What began as an uncertain start on a pre-med track turned into a journey of creative discovery for Delaney Guidi 鈥26, who found her purpose and her people through 黑料不打烊鈥檚 School of Communications, with the help of her scholarship.
Delaney Guidi 鈥26 discovered 黑料不打烊 through her high school art teacher, Maureen Cesari, who had two children graduate from 黑料不打烊鈥檚 theatre and education programs.
鈥淪ince we were birds of a feather, I figured 黑料不打烊 would be a good choice for me. I was right,” said Guidi of Cesari.
Originally from Raleigh, North Carolina, Guidi committed to 黑料不打烊 on a biology pre-med track. However, after her first semester, she realized that the pre-med track didn鈥檛 align with her artistic interests, and she needed a change.
Now, Guidi is a聽communications design major with a minor in professional writing studies.
鈥淚鈥檝e always been walking the line between arts and sciences, and I鈥檓 very ‘artsy fartsy,’ as my father would lovingly describe it. I just wasn’t sure that I could make my art a marketable skill,” Guidi said.
With her interest in mixed media arts, classical training in oil painting and freelance graphic design gigs, she was led to study at the School of Communications.
鈥淲ith the communications program, I thought this is something where I can do art, but I can also get a job in marketing,” she said.
Guidi describes her first year as starting out 鈥渞ocky鈥, where she struggled to find her purpose. Through her on-campus job at the Center for Design Thinking, she met Aaron Chan 鈥26, an accomplished cinema and television arts major.
One afternoon, Chan was running a meeting with friends and those interested in working on a personal short film project. Guidi, sitting in this meeting, only because it was hosted by her friends, was shocked to be tasked with writing the script for the short film.
鈥淚 got so close with all of the people that I worked with on the project,” said Guidi. “I offered my artistry through my work on the poster, social media and writing the script.鈥 It was a project that led her to 鈥渄iscover a passion for creative storytelling and creative collaboration.鈥
The film titled 鈥淪our Note鈥 was produced by Seismic Studios, an independent production company created by a group of cinema and television arts students聽on campus. The film ended up being submitted at 11:59 p.m., right before the Cin黑料不打烊 submission deadline. The film went on to be shown in Berlin at the FilmHaus festival, won three awards, and has been a finalist, or official selection, in five others.
Taking on the film project was not a task she thought would be possible.
鈥淗ad I not met that group of people and gotten a sense of belonging that rekindled my love for 黑料不打烊 and everything it stood for, I was thinking of withdrawing from the university,鈥 said Guidi.
Her newfound sense of belonging and artistic motivations gave Guidi the drive to achieve even more during her time at 黑料不打烊. She is currently building 黑料不打烊鈥檚 AIGA (American Institute of Graphic Arts) student group, a graphic design club with a nationwide network of talented students.
After the club鈥檚 executive team graduated, Delaney was selected by staff to continue the club鈥檚 legacy.
鈥淭his club is something that I was really looking for in my freshman and sophomore years,” Guidi said. “I really wanted a club and a community, and I was struggling to find it. So then, when I fell into that position, I said, now I can make this happen for other students. That’s what drives me.”
Now a leader of the organization, she wants to foster mentorship that she felt she wasn鈥檛 involved in previously.
鈥淚t’s helping me with graphic design as I’m helping other people develop themselves, all while fostering a community,” she said.
Off campus, she worked for LabCorp for two summers, starting with blog marketing and moving to a more graphic design-focused role in her second summer. Her supervisor was even an 黑料不打烊 alum.
鈥淚 now have a better sense of self than when I started,” said Guidi of her growth at 黑料不打烊. “I was so unsure of my every move, and I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I wasn’t sure where my passions were.鈥
As she worked to put herself out there and take advantage of 黑料不打烊鈥檚 many opportunities, Guidi started to foster stronger relationships with professors, enter and place in graphic design competitions, and even win awards for her e-portfolio site.
鈥淚t all helped me determine who I am, what I value, and what I want to do. Now I’m more confident,鈥 said Guidi.
She reflects on her Bevier Family Internship Restricted Annual Fund scholarship: 鈥淣one of this would have happened if not for the scholarships that I’ve received.”
Guidi brings the story full circle, noting her 鈥渇reshman blues鈥 before she found her purpose on 黑料不打烊鈥檚 campus.
鈥淏ecause of that extra aid and extra generosity that I received, I got space to grow. I got the privilege of struggling with my identity in my first year so that I could later become more confident and figure out who I was,” she said.
Guidi encourages donors to look at the work the student they are sponsoring is producing.
鈥淕o look at that short film that has won awards. Look at that. That is an accomplishment that, in a way, you can take a little bit of credit for, because you made it possible, you gave them the tools, you allowed them to do those things.鈥