John’s mother died from a heart condition when he was nine. His sister, age 22 at the time, dropped out of college to help raise him. When it was time for John to go away to college, they visited PLNU together, and both brother and sister were sold.
John had always wanted to be in an artistic field, so when he enrolled at PLNU, he entered the graphic design program and joined yearbook his first day.
He later helped charter an American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) chapter at PLNU.
“Being a part of AIGA is a great opportunity to meet local professionals and talk about who we are at PLNU – how we’re different,” said John, who has volunteered at many AIGA student and professional events, getting himself and PLNU connected in the highly competitive field of design.
John also co-founded and serves as the president of the Artist Society, an on-campus club that creates art to
raise money for various non-profit organizations. Over the past few years, they have raised money for relief work after the earthquake in Haiti and partnered with I Heart OB, a PLNU student ministry that serves the homeless in Ocean Beach.
It doesn’t stop there. John has designed and served as an editor for both the yearbook and the newspaper. He wants to ensure that future art and design students have access to growing opportunities both on and off campus. To accomplish this, he and his staff are putting together a strategic plan to change the face of the yearbook, despite the fact that he will not see its completion before he graduates this year.
John could not have attended PLNU without scholarship assistance. Scholarships allowed him to continue at PLNU when he came up short on tuition last year. That’s part of the reason he wants to give back to this place that’s given so much to him.
“I couldn’t have done all I have at PLNU without the support from the University Fund,” said John. “Knowing I continued my education and school involvement because of the generous gifts of PLNU friends and alumni makes me want to someday give back and bless the lives of deserving students in need.”