It’s often difficult for
students to narrow their study options down to one subject when
selecting a higher-education program. This can be especially tough
for students who enjoy different types of study, such as arts and
sports. But Academy of Art University empowers students by
encouraging them to partake in both creative and athletic programs so
they can excel in both. It’s for this reason that the Academy is so
popular with athletes who hope to pursue art and design careers. In
fact, Academy of Art University is the only higher arts education
institution in the U.S. that has an NCAA Division II athletics
program.
Here, we’ll take a look at a
few success stories from Academy of Art University’s athletic
students and alumni. These students have gone on to prove that it is
possible to
flourish in both arts and sports.
Kristen Sanzari: Toy Designer and Athlete
Having attended Academy of Art
University’s School
of Animation and Visual Effects to develop her expertise in toy
design, Kristen Sanzari is now one of Mattel’s senior designers.
Following extensive studies in graphic design and concept art,
Sanzari established her artistic skills with various licensed brands
before moving on to such a major player in the toy market. She now
enjoys creating toys for leading brands like Disney and Pixar,
bringing popular children’s characters from My
Little Pony,
Jurassic Park,and Teenage
Mutant Ninja Turtles to
life in toy form.
But Sanzari didn’t just take
artistic classes during her time at the Academy. She paired her
creative studies with collegiate
track and field training, bringing her athletic career to
fruition, too. Thanks to her Academy training, Sanzari has finished
in the top 10 at the PacWest Conference Champion and set a record in
the 1,000m indoor track and field. She is delighted that the Academy
allowed her to pursue both her sporting and artistic interests to
develop a thriving, two-strand career.
“It was so awesome to be
able to finish out my collegiate cross-country and indoor track
eligibility at Academy of Art,” Sanzari says. “I definitely think
my experiences as a student-athlete have helped contribute to where I
am today. You learn time management and how to get things done
efficiently. You are committed to constantly trying to improve, and
through hard work, discipline, and a lot of training, you learn what
you need to do to achieve your goals.”
Read more about Sanzari’s
toy
designs and athletic successes.
Syon Green: Basketball Player and Communications Student
The story of basketball player
and communications student Syon Green’s journey to the Academy is
an inspiring one. Years ago, the former freshman student took part in
the Soledad State Prison’s Life
CYCLE (Careless Youth Corrected by Lifers’ Experiences) program,
in which Palma School students and inmates formed a book club. But
when Green reached his sophomore year, both of his parents fell ill
and could no longer fund his education. Luckily, the inmates he had
helped stepped in to offer support.
Palma School’s English and
Theology teacher Jim Michelleti explains that the inmates approached
the school with a surprising offer.
“They said, ‘We value you
guys coming in. We’d like to do something for your school. Can you
find us a student on campus who needs some money to attend Palma?’”
Palma School nominated Green.
The inmates raised $30,000 for him to complete his school studies,
which allowed him to apply for a communications degree at the
Academy. The inmates raised funds through their prison labor tasks,
some of which paid as low as eight cents an hour. One inmate even
donated his entire $100 monthly paycheck to Green’s cause.
Green is now a student on one
of the Academy’s communications programs and plays an integral role
in the ART
U men’s basketball team.
“Syon’s community service
in the prison system is a testament to the fine young man he is,”
says Head Coach Scott Waterman. “It
has been a pleasure to get to know him over the past few months and
we look forward to his growth and development, both on and off the
court over the next four years.”
Green remains in contact with
the inmates who funded his education, and CNN has featured
his story in the This
is Life with Lisa King documentary
series.
Learn more about Green’s
studies
and basketball success.
Devin Williams: Digital Influencer and Basketball Player
Communications
and media technologies student Devin Williams has excelled in his
Academy studies and gone on to combine his digital and sporting
skills in numerous creative enterprises. Today, he entertains around
half a million YouTube subscribers, over 300,000 Instagram followers,
and around 50,000 Twitter followers. He’s also part of the NBA
Playmakers (a digital video network for creators targeting basketball
culture) and is now developing merchandising apparel, a blog, and a
podcast.
During his time at the
Academy, Williams balanced his digital studies with his role as an
Urban Knight athlete for the men’s basketball team. Since then, he
has developed the popular YouTube series, Ten000Hours,
a documentary that follows two high school students who aspire to
become basketball student-athletes. The series tests Malcom
Gladwell’s 10,000-hour rule, which argues you must invest 10,000
hours of consistent practice to become an expert in your field.
Williams has used his Ten000Hours success to build his latest
project: In the Lab. This series follows Williams as he travels
around the U.S., seeking up-and-coming basketball players who he can
coach to success.
“Being a student-athlete
mainly taught me how to draw inspiration from different places like
Hawaii and Utah being on the basketball team. The different places
allowed me to get away and think of new ideas, so I still use that to
this day.”
Williams is grateful to his
Academy coaches – both artistic and sports-related – for helping
him on his way to his success. He is particularly thankful to the
Communications teaching staff, including director Jan Yanehiro,
associate director Steve Kotton, instructor Richard Hart, and former
instructor Toan Lam.
“[I am using] everything I
learned from COM and MPT [School
of Motion Pictures & Televisionl],
from how to interview a person, how to put together a video, how to
match the mood with music, to the podcast classes where I learned how
to narrate. It was cool to just be taught by people who were actually
working in the field instead of those who are not.”
Learn more about Williams’
digital
basketball-themed projects.
Academy of Art University’s Athletic Opportunities
Prospective students who don’t
want to choose between art and sports can pursue both and achieve
success at Academy of Art University. Aside from the Academy’s top
ranking as an arts university, its Urban Knights athletes have made
35 NCAA National Championship appearances, excelling in an array of
sports spanning from baseball, soccer, softball, volleyball, and
basketball to cross country, track and field, tennis, and golf. The
Academy’s 14 varsity athletic teams represent the university in
NCAA Division II intercollegiate sports, echoing the Academy’s
commitment to teamwork, sportsmanship, and creativity.
Learn more about the Academy’s athletic opportunities.