Steven Demers
Certificate in Visual Design
Three years after graduating with a Bachelor's of Computer Science from UCalgary, and working as a management consultant with a well-known professional services firm, Steve Demers woke up one morning, knowing he wanted to get back to learning.
"But this time, I wanted to use the creative side of my brain," he says.
Steve googled drawing classes in Calgary and discovered that he could get what he wanted through University of Calgary Continuing Education.
"Although I started out apprehensive, I enjoyed it right away. And, I actually liked that drawing was outside of my comfort zone," explains Steve. "That in itself was very motivating for me."
Steve decided to enrol in the Visual Design program, choosing a general program so he could pick from a wide range of courses.
"I was having a lot of fun, and feeling accomplished, so I enrolled in the certificate to keep me motivated and to give me something to work toward. I wasn't doing it for professional development. I was interested in becoming a more well-rounded person, and experiencing other influences," he explained.
Steve chose to move through the program slowly, enrolling in just one or two courses a year. He kept an eye out for the courses that appealed to him most juggling them easily with his career and family life.
"From the start, these courses were teaching me a different way to think, I became aware of different words and concepts and began to distinguish good design from poor. I went on to take the art appreciation classes and gained new insight and knowledge that's enabled me to look at art differently. The art appreciation courses are excellent ... absolutely great courses especially for travelers to Europe."
Having definitely gotten what he wanted from the program, Steven says he doesn't hesitate to recommend the Visual Design Certificate to others. "It was a great experience for me," he says.