DESIGN MAJORS
KYLEE CRESS
JOURNALISM GRAPHICS
PERU, IND.
Water is not something that I put much thought into growing up. I have always seen water as something endless. I used it for everything, and the only time I got in trouble for using water was for the bill, not out of fear of using it up. I didn't really think that in my lifetime I would ever think about it not existing.
In high school, I started hearing about ways to conserve water or how to cut your bills. I started doing things like shutting off the water as I brushed my teeth and cut back from buying bottled water. I even started shaving my legs in the sink or side of the tub. My stepdad was always on me about saving money, but I never really put much thought into it.
It wasn’t until college, when I was on my own, that I decided that drinking from water bottles was a complete waste of money. I started using reusable water bottles and eventually started using only a Britta pitcher to at least keep my water clean. I have continued to pay close attention to the water I use, and I continue to try to live a more “green” lifestyle.
Now that I am in my last semester at Ball State and am a part of this immersive class with Sustainable Water, I have become much more aware of this so-called “water apocalypse” that is soon to happen. It really makes me want to use my design skills to try to convince people to pay attention to their water use and make sure that they are more aware of what the future might bring if we don’t start using and reusing water in smarter ways.
TIFFANY SHACKELFORD
JOURNALISM GRAPHICS
INDIANAPOLIS
Every student in the journalism program has to take an immersive learning class. The class over water and sustainability caught my eye out of the rest. I definitely think that it’s something that people should be educated on. Water is the most important resource, and people should be informed on how to preserve it. As of right now, we’re OK, but what about our children and grandchildren?
We need to make changes, and this class is a step in the right direction. So far in this class, I’ve learned a lot about water and how to use it in a better way. I’ve seen how much we actually waste. Between toilet flushing and letting the water flow as we brush our teeth, we as a country have let water go to waste, and we don’t care. It’s time to start caring and creating awareness about water and how to preserve it.
I am now a young woman who can look back at my life and be satisfied. I grew up on the Westside of Indianapolis. My mother and grandmother raised me and did whatever they could to provide. For a long time, I never realized that I grew up in a single parent home because I was so well taken care of. I grew up in a diverse community. I went to Ben Davis High School. By the time I graduated, it was declared a minority majority institution, including Blacks, Latinos, Africans and many other races. I graduated within the top 20 percent of my large class of more than 900 students. I had finally made my way to college and found my way to Ball State University and its journalism program. I found a love for graphics and realized that I can tell stories and pass a long information just my using the pen tool.
TARRYN SILVER
JOURNALISM GRAPHICS
JEFFERSONVILLE, IND.
Growing up in Kentuckiana, the Louisville and southern Indiana area, the largest body of water in the vicinity is the Ohio River. For those who have never seen the Ohio River, allow me to paint the picture. The Ohio River is not in the slightest like the beautiful clear rivers and lakes you see on screensavers and calendars. The Ohio River between Indiana and Kentucky resembles a fluid wasteland of debris and darkness. Living on the banks of what seemed like the country’s dirtiest river, gave me a good impression on how important it is to not pollute our natural water sources.
When I heard about the immersive learning class focused on the importance of cleaning and conserving water, I was extremely interested because of how the main body of water I was familiar with looked. While I grew up seeing the aftereffects of a river not taken care of, many people might not have. That is what I hope to accomplish during this class.
I feel that it is important to create graphics to teach students about the importance of BlueHouses, conserving water and reusing water. It’s important to inform college students because I believe we are the future of our society. We are the individuals who have to fix the effects left by older generations and set the stage for future generations on proper ways to conserve and reuse water.
JESSICA THOMPSON
JOURNALISM GRAPHICS
LAPORTE, IND.
Growing up in Northwest Indiana, I spent my fair share of summer days on the south shore beaches of Lake Michigan. There was nothing like spending the day soaking up sun rays, throwing a Frisbee around, playing in the waves at high tide or walking along the water’s edge. Lake Michigan is very close to my heart. It’s a place that holds many fond memories from my childhood and a place where I want to take my children someday. But Lake Michigan and the other Great Lakes are shrinking. Declining snow levels, increased evaporation and water withdrawals are all contributing to falling water levels.
I feel that a water crisis is present, even though we are still able to turn on our faucets and fill our glasses with potable water. Given the current climate situation and the rate that we are extracting water from existing, nonrenewable sources, we could leave our grandchildren – or even our children – with dangerously low levels. The Great Lakes wouldn’t be so great anymore.
With this course, I hope to gain a well-rounded perspective of the world’s current water situation, with a focus on how it affects people at a local level. I hope that my work for this course will affect my habits and those of others, so that the water situation improves for future generations.
As a graphics major, I can visually present data that would otherwise be just a chunk of text. I hope to help create awareness about water use and conservation and to create materials that people will see and remember.
Whether I am drinking my eight glasses a day, taking my morning shower or enjoying a swim in Lake Michigan, I appreciate having water to use. I want our future generations to be able to enjoy water also.