{"id":147,"date":"2020-04-23T23:02:01","date_gmt":"2020-04-23T23:02:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/?p=147"},"modified":"2020-05-09T00:20:22","modified_gmt":"2020-05-09T00:20:22","slug":"interview","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/2020\/04\/23\/interview\/","title":{"rendered":"An Interview with Kristen Matta"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"147\" class=\"elementor elementor-147\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-2f385ff elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"2f385ff\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-805a093\" data-id=\"805a093\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-261221d elementor-widget elementor-widget-global elementor-global-238 elementor-widget-theme-site-logo\" data-id=\"261221d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"theme-site-logo.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\">\n\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1412\" height=\"282\" src=\"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/cropped-Commtracks.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-802\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/cropped-Commtracks.png 1412w, https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/cropped-Commtracks-300x60.png 300w, https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/cropped-Commtracks-1024x205.png 1024w, https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/cropped-Commtracks-768x153.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1412px) 100vw, 1412px\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-330ee0b\" data-id=\"330ee0b\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4a6badf elementor-nav-menu__align-end elementor-nav-menu--dropdown-tablet elementor-nav-menu__text-align-aside elementor-nav-menu--toggle elementor-nav-menu--burger elementor-widget elementor-widget-global elementor-global-235 elementor-widget-nav-menu\" data-id=\"4a6badf\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;submenu_icon&quot;:{&quot;value&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;library&quot;:&quot;&quot;},&quot;layout&quot;:&quot;horizontal&quot;,&quot;toggle&quot;:&quot;burger&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"nav-menu.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<nav aria-label=\"Menu\" class=\"elementor-nav-menu--main elementor-nav-menu__container elementor-nav-menu--layout-horizontal e--pointer-none\">\n\t\t\t\t<ul id=\"menu-1-4a6badf\" class=\"elementor-nav-menu\"><li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-home menu-item-62\"><a href=\"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/\" class=\"elementor-item\">Home<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom menu-item-has-children menu-item-730\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"elementor-item elementor-item-anchor\">Stories of Change<\/a>\n<ul class=\"sub-menu elementor-nav-menu--dropdown\">\n\t<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-74\"><a href=\"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/student-stories\/\" class=\"elementor-sub-item\">Student Stories<\/a><\/li>\n\t<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-83\"><a href=\"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/department-stories\/\" class=\"elementor-sub-item\">Department Stories<\/a><\/li>\n\t<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-77\"><a href=\"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/inside-the-industry\/\" class=\"elementor-sub-item\">Inside the Industry<\/a><\/li>\n\t<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-80\"><a href=\"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/fenway-then-now\/\" class=\"elementor-sub-item\">Fenway Then &#038; Now<\/a><\/li>\n\t<li class=\"menu-item 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class=\"elementor-item\">About<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-990\"><a href=\"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/commtracks-2022\/\" class=\"elementor-item\">CommTracks 2022<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-1032\"><a href=\"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/ailia-rochefort-photography\/\" class=\"elementor-item\">Ailia Rochefort Photography<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-1033\"><a href=\"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/2022-senior-showcase\/\" class=\"elementor-item\">2022 Senior Showcase<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\t\t\t<\/nav>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-menu-toggle\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-label=\"Menu Toggle\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"elementor-menu-toggle__icon--open eicon-menu-bar\"><\/i><i 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class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-83\"><a href=\"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/department-stories\/\" class=\"elementor-sub-item\" tabindex=\"-1\">Department Stories<\/a><\/li>\n\t<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-77\"><a href=\"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/inside-the-industry\/\" class=\"elementor-sub-item\" tabindex=\"-1\">Inside the Industry<\/a><\/li>\n\t<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-80\"><a href=\"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/fenway-then-now\/\" class=\"elementor-sub-item\" tabindex=\"-1\">Fenway Then &#038; Now<\/a><\/li>\n\t<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-297\"><a href=\"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/covid-19-stories\/\" class=\"elementor-sub-item\" tabindex=\"-1\">COVID-19 Stories<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-65\"><a href=\"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/students-and-staff\/\" class=\"elementor-item\" tabindex=\"-1\">Students and Staff<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-63\"><a href=\"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/chair-letter\/\" class=\"elementor-item\" tabindex=\"-1\">Chair