Name: Abby Connolly
Class of: 2022
Major: Experiential Design
Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia
Current Position/Employer: Designer at EntreLeadership (Ramsey Solutions), founder of ARC&Co.
Current City: Nashville, TN
What made you pick Experiential Design?
Originally, I came in as Design Communications, but when the program was announced, I reached out to my professor, James Pierce (now Dean of Watkins College of Art), who gave me the rundown. I remember he looked at me and said “the thing about this major is that I can’t tell you what you’ll be doing in five years, because that job may not exist yet.” And I was like, “sign me up!” Some days I was in the woodshop, some days I was building stuff with wires and circuits. It spanned across both physical and digital realms – technology, coding, data, art and design. It was powerful to see those come together in a way that I wasn't expecting.
What was your first impression of Belmont?
I was living in Atlanta when I first toured the school, and I knew it was Belmont or nowhere for me. Everyone says it, but over the entire Belmont experience, even beyond graduation, it’s the people that really make it special. I was so out of my element on that first day and didn’t know anyone, so my mom found an orientation leader to introduce me to, and I still talk to her to this day. She became a familiar face, helping me register for classes, praying with me – and she is one of the reasons why I truly felt like Belmont was home and that I was comfortable and safe. That sense of “home” quickly expanded to other people too, so it was really the community and sense of welcoming that made me feel like it was all going to be okay.
Walk us through a day in the life as a designer for Ramsey Solutions. How did your time at Belmont prepare you for what you’re doing now?
I sit on a team called EntreLeadership where we work to coach business owners and find solutions through our digital products, courses and events. I work on marketing designs, attend meetings, help with events and talk through client feedback with coaches and product designers about how people are using the app and how I can improve that through what I showcase in my designs for their product. Experiential Design really prepared me for each of those realms, like user testing and public space design. I have practiced working on installations like the ones I work on now, and I truly didn’t know there was a job in existence where I could do all these different things I learned in school!
What is it like working full-time while simultaneously pursuing your individual design passions?
When I came on board my team, they were so supportive. We teach business owners how to be better leaders and entrepreneurs, so the fact that I get to parallel that and have my own business has only enhanced my understanding of what we teach every day. I’ve also been able to lean on the community I’ve found through Belmont as well. They honestly propel me in my entrepreneurial nature – there's a community of Belmont alumni who run businesses and are always willing to help and talk to one another. There’s a mutual respect. The Belmont experience isn't done when you walk across that stage.
How would you describe the environment at Belmont/Watkins?
Warm. Authentic. Creative. There’s a willingness to help from both peers and professors. You can walk across campus and encounter a designer who's creating something for their musician friend, and the musician friend is collaborating with their audio engineering friend. It’s exciting to be around – there’s so much momentum happening at Belmont. The school exposes you to all types of creatives and doesn’t put a cap on that creativity.
How did going to school in Nashville impact your college experience?
As soon as you could get an internship, I did. In my sophomore year, someone at Belmont told me about someone they knew who needed an experiential marketer downtown. Going to school in Nashville, you get so much exposure to random connections. I know a lot of my personal clients through Belmont – either they’re alumni, or they found out about me through word of mouth. Even at Ramsey, I’ll be talking with someone and realize that we have that shared history. I feel like Belmont’s handprint is all over Nashville.
Any advice you’d give to students who want to pursue a career in the design industry?
Be curious and don’t be afraid to ask questions. There's something wonderful about wonder, and we so often shut ourselves down before we have the courage to ask questions. But I remember going to my professors and asking questions, even if it was after hours and I felt like it would be awkward. It wasn’t – I was always met with grace when I had questions, and a lot of the time the curiosity would lead to more connections. That curiosity is what led me to change my major to experiential design. I think curiosity is something that allows us to sit, wander and create bigger and better things instead of being held within the boundaries we set for ourselves.
Talk about an experience you had at Belmont that still sticks with you today.
One of the most powerful classes I had at Belmont was the “What's Your Why" course, which I took during my last semester at Belmont. My section was on purpose and creativity, which paired so well with me coming to the end of a creative degree and developing my entrepreneurial spirit. That was a really incredible send-off message: “Here’s the foundation of what we've taught you at Belmont. The world needs this creativity.” It was really, really profound, and it’s funny to think about how I’d be such a different person today if I hadn’t had the incredible experiences I did.
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