Her Story
About Chandrea
My journey in graphic design and social media management started back in high school when I attended a magnet art school in Waterbury. I loved each and every one of my art classes, from glass making to pottery to painting. I've just always been a creative individual. Having a love for art kind of pushed me into creating my own clothing and doing customizable items for people around me, and someone pointed me in the direction of becoming a graphic designer. That's why I originally decided to go to Full Sail for graphic design, and it just opened me up to this different world of helping individuals and getting what I love in art out to the world. I graduated with my bachelor's in graphic design in September 2025, and by the end of that same month, I was back in school to start my master's program in Public Relations and Communication. I always keep my siblings in mind - we lost our mother, so I just want to show them that no matter what you go through, you could always still push hard for yourself, make yourself proud, make mom proud, because she's with all of us. I'll have my master's by November of this year through accelerated classes. I figured if I can start to better enhance my portfolio by the end of my schooling, I have already shown all the experience from working with these small businesses and nonprofits and these creators online. I handle social media content calendars, making graphics as well as editing videos, and I use something called Notion to basically keep that calendar in view of myself and my clients. It goes by monthly, and I'm able to post what's going to get posted with captions, as well as when it will get posted, so that way I can confirm that the client has seen them and approved that that's exactly what they want when it's time to put their work out. I also work full-time in a psych unit at a mental health hospital in the adult psych wing. I tell people all the time, you will never have a glitter or rainbows day, but when I see certain patients come and they are at an all-time high compared to when they leave and they're a whole different person, that's what keeps me coming back to work, just seeing how hard they work to get back to themselves. That's just always my happy place right there, knowing that I can help somebody, they can confide in me when they need help, they come to me when they need any type of things answered. I believe that if I'm working with these different individuals that have a different mindset, I need something to redirect so I can keep my headspace in a positive space. You can't dedicate yourself 100% to a job and not take care of your mental state as well.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Chandrea
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success number one to God - I always grew up in a Christian household. It's also a combination of just my passion, my creativity, and the learning that I continue to do every day. My love for design and being able to just communicate with those around me, it just fuels my work and allows me to approach different challenges with innovation and enthusiasm. Being able to stay updated with industry trends and enhancing my skills helps me remain competitive and adaptable while building my relationships in both graphic design and public relations.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best advice I received was mostly the importance of believing in myself - confidence is key. A lot of the time, when it came to advice, I would always try to seek for a mentor or someone who, even on LinkedIn or social media, someone who has been doing what I'm working on continuing to do for quite some time, because it could be invaluable. They can provide insights and support while navigating in their careers. I think that building just a diverse skill set is very essential, as understanding both design and communications.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would say, again, just believe in yourself. I feel like a lot of times, especially nowadays - I share this with my siblings all the time, I'm the oldest - you have to show that you can speak up, you could stand up for yourself, you can do what the next person can do, and or do it better. You always want to see yourself as an equal, and every moment you feel like you're failing, it's always a learning experience, so never take that too hard. You always have to look at the upside of what you could take from that learning experience. So just being able to believe in yourself, have faith in yourself, and believe that you are in the right path, that is the advice that I'll give a young woman.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
I would say the biggest challenges in my field would include the rapid tech change, as well as the market. It just requires a consistent innovation and a strong personal brand just to stand out, but there are also significant opportunities, like digital transformation, that just gives you more avenues for creative expression and communication.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I would say that I prioritize values like collaboration, empathy, and integrity. Being honest and transparent builds trust with a lot of my clients and even my colleagues, while also being able to keep that teamwork together. Teamwork fosters creativity, and it leads to better outcomes. I think that by understanding the needs and perspectives of others, it enhances my ability more to communicate effectively and just create the meaningful pieces that I do.
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