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About Forge

Spark your creative career with FORGE!

Are you a budding designer, future PR pro, aspiring copywriter, avid videographer or developer in training? Spark your creative career with Forge, Emspace + Lovgren’s free professional development program for college students.

Degree-seeking students can apply to participate in engaging discussions and creative exercises with peers and professionals from January through April of 2019. As always, Forge will cover multiple facets of the creative communications field including the diversity of disciplines and how, as professionals, our roles integrate as we collaborate to create effective and sustainable creative solutions for clients.

Interested students must be in the second half of their degree program requirements in one or more of the following disciplines: public relations, journalism, graphic design, web design, marketing, advertising, copywriting or account management.

Forge consists of six bi-monthly sessions scheduled on Wednesdays from 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. Applications are due Saturday, Nov. 10.

For a first hand look at Forge, read this blog from 2016 alum, Dawaune Hayes.

Download the 2019 Forge Poster


Intro to Forge

January 30

So you applied to Forge and got accepted. Now what? We’ll jump right in with a bird’s eye overview of effective collaboration and what it’s like to work on a team with multiple disciplines, roles and priorities.

Panelists & Forge graduates:

Molly Misek, Spreetail
Sarah Bergeron, HDR
Paul Meyer, DayCloud Studio & eleven19
Michael Stevens, Filament 


Learn

February 6

First things first: research. This session will explore how to pave your path to success by creating goals, building a solid team and making the most of client relationships.

Panelists:

Corrie Oberdin, Oberdin Consulting
Angela Roeber, Project Harmony
Alex Gates, Freelance Web Developer
Jim Wolf, Metropolitan Community College & AIGA Fellow


Think

February 20

Planning is key. We’ll dig deep on setting objectives, managing timelines and deliverables, creative thinking, and strategic problem solving.


Create

March 6

The creative process is a process within a process. Where do you begin? We’ll take a look at how to overcome creative blocks, juggle projects, stay organized, and integrate development and production before you’re crunched for time.

There will be a three week break in sessions 4-5 due to spring breaks.


Do

March 27

Time to put everything into action. The DO session will dive into delivery, implementation and sustainability, failure to launch, tasks and management, community engagement, and how to collect, archive and MEASURE.


Celebrate & Prepare for What’s Next

April 10

Let’s celebrate! In our final session, we’ll send off our 2019 graduates with some young professional hacks — including job search advice, interview tips and guidance on creating opportunities in Omaha and beyond.

What’s more, area professionals and Forge alumni will join us to network.


ALUMNI

Paul Meyer, 2018

Paul Meyer, 2018

“Forge was a great program and an amazing learning experience. Through Forge I was able to learn more about the creative process from a variety of professionals of which all had different experiences and backgrounds. The panels not only gave me insight to different creative practices, it also shed light on the types of businesses and agencies that I could pursue as a graphic designer. On top of all of this, Forge connected me with professionals that have jump started my career as a creative professional.”


Christine Dunn, 2013

Christine Dunn, 2013

“The effort to set yourself up for a career come graduation is not an overnight feat. Looking back, I continue to see and hear about the great work people are doing who were both guest speakers at Forge and participated as a student. You get out of the experience what you put into it. Get excited. Get creative and, for God’s sake, get out of your comfort zone!”


Nicolas Fredrickson, 2013

Nicolas Fredrickson, 2013

“Get your work out there, and make sure it’s your work. It’s important to recognize trends, but you won’t stand out if you replicate trends and don’t have your own style.”


Palwasha Azimi, 2015

Palwasha Azimi, 2015

“Strive to learn more. Being a one-trick pony doesn’t help you much. Try to have two or three interests — pursuing and striving to be the best you can be at those will help you build a solid foundation and maintain longevity in your career.”


Isabel Taule, 2016

Isabel Taule, 2016

“Use the connections created at Forge! Email and set up coffee dates with all of the guests, and build those relationships. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, and enjoy the great opportunity!”


Dawaune Hayes, 2016

Dawaune Hayes, 2016

“Follow your heart — it’s the conductor of life, just trust it. When you lead with deep passion, the rest will follow. That is not to say you won’t be lost or confused, as that is literally all of life, but it is alright to be afraid and/or unsure of what happens next. You will make a TON of mistakes and will often have no idea what to do, but that is when you ask for help from your peers!”


Brick Demique, 2016

Brick Demique, 2016

“I would tell a future/present Forger or anyone to never stop chasing your dreams, continue to put yourself out there even when you’re afraid, and it will all work out.”


Oliver Alonzo, 2017

Oliver Alonzo, 2017

“My advice for a future Forger would be to trust in themselves, but always stay humble! I didn’t think I had what it takes to be a Forger, but I gave it a shot and made it, so I could have trusted in myself from the beginning.”


