When UW junior Dana Badeen started college, she had her sights set on the stars—literally. Badeen enrolled at the University of Michigan to pursue an engineering degree that would lead to a career as an astronaut but midway through her college career she was struck by two simultaneous realizations.

First, those who succeed in the space industry are the best of the best and, while Badeen was a strong student, she was not at the top of her ultra-competitive class. Secondly, even if Badeen made it in the space business, that did not necessarily mean she would make it into space. The majority of astronauts’ work, Badeen found out, is on the ground.

Jolted by these realities, Badeen decided to complete her Industrial Engineering degree in Michigan but forego her sky-high career goals.

After graduation, Badeen found a job in the Seattle area and began taking Extended Learning courses at The School of Visual Concepts. After a few months with SVC she applied to the UW and began coursework in Industrial Design.

As she continues to study Industrial Design her degree from Michigan has come in handy. In the graphic design field, designers are often hard-pressed to communicate with engineers and the process of blending the technical and design aspects of a project can be difficult. With her background in engineering, Badeen can easily spot the technical limitations of a design project and solve problems. Employable? Definitely.

In August of 2008, Badeen joined other Industrial Design students and several faculty members for the Design Program in Rome, one of the programs offered through the UW’s Exploration Seminars. Badeen said she chose to embark on this adventure for both personal and practical reasons: she was determined to experience that once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of studying abroad and she needed an Art History credