Hello, my name is Isaiah Otey, an undergraduate student at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. My academic course of study is a major in International Studies and a minor in Business; Beyond academics, I am passionate about photography, drawing, and emotionally expressive art, which reflect my long-term interest in design.
One key experience I have had so far in my time at SIUE is having the opportunity to work with a group of colleagues on a project with a shared objective. It has been a very rewarding process that helped me develop my collaborative and communication skills. What I have learned from this is that there is multiple ways to a approach a single problem and often times it is good to have a group that works on different aspects of that problem to better achieve the desired result
In the future, I aim to build a career that will combine the skills gained during my continued college education and future work experience in the field of consulting to start my own interior design firm; In order to see that through, I plan to gain professional experience after graduate school, travel, and continue to develop my artistic portfolio. Eventually I will apply to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago to pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Studio with a combined focus of Architecture / Interior Architecture and Painting and Drawing. and the role of technology in improving efficiency and innovation. Through my coursework and collaborative work in CODES, I have developed skills in research, communication, and teamwork, while learning the importance of adaptability and meeting meaningful goals under pressure.