Letter<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-66\"><a href=\"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/welcome-letter\/\" class=\"elementor-item\" tabindex=\"-1\">Welcome Letter<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-68\"><a href=\"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/about\/\" class=\"elementor-item\" tabindex=\"-1\">About<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-990\"><a href=\"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/commtracks-2022\/\" class=\"elementor-item\" tabindex=\"-1\">CommTracks 2022<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-1032\"><a href=\"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/ailia-rochefort-photography\/\" class=\"elementor-item\" tabindex=\"-1\">Ailia Rochefort Photography<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-1033\"><a href=\"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/2022-senior-showcase\/\" class=\"elementor-item\" tabindex=\"-1\">2022 Senior Showcase<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\t\t\t<\/nav>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-e202caf elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"e202caf\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-014a67a\" data-id=\"014a67a\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bcd544b elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"bcd544b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b8e2600 elementor-hidden-phone elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"b8e2600\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-14cd66c elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"14cd66c\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-a36528b\" data-id=\"a36528b\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-203e112 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"203e112\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">An Interview with Kristen Matta<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9066922 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"9066922\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>By: Kenna McCarthy and Sierra McCaffrey<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-2d4da9f elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"2d4da9f\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-2616eb7\" data-id=\"2616eb7\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9737a53 elementor-drop-cap-yes elementor-drop-cap-view-default elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"9737a53\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;drop_cap&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span class=\"elementor-drop-cap\"><span class=\"elementor-drop-cap-letter\">S<\/span><\/span>ierra\u00a0McCaffrey and\u00a0Kenna McCarthy chatted with Simmons Communications Department alumna, Kristen Matta, to discuss how CommTracks was born. Matta graduated from Simmons in 2006 with a major in graphic design. She was the lead designer on the first CommTracks team. She now works as a creative director for tjmaxx.com.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-3c6b136 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"3c6b136\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-35edc7b\" data-id=\"35edc7b\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-dca135a elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"dca135a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>What was your experience being on the first CommTracks team?<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c109f6e elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"c109f6e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>\u201cIt was kind of out-of-the-blue. I was in Studio 5; I used to do the advertising for CommWorks, and then I was in Studio 5 as a senior and it was a wide-open project assignment. My team wasn\u2019t given a client. It was more so to come up with some great idea to showcase everyone\u2019s strong suits. Danielle Sweeney was the writer on the team, I was the designer, and Kristen Schober was the PR MarComm person. As a designer, I was just like, \u2018you know what?\u2019 We made it through four years of school here and we\u2019re really proud of all of our work, why don\u2019t we do a mini project to showcase all of our great talent here in the Communications Department.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p>&#8220;So, we as a team came up with this whole idea to create a magazine showcasing all the seniors, our work, and the department as a whole. I think when we brought it to Professor Sarah Burrow\u2019s attention, she was like, &#8216;haha, good luck with that, but we\u2019ll totally support you.&#8217; It was truly just a naive project that we brought to life. We did a lot of pitching as far as the idea went.\u00a0<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p>&#8220;At the time Sarah Burrows was the internship director and also directed Studio 5. We\u00a0parallel pathed\u00a0with her as well as Judith Aronson and all the other professors on how to go about this because we knew it was going to take some time as far as not just designing the project, writing the project, and getting money to pay for this project.\u00a0<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p>&#8220;We wanted to have the magazine professionally printed. We actually put together a mini-deck presentation, and we went to the Dean Diane Raymond and we did a little slideshow of what our idea was and she actually funded it. She gave us a $5,000 grant, I believe, and then we actually had Kristen Schober go out in the world and get some paid advertisements too. Not only did we have to come up with a design and a concept, we had to find a way to fund it because it was such a new initiative. I know it\u2019s changed much since I started it, but I\u2019m so glad it\u2019s taken off. It\u2019s such a great tool for not only the department but for all the students there who truly work hard through their four years.