CCA News
Graphic Designer Michael Sun Trades CCA for the NBA
Posted on Thursday, February 2, 2012, by Simon Hodgson
"Zero to hero" is a cliché in sports movies, but how does a sports-obsessed graphic designer make the leap from rookie to professional? Growing up outside Detroit, Michael Sun (Graphic Design 2010) was always a fan but never thought of sports as anything more than a hobby or entertainment. Then after attending the University of Michigan and receiving a teaching degree, he came to the sinking realization that teaching might not be for him. He admits he needed some direction.
"I went to lunch with my dad one day and I was spitballing, trying to think of my next step, but I had no idea what to do. Sports was an obsession, the only thing that held my interest at the time. I didn't know what I wanted. I'd always been interested in sports logos but only doodled them on notes in high school. I didn't even know logos dealt with something called graphic design.
"Fortunately I found CCA, but it was definitely a tough transition. For a while I felt like an outsider. I'd already received a degree, I was a little older, I didn't dress the same way, and I lived far from the city in Sunnyvale. Worst of all, it was discouraging to compare my projects with students who had been designing for longer than I had, or who had a better eye for color or composition."
He realized even in these tough moments, however, that his teachers were on his side. "They knew my work was not the greatest, but they also knew so badly I wanted to succeed and how hard I was trying. My background was academic -- expecting results according to how hard you worked -- so I decided I'd get there if I tried hard enough. And the professors noticed that.
"I really cherish the time I had at CCA, working with teachers like Jason Munn, Christopher Simmons, and David Asari." It was another professor, Martin Venezky, who helped Sun change his approach. "Martin helped me realize that I was viewing design as a skill, a skill I needed to master in order to properly prepare for working life. I needed to let go of that pressure to succeed, and focus on what design meant to me. At the time, I found that design needed to be about what I was interested and passionate for. Turns out that thesis was exactly what I needed." He was apprehensive, he remembers, getting ready to approach Graphic Design thesis advisors Dennis Crowe and Michael Vanderbyl with his proposal, because he'd heard how tough the process could be and assumed that a thesis about the importance of professional sports wasn't something they'd understand. "Coming from the Midwest, where people are passionate about their sports, I expected disinterest. But Michael, Dennis, and my classmates were incredibly supportive."
Enouraged by his thesis project, Sun crafted a winning portfolio while scouring job boards for professional sports opportunities and applying for any and all openings. "It's a niche -- a small group of people looking for jobs in everything from concessions to internships to VP of marketing positions. I would comb through postings, desperate to find a way in." Then the Minnesota Vikings came calling, in response to his internship application and thesis portfolio. After a brief interview, Sun received an offer to go to Minneapolis for a season. "It all seemed like luck at the time. But they saw how much I wanted to be a part of it all, and saw how my portfolio embodied that passion. Working for the Vikings was a tremendous litmus test. Like any internship, the experience helped me hone my skills and understand how they translate into creating work that will appeal to a sports-industry audience."
Within a few months, Sun was sending out applications for full-time jobs on other teams. In September 2010, the Houston Rockets were on the cusp of hiring another designer when they saw his portfolio. They flew him to Texas and signed him immediately. "As they say in sports, it was a bang-bang play. It's amazing." Having settled in with the Rockets for more than a season now, Sun feels like the pieces have finally fallen into place. "I sometimes can't believe how quickly it all came together. I feel so fortunate and blessed when I think about my instructors, classmates, and the whole process. And I'm just glad I followed my gut to do something I enjoyed. I can't imagine being anywhere else. This is where I supposed to be. I'm actually living my dream."