Spartans of UD: Sheila Sabers
Sep 11, 2019
Spartans of UD highlights what makes University of Dubuque special – the people who live, work, and study on campus.
Sheila Sabers is an assistant professor of digital art and design.
1. Why did you decide to become a Spartan?
“I am native of Dubuque County, and I moved back to the area from the Twin Cities so my sons could be around their extended family. Through the years working at UD, I have been blessed to work with wonderful colleagues.”
2. What drew you to a career in teaching digital art and design?
“I enjoyed being a graphic designer in the Twins Cities for 11 years, and I wanted to share the love of the design industry to the next generation of designers. Graphic design is a visual problem-solving field that has a main goal of communicating specific messages to specific audiences. Graphic design is ever changing, as societies and technologies evolve. It is exciting to see the creation of a student’s successful solution to a design problem.”
3. How would you describe your teaching style?
“I would describe my teaching style as project manager/junior designer. All my courses have project-based assignments in which students incorporate design principles while learning how to use industry standard software to complete their solutions for a real world project. I love bringing design projects from nonprofit organizations to the students. The organizations present their projects, I mentor the students through the design process, and the students then present finalized designs in face-to-face meetings with the organizations. The students are so proud when they see their work or a fellow student’s work being used by a company.”
4. What advice do you have for students?
“There is always a takeaway from everything you do. No matter if you are taking a class in your major or in the core, meeting new people, reading a book, or walking in nature; all experiences can give you a new perspective that can help you solve the next ‘design’ problem.”
5. What is your favorite spot on campus?
“The whole campus is beautiful and I love that it is constantly changing. I enjoy watching all the phases of construction that is happening on campus.”
