MyLinh (Millie) Mac, a 2016 Valparaiso University alumna, recently offered reflections on her career path a decade after receiving her Bachelor of Arts in art. Now a graphic designer for Colorado State University's marketing and brand management team, Mac’s work contributed to an Emmy win in July for Best Children’s Program for WizKid at CSU SPUR. She attributes the foundation for these achievements to her experiences within Valpo’s art program and international community.
Mac's initial foray into design began with a Halloween poster created using Microsoft Paint, an effort that garnered positive reactions from friends at the Valparaiso International Student Association (VISA). This early encouragement sparked her journey into design. Her involvement at Valpo included serving on the VISA executive board and securing her first marketing and graphic design role with the Office of International Programs (OIP). This position was specifically created for her by former Director and Professor Moninder “Holly” Singh, an experience Mac states significantly broadened her understanding of various cultures.
Her Valpo education was further enriched by guidance from faculty members. Professor Robert “Bob” Sirko conveyed that a professional path does not require choosing a single lane, fostering the belief that one can be a painter, designer, and more. Professor Sarah Jantzi taught Mac to appreciate and find beauty in humble objects through oil painting. Professor Aimee Tomasek provided a key mindset shift, advising Mac to view negative criticism as an asset and to leverage her unique qualities rather than conforming. Mac later realized that embracing her distinctiveness helped her work stand out in a competitive field.
After graduating from Valpo, Mac continued her academic pursuits, earning a master’s degree in art education from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) in 2019. She followed this with a master’s degree in entrepreneurship from Columbia College Chicago (CCC) in 2021.
Two years following her Valpo graduation, Mac launched Ranbu, an 80-piece abstract painting series created without traditional brushes. Its success led to her subsequent series, Constellation, and expanded her work beyond conventional gallery settings. By 2020, her art had been exhibited in diverse venues including art hotels, the Carrousel du Louvre, a Guinness Record exhibition, and a Times Square billboard. For over seven years, Mac has also served as a judge for international design awards for AIVA and the Farmani Group.
Mac joined Colorado State University in 2022 as a graphic designer for the marketing and brand management team, a role she identifies as an intersection of her artistic, design, and educational skills. In addition to her team’s Emmy award, Mac serves as a National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) grant panelist and advocates for artists through the UNESCO-partnered IAA-USA.
Reflecting on her career milestones, Mac emphasizes these achievements as outcomes of a community that believed in her. She highlights that Valpo’s art program, though smaller than majors like nursing or engineering, cultivates creative individuals who achieve significant accomplishments. Mac offered advice to current Valpo students, urging them to embrace gradual yet genuine growth, prioritize relationships, and maintain connections with friends who support their successes. She noted that these deep connections remain valuable even years after graduation.
Mac also recounted several “accidental Valpo legacies.” She observed that walks across campus, estimated at eight to eleven minutes by Google Maps, consistently took around 1.5 hours due to frequent social interactions. The Christopher Center Library, which she considered her primary workspace, saw her logging more hours there than in her own residence. She believes her and her friends’ activities may have contributed to the library's closing time shifting from 2 a.m. to midnight in 2017. Furthermore, a mural she painted in 2014 on the Harre Union Ballroom stage as a farewell gift for Holly Singh’s last Annual World Banquet unexpectedly evolved into a continuing tradition for subsequent VISA crews.