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p>&#8220;From there, honestly, it was just us spending nights in the CommLab. Danielle Sweeney sat and had interviews with every single senior in the Comm Department and wrote little features on them. They submitted work they were really proud of, and it was a really collaborative process where I was creating the template of the design and working with the printer templates.\u00a0<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p>&#8220;Now that I\u2019ve been in the field for so long, I\u2019m like, \u2018Wow, I wish I could go back.\u2019 We did a contest where we wanted to feature one student per track; there were four tracks back then. We just randomly pulled the names out of a hat, and those students who were picked from each track were going to be the feature on the cover. So, we brought them in and did a little photoshoot and that\u2019s how they appeared on the cover.\u00a0<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p>&#8220;We just winged it. It was crazy, but we winged it. It was such a great project to watch come to life. It was very rough, but we did get it printed. It seems like it\u2019s a legacy project there which I am super proud about.&#8221;<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-b299045 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"b299045\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-76314b9\" data-id=\"76314b9\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-235b1fc elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"235b1fc\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">How did this project influence the career you&nbsp;have today?<\/span><\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-186cde4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"186cde4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>&#8220;I think it definitely helped influence me because I did three internships, with being a designer there are so many avenues you can go. I did one internship at WHDH 7News working with on-screen graphics and broadcast. Additionally, I did an internship for where I worked on layout for\u00a0<em>Boston Magazine<\/em>.\u00a0Then I did one at Corey McPherson Nash; they are a branding and innovation small agency that does work for start-ups and local identities.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-8a7f4ed elementor-reverse-tablet elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"8a7f4ed\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-3cafa59\" data-id=\"3cafa59\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c47c64f elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"c47c64f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"558\" height=\"716\" src=\"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/COMMTRACKSMay06.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-130\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/COMMTRACKSMay06.jpg 558w, https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/COMMTRACKSMay06-234x300.jpg 234w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 558px) 100vw, 558px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-66 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-82b3586\" data-id=\"82b3586\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8dfc6b5 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"8dfc6b5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>&#8220;So I remember being on CommTracks and bringing all those skills to life. I actually walked away with a true printed piece for my portfolio to bring to interviews and talk through the entire process from start to finish.\u00a0<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p>&#8220;I think that truly launched my career in design; not only to figure out what I am truly passionate about via the work, but it also gave me a leg up being a student right out of college. We all have student projects and we make them look wonderful, freelance projects we can make look wonderful, but to actually have a collaborative piece that I was able to talk about; it truly did launch me into my career because it set me up for success.\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-1eb6cf5 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"1eb6cf5\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-5abcbe4\" data-id=\"5abcbe4\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e09bbd4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"e09bbd4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>&#8220;Working with other people, pitching your work, getting funding for your work, all that is incorporated in the process from start to finish.&#8221;<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-96349c5 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"96349c5\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-385335b\" data-id=\"385335b\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-09ceff4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"09ceff4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Did you learn new skills when creating CommTracks?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-dcfb983 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"dcfb983\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"font_8\">&#8220;Oh \u2014 yes. Judith is such an amazing design professor; she definitely taught me the ins-and-outs, I would not be the designer I am without her, but it truly was a puzzle project. The CommTracks magazine encompassed the past four years of all the course work. Yes \u2013 I learned a lot- it was my first time working with an established printer. We would print stuff up in the CommLab but we would never send something to a printer and have to look at proofs, so it was a fantastic opportunity.\u00a0<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p class=\"font_8\">&#8220;As the 15 years have gone on, I have really been able to stretch myself to new promotions and take on big challenges. It started and grew from CommTracks, which itself was a big initiative to take on as a student. I carry that through my career! I started at two small agencies when I first graduated from Simmons and then I landed at TJX and I\u2019m still there now and have been for eight years.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p class=\"font_8\">&#8220;I have worked up the rank, starting as a designer, then an art director, then a senior art director, then associate creative director, and now I am the creative director of TJX.com. So I am always stretching myself with taking on big risks and new projects, never staying stagnant. I believe it was truly rooted in that CommTracks project.&#8221;<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-66fa167 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"66fa167\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-192b59f\" data-id=\"192b59f\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ebabad2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"ebabad2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">How have you changed professionally in the last 15 years?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5eea313 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"5eea313\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>&#8220;As a designer, you start at entry level after graduation, so I definitely took my skill sets that I learned from Simmons and that CommTracks project and brought it to life. I was able to show people I work for that I could do a project from start to finish, I could take big risks, and make it happen.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-1966f53 elementor-hidden-tablet elementor-hidden-phone elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"1966f53\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-5d845be\" data-id=\"5d845be\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-fd2e457 elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"fd2e457\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-7cee11e elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"7cee11e\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-4df744a\" data-id=\"4df744a\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4ee1995 elementor-view-stacked elementor-widget-mobile__width-auto elementor-fixed elementor-hidden-desktop elementor-shape-circle elementor-widget elementor-widget-global elementor-global-852 elementor-widget-icon\" data-id=\"4ee1995\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;motion_fx_motion_fx_scrolling&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;motion_fx_opacity_effect&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;motion_fx_opacity_range&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;%&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:{&quot;start&quot;:42,&quot;end&quot;:100}},&quot;_position&quot;:&quot;fixed&quot;,&quot;motion_fx_opacity_direction&quot;:&quot;out-in&quot;,&quot;motion_fx_opacity_level&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:10,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;motion_fx_devices&quot;:[&quot;desktop&quot;,&quot;tablet&quot;,&quot;mobile&quot;]}\" data-widget_type=\"icon.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-icon-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-icon\" href=\"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/2020\/04\/24\/dix-scholar\/\">\n\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-arrow-up\"><\/i>\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7d9efd2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-post-navigation\" data-id=\"7d9efd2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"post-navigation.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-post-navigation\" role=\"navigation\" aria-label=\"Post Navigation\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-post-navigation__prev elementor-post-navigation__link\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-post-navigation__next elementor-post-navigation__link\">\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/2020\/04\/24\/finding-comm-unity\/\" rel=\"next\"><span class=\"elementor-post-navigation__link__next\"><span class=\"post-navigation__next--label\">Next<\/span><span class=\"post-navigation__next--title\">Finding COMM-unity<\/span><\/span><span class=\"post-navigation__arrow-wrapper post-navigation__arrow-next\"><i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-angle-right\"><\/i><span class=\"elementor-screen-only\">Next<\/span><\/span><\/a>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-2d0c5d1 elementor-section-stretched elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"2d0c5d1\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;stretch_section&quot;:&quot;section-stretched&quot;,&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-795d3d5\" data-id=\"795d3d5\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-320d2cc elementor-widget elementor-widget-global elementor-global-364 elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"320d2cc\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Made by the 2020 senior communication students at Simmons University\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>An Interview with Kristen Matta By: Kenna McCarthy and Sierra McCaffrey Sierra\u00a0McCaffrey and\u00a0Kenna McCarthy chatted with Simmons Communications Department alumna, Kristen Matta, to discuss how [&#8230;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":731,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"elementor_canvas","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[10],"class_list":["post-147","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-student-stories","tag-student"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/147","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=147"}],"version-history":[{"count":26,"href":"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/147\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":867,"href":"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/147\/revisions\/867"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/731"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=147"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=147"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/commtracks.simmons.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=147"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}