Holly Johnson, 2017

Holly Johnson, 2017

“If I could give any advice to any future Forger, it’d be to embrace it! Realize the speakers you’re hearing from are some of the greats in their fields and learning how to think and speak like them can make YOU one of the greats. Keep an open mind about each topic you hear about. It’s really an amazing experience that has been crucial in my career thus far. Put yourself out there, apply and grow!”


2018

Rico Childs

Graphic Design, University of Nebraska at Omaha

Dafnis Delgado

PR & Graphic Design, University of Nebraska at Omaha

Allie Dobberpuhl

Web Design & Development, Creighton University

Lizzie Erftmier

PR & Marketing, Creighton University

Sophie Ford

Graphic Design & Social Media, University of Nebraska at Omaha

Lyle Kwiatkowski

Videography, University of Nebraska at Omaha

Brooke Lehman

Branding & Event Planning, University of Nebraska at Lincoln

Paul Meyer

Graphic Design, University of Nebraska at Omaha

Liz Milke

Hand Lettering & Illustration, Southeast Community College

Katie O'Neil

Copywriting, University of Nebraska at Lincoln

2017

Oliver Alonzo

Design and Web Development, Creighton University
@oliver_af

Kristina Beiermann

Graphic Design, University of Nebraska at Omaha
@kristinaxb

Connor Brandt

Graphic Design Intern, Mineral Interactive
@Connor_Brandt

Sydney Davidson

Events and Alumni Manager, Omaha Central High School Foundation

Evynne Doue

Designer and Developer, Appsky Labs, LLC
@EvynneDoue

Kerrigan Flynn

Journalism & Media Communication, University of Nebraska at Omaha
@Fireeflameflynn

Kylie Holman

Webmaster and Brand Manager, Job's Daughters International
@kyliejholman

Holly Johnson

Web Designer/Developer, University of Nebraska
@HollyJohnson_13

Mackenzie Millard

Account Coordinator, Mirata Marketing
@MackenzieM10

Ingrid Najera

Graphic Designer, Nature Hills Nursery

2016

Brittany Bengtson

Marketing Communications Specialist, LovelySkin.com

Brick Demique

Student, Creighton University

Cody Fenske

Graphic Designer, Clark Creative Group

Dawaune Hayes

Communications Manager, The Union for Contemporary Art
@dawaunedotcom

Danielle Kosalka

Banquet Intern, Tiburon Golf Club

Marilynn Martinez

Violinist/Vocalist, Mariachi Zapata

Teresa Patten

Metropolitan Community College Graduate

Sebastian Rodriguez

Freelance Photo Editor, Hearst Digital Media

Michael Stevens

Graphic Designer, Bozell

Isabel Taule

Community Liaison, Agape Red
@isabeltaule

2015

Jake Anderson

Copy Writer, Omaha World-Herald
@Anderson_AllDay

Palwasha Azimi

Animation Student, Rochester Institute of Technology
@paloojan

Sarah Bergeron

Graphic Designer, HDR
@sarah_berge

Angela Eastep

Marketing Manager, Reinhart Foodservice
@angiemichelle34

Ellesandra Meyer

University of Nebraska at Lincoln Graduate
@weirdEL

Molly Misek

Designer, Emspace
@mollimysek

Catherine Norris

Freelance Designer

Nicole Palafox

Freelance Photographer

Maria Watson

Transition Support Specialist, Portland OIC/Rosemary Anderson High School
@maria_wats

Tiffany Wieser

Designer, opendorse
@tiffdubbs

2014

Alyssa Brunswick

Web Designer, Oriental Trading Company
@AlyssaBrunswick

Kyle Christensen

Graphic Design Team Lead, Red Branch Media

Josh Collinsworth

Happiness Engineer, Flywheel and WordPress Instructor
@jjcollinsworth

Monica Ghali

MSN Candidate 2017, Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing
@mnghali

Samantha Hegge

Graphic Designer, HDR
@samanthahegge

Emily Hoffman

University of Nebraska at Omaha Graduate

Billy Sobczyk

Executive Director, Omaha Jitterbugs
@BillySobczyk

Shelly Xiong

Web Developer/Designer, United States Air Force
@shellylynnxiong

2013

Devin Bertelsen

Marketing Director, Heuser & Heuser, L.L.P.
@dcbertelsen

Michael Bruening

University of Nebraska at Omaha Graduate

Nick Chickinelli

Product Designer & freelancer
@nickchickinelli

Kristi Doran

Creative Design Specialist, Professional Research Consultants, Inc.
@kristidoran

Christine Dunn

Event Project Coordinator, Vic Gutman and Associates
@ChristineLaDunn

Nicolas Fredrickson

Hand Letterer, Nicolas Fredrickson | Design & Lettering
@the_letterer

Kathy Jurek

Freelance Artist/Illustrator, Kathy Jurek Art & Illustration

Elisa Lau

University of Nebraska at Omaha Graduate

Christian Peterson

Metropolitan Community College Graduate