’s supervisors spoke about the hopes that the department has for their student employees. “Our main goal, first and foremost, has always been to teach students how to be hard working, dedicated team players, remembering that excellent customer service is important to our department’s success. In the meantime, they benefit by gaining experience using state-of-the-art digital printers, binding equipment, sign plotters, large format poster printers and laminators. Our belief is that if they attain our main goal and become great employees, they will be successful in whatever occupation they choose to pursue after graduation,” said Igawa.
Working with Graphics is an excellent way for a student from any major to not only apply their knowledge of professional interactions and customer service but to also learn new skills that can benefit them after graduation. The staff members at Graphics are like a family, and in the words of Tori, “they make it feel like I’m not even working because of their great personalities and how much they enjoy their jobs. I consider them to be my friends and one of the biggest reasons [as] to why I enjoy college very much.”
If you would like to join this community of graphic designers and printers, email Darin Igawa at darini@hawaii.edu. Get a head start on improving your workplace skills and dip your toe in the world of Art and Graphic Design today!
