Corin Gearhart graduated from Jefferson (PhilaU) with a degree in Graphic Design Communication (now known as the BS in Graphic Design & Visual Communication degree) and a minor in Psychology. She is now Marketing Manager at Precis Engineering + Architecture.
What did you study at Jefferson?
Graphic Design Communication, with a minor in Psychology.
Where are you from originally?
Philadelphia, PA. I spent my youth bouncing around the city, including Kensington, Holmesburg and Mayfair.
What was the best part of your time at Jefferson?
The best part of my time at Jefferson was my senior capstone. I was already working as a designer for One Step Away, a street newspaper that served people experiencing homelessness in Philadelphia, a program that ran entirely on donations and had zero budget for anything beyond the basics. I used the time dedicated to my capstone to reimagine the paper as a magazine, working with a print broker on paper selections that would make sense for a nonprofit budget. Sadly, One Step Away didn't survive the pandemic, but I'm proud that for a while, that program had design work it never could have otherwise afforded.
I also designed a SEPTA advertising campaign, and various other collateral items that the director had on her wish list but could never afford to produce. It made me realize how inaccessible good design is for organizations working with limited funds, and how much impact well-crafted design can have when it's made available to them. After the semester ended, I was able to help bring several of those pieces to life for the program.
What has having a Jefferson degree done for you?
I come from a long line of single mothers, and I'm the product of a teen pregnancy. I was the first in my family to graduate high school and go straight to college, and the first to earn a bachelor's degree. With almost no financial support, I worked full-time while in school, which meant it took me a bit longer to graduate, but I was determined to see it through. That experience is what prepared me for my career. More than any single class, working full-time while carrying a full course load taught me how to manage competing priorities under real pressure, long before I had a job title that required it. It taught me discipline, resourcefulness, and how to keep moving forward when circumstances aren't stacked in your favor.
Those are the exact skills I rely on today as the Marketing Manager at Precis, where I lead a team, collaborate closely with business development and oversee brand strategy and budget all at once. My degree didn't just teach me to “make things pretty.” It taught me the fundamentals of design and marketing, and how to work hard for something before I even fully understood what I was working toward.
What are you doing now?
I am the Marketing Manager at Precis Engineering + Architecture.
What's something people would be surprised to find out about you?
I've traveled to more countries than I have states (25 countries and 17 states).
What's one piece of advice you'd give to our current students?
You have to believe in yourself more than anyone else and be your own biggest advocate.