Meet Url Grant, Shillington scholarship winner

Shillington scholarships add to the evolving efforts to support and strengthen equity by cultivating diverse and inclusive representation in the design industry - within our studios and beyond. Not sure if you’re ready to dive in, or how to begin?

We talk to Url Grant, one of our scholarship winners to find out more.

What were you up to before Shillington/what do you currently do?

Prior to Shillington, I was unemployed. While in the program, I temporarily had a position as a contract customer service agent. Now, I’m putting my focus on my portfolio and running the social media accounts for my neighborhood community garden.

Can you tell us what diversity in design means to you?

What impact has this scholarship had on your life and career?

This scholarship has given me the confidence to consider work beyond NYC.

I have always wanted to travel abroad and take my talents on the road and learn the styles of different cities and landscapes. With a portfolio under my belt, I feel like I can explore this opportunity to its greatest potential.

Why did you want to study design and what made you decide on Shillington?

I had been trying to study design for a few years. When I first decided to make that transition, Shillington was the first school I looked at but it was unfortunately out of my price range. When I got the email notification for the scholarship, I figured I would apply because there wasn’t much to lose, and I ended up gaining so much!

Tell us about your creative scholarship submission

When I started working on my creative submission, I was having trouble trying to decide what to do and I was unsure how vulnerable I was going to be. I am currently in recovery for an eating disorder and breakfast is more of a task for me. While stressing about my creative submission, I realized I had not made breakfast yet. So I decided to record myself making breakfast—I believe it was a bacon egg and cheese.

I had never made a video before but I grew up watching YouTubers, so I had an idea of the format I could use. I wanted to be raw, and decided to do a voice over just explaining the significance of making breakfast for me and what being a designer would mean for me overall. Breakfast is still hard, but being at Shillington has given me a routine that has made it a little easier. I’m regularly snacking in class and look forward to it.

How did it feel when you won?

It felt completely unreal. I was on my way home celebrating my 9 year anniversary with one of my partners when I got the news. It didn’t truly settle in until the day I started.

What would you say to someone who’s thinking about studying at Shillington?

If you have the time and are looking for an artistic outlook, this is definitely the place to be. Take a chance, you never know unless you take a chance and try. Then keep trying because this program is no joke.

If you could give one piece of advice to someone starting at Shillington, what would it be?

Once you know the rules, don’t be afraid to break them.

Do you think the skills you learned during the course are preparing you for the design industry?

They provide consistent feedback so we can implement our practice in the field.

What is your dream job—post Shillington?

A creative director, designing while travelling abroad.

What inspires your design aesthetic?

My design aesthetic is greatly influenced by animation, my work always has some kind of movement on the screen. The design itself may not necessarily be animated but I try hard to make my designs not look stagnant or lifeless. I try to put meaning in every piece of my design from the font selection to the color palette. Like an animator, I make sure I design with intention.

What advice would you say to someone working on their scholarship application?

Don’t be afraid to be vulnerable.

Graphic designers are artists who show sides of themselves that cannot otherwise be described verbally or in written form.

Want to apply for this year’s scholarship? Find out more and apply here.