Our final alumni profile in this year’s series features Mary Bonomo, a 2015 grad with her BFA in Visual and Communication Design.

What are you doing now?

Currently, I’m working as an Associate Art Director at Partners and Napier in Rochester. I’m designing promotional materials for Constellation Brands, specifically Clos du Bois wine and Casa Noble tequila. I interned here from May to mid-August and was hired and started on August 31st.

In what ways did your experiences at Naz prepare you for what you’re doing now?

My professors at Naz in the Visual Communication Design and art departments in general really helped to make sure that we were working hard and excelling in the classroom, but also always pushing us creatively and intellectually by attending outside networking events and creative reviews. I feel as though most of the reason I was so fortunate to be hired right after graduation was because of these outside connections that I made with the help of my professors.

What is your fondest memory of your time at Naz?

My fondest memory of my time at Naz was definitely when my friends and I all lived down the hall from each other sophomore year in O’Connor. As much as people are itching to get off campus, when else do you get the opportunity to live right down the hall from 8 of your best friends, and in a suite with 3 others? It was something that I wish I could go back to and appreciate more now!

How do you think your life has changed the most since leaving college?

I think that my life has changed most since leaving college due to the fact that a bunch of my friends either moved back home or onto a new adventure after graduation. I’m so lucky to still be living with my roommates from senior year, and right down the street from my two best friends, but I really do miss being able to call anyone at any time and have someone to hang out with; getting a steady paycheck and not having to worry about homework (almost) outweighs this. I can’t stress enough how important it is to cherish your time with your class now, though!

One thing about life after college that is much different is that I expected to still be seeing people that were still in college after school was over. It was especially strange to me that I didn’t see people considering I live so close to many other current Naz students in the Park Ave area. I wish I was able to still be as active socially with people from Naz but it makes getting to see them even more exciting when I do!

As someone who’s been through the entire college experience, what’s some advice you have for incoming freshman?

My biggest advice to incoming freshman would be to not wish any time away. Your four years (give or take) are SO amazing for different reasons. Freshman, don’t wish to be older. Seniors, don’t wish to be done. When else are you going to be living in adult-limbo again??

Read more of our alumni profiles here: Nicole Andolina ’15, Political Science and Legal Studies, Audrey Lawrence ’14, Social Work,  Jenn Lachell ’15, Marketing, Hayley Johnson ’15, English, Matt Maloney ’14, History and Spanish and Kelsey Sweet ’15, Communications and Media