August 15, 2005

Chandler-Gilbert Community College graduates Magdalena Soto of Chandler and Jill Pabst of Mesa took the skills they learned in the CGCC Media Arts Program to a new level when they launched graphic design firm, MJF Design Network, LLC, in 2002.

Not yet 25-years-old, the two create websites, logos and other marketing and advertising materials for clientele such as former Gilbert mayor and 2005 Town of Gilbert mayoral candidate, Cynthia Dunham, Arizona State University, and Arizona Jazz Magazine, and are rapidly making a name for themselves in the graphic design industry.

Soto graduated from CGCC with an Associate of General Studies in 2001 and from Arizona State University East with a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Technology last summer. In addition to creating print-based graphic design projects for clients from across the Valley for MJF Design Network, Soto also works part-time as CGCC’s graphic designer. Pabst graduated from CGCC in 2001 with Certificates of Completion in Computer Art and Illustration as well as Digital Imaging, and now serves as MJF’s web designer.

While Pabst and Soto appreciated the technical expertise they gained from the program, Pabst was most impressed with the faculty. “They are genuinely interested in their students and are excellent teachers.”

Both Soto and Pabst were able to hone their skills in CGCC’s Student Technology Assistance Resource (STAR) program, a program in which media arts students work directly with faculty and staff to create websites, posters, and a variety of other media projects.

“We used the skills we learned in CGCC’s media arts classes and new techniques from each other to not only create college projects but to enhance our portfolios,” says Soto of her experience in the STAR program. “We also worked directly with clients (college employees) to develop our communication and negotiation skills.”

Students can earn a Certificate of Completion in Computer Illustration and/or a Certificate of Completion in Digital Imaging in the CGCC Media Arts Program. For more information about the program, access www.cgc.edu/finearts/va or contact the Advisement Office at (480) 732-7317.

Chandler-Gilbert Community College is located at 2626 E. Pecos Rd. in Chandler.