WKU Graduate | Ye Yunxi: The “Designer” Who Received Offers from Multiple World-renowned Art Schools

As her campus life is coming to an end, Ye Yunxi, a graduate majoring in graphic design, has received prestigious offers from six renowned institutions, including the Royal College of Art and the University of the Arts London, which are ranked first and second globally in the arts. Of the offers, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Boston University, and the California Institute of the Arts have also provided her with generous scholarships ranging from $23,000 to $78,000.

Graduate of 2024: Ye Yunxi
Major: Graphic Design
Graduate School: Boston University (including $78,000 scholarship)
Origin: Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province

With a top GPA in her class, Ye has earned several internal scholarships, actively participated in various design competitions, and has had multiple internships at large companies like Edelman International Public Relations. She has worked on design projects for famous brands such as Adidas, Tommy Hilfiger, and Alibaba. Through clear planning and an immense passion for her field and her work, Ye Yunxi has continually shone brightly
on her journey in design.

For Ye, design is a stage for self-expression and unleashing unlimited creativity. As a designer, she is passionate about the challenges and joys brought by multiple roles. “In graphic design, there is a concept called ‘authorship’, which means that a graphic designer has multiple roles—such as editor, content creator, or project manager. I am very interested in exploring these different roles.” Ye has seamlessly transitioned between these roles, independently planning and executing her own design projects while also tailoring innovative solutions to meet client needs.

Recently, just before her graduation, she participated in the “Let’s Charrette x Top Bright” interdisciplinary design competition, in which she teamed up with three other students from different majors, including product design, graphic design, and finance, to brainstorm and complete a project within 48 hours. They developed an interactive early childhood education toy designed to help form good habits and provided Top Bright with a comprehensive gamified habit formation service system, winning second prize.

Ye believes that her unique thinking logic is the reason she stands out among many designers. During her creative process, she places great importance on gaining inspiration and recharging her energy. She believes that learning to buffer herself and maintaining a continuous
curiosity for exploration have been key to her unwavering dedication to art creation over the past four years.

“The free and open small-class learning environment and course model at WKU have greatly influenced me. This is also an important reason why I choose to further my studies in the United States.”At WKU, Ye met professors who were both mentors and friends and received constant positive feedback from her peers, which became an important motivation for her to keep striving for progress. She also served as the student ambassador, responsible for the visual design of various on-campus events. This experience not only improved her design skills but also gradually showcased her organizational and leadership talents.

Additionally, Ye’s growth has been enhanced by her two fulfilling internship experiences. She interned with the Branding Team at Edelman Public Relations Worldwide, the world’s largest PR firm, where she deeply participated in the design and promotional packaging of Adidas’ Winter Olympics Seeding Box and assisted with social media marketing campaigns for Adidas, Tommy Hilfiger, Revital, and Marriott Hotels. She also interned at Visionary Media in Shanghai, where she designed posters for the TV program Voice and worked on the design for Alibaba’s “Philanthropy Partner” project. These internships not only helped her transition from a student mindset to a professional one but also taught her how to adapt flexibly to various problems in a commercial environment.

As she prepares to pursue her master’s degree at Boston University, Ye hopes to intern in an artist’s studio to explore more of her potential as a graphic designer. Looking ahead, she confidently states: “Waking into the post-graduate stage, I hope to understand myself better, recognize my strengths and weaknesses, and clarify my thinking and action logic in design projects to create even better works.”

A deep passion can withstand the long years. Ye’s love for design is like a bright lighthouse, illuminating her path forward and providing her with the motivation to continue her journey in the long learning process. This passion will enable her to continue shining in the field of design.