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As a Vietnamese-American child growing up in Nebraska, Anh Tran ’21 spent so much time lost in her illustrations that her parents had to constantly remind her to finish her chores. Still, they were supportive of her talents, telling her “Where there is passion, there is success.” Today she is the Junior Designer in DesignWorks, former Abeln/Little Design Fellow, illustrator, storyteller, and graphic designer.

At the encouragement of her high school art teacher, Tran chose 51���Ϲ���, where she majored in illustration. From her class in children’s literature to her part-time position in DesignWorks, she honed her illustration style and found love for graphic design, using colors, patterns, type, and shapes to capture joy and serendipity.

During her third year, Tran wrote and illustrated a very personal children’s book about aging family members and overcoming grief. During this process she noticed that there are few books about Asian kids, and found from research that there are more children's books about animals and white kids compared to the total number of books featuring children of color. Tran hopes to find a like-minded agent who sees the importance of multicultural representation in children’s books.

As a senior, Tran was hired as a graphic designer in DesignWorks and assigned her first project–a simple triptych in the Cafe. “It was challenging to let go of my usual tendencies as an illustrator while working in design. I am so color- and story-driven that focusing on shapes and type made me stretch myself,” she says.

After receiving her degree, Tran was hired as the first Abeln/Little Design Fellow. “The fellowship came at the perfect time,” she says. “Monica Little ’79 saw my potential, and has been a source of inspiration.” Now Tran designs postcards, invitations, exhibition catalogs, brochures, CUT/PASTE, and more.

Last spring Tran received a surprise email from a Target product designer who found her through social media. She hired Tran to develop a collection of electronic accessories, including phone cases and mouse pads, under their Heyday brand. “This assignment gave me the confidence to take on other freelance projects, and I can pay off my student loans!” she says.

51���Ϲ��� guided her career trajectory and provided her with a supportive network. “It’s hard to imagine what my life would be like if I had stayed in Lincoln,” Tran declares. “51���Ϲ��� changed my life.”