Nicole
Richard, you are such a well-liked instructor! We are so pleased to get a one-on-one interview with you. How long have you been teaching at Platt College San Diego?
Richard Morris
I started teaching at Platt in 2010. I was a Teacher’s Assistant (since 2006) prior to that.
Nicole
What classes do you teach?
Richard
I teach Digital Publishing, Digital Imaging, and Graphic Design for Advertising and Social Media. The first two classes are InDesign and Photoshop specific. The third class, Graphic Design for Advertising and Social Media combines their design skills knowledge with basic social media training to create more extensive and in-depth campaigns.
Nicole
You are also a Platt College graduate, what influenced your decision to choose Platt College San Diego?
Richard
It actually happened by chance. I used to ride the bus to work to Grossmont Mall and kept seeing the Platt sign. I was back in San Diego after attending another school for two years, and I knew I wanted to go back to school, but I wasn’t sure for what. I finally worked up the courage to go in and take a tour.
Nicole
In what program did you receive your degree?
Richard
I received a Bachelor of Science in Multimedia Arts.
Nicole
What did you think of your instructors? Were there any that stood out?
Richard
I specifically remember Bill Balm. He was a strict (but fair) teacher that required you to put the time in to get better. He was my first teacher at the school, and he did not accept excuses for lack of effort.
Nicole
Did your experience a Platt College inspire you to come back to be an instructor? Why?
Richard
Yes. Many of my fellow students were more “naturally talented” than me. I was better with the software than actual design, so we struggled in different ways. Unfortunately, many of my classmates didn’t put the time in to develop their technical skills to match their design intuition. I wanted to teach to make sure talented designers understood the industry programs well enough to match their designs.
Nicole
Richard, there is an inside joke that all the students tell and know about. It has something to do with the Papyrus typeface. Can you tell us a little about the joke and how it came to be?
Richard
All of my students know I am not a fan of the typeface Papyrus. During the Digital Publishing class, I introduce a list of typefaces that they are not allowed to use. Many of the typefaces are good, but they are overused. The goal is to encourage the students to explore and make type decisions based on the project, not just what is commonly available. The joke is that Papyrus is the only one that is never justified.
Nicole
How do you utilize the skills and education that you received from Platt College out in the design workforce and in the classroom?
Richard
The training and education that I received from Platt have greatly influenced my career path. I’ve done some freelance work here in San Diego plus different projects for many of my talented family members. I also work for a small company here in San Diego that I have been with for many years. I’ve spent the last couple of years focusing on teaching and training, so I have not worked on many freelance projects lately but implement my training from Platt into everything I do career-wise. I love what I do here at Platt, so I am continually learning to make sure I have the proper knowledge to pass along to my students.
Nicole
What advice would give to beginning design students besides “No Papyrus Please?”
Richard
Show up on time, work hard, improve, and challenge your assumptions. Respect your craft, put in the time necessary to get better, and leech knowledge off of everyone you encounter. If you are lucky, you will find an employer that knows your worth and respects what you do for them. If you don’t find them, then you should become that employer.
Nicole
Is there anything else you would like to share with us?
Richard
I’ve already shared too much. Ha Ha! I think that is all for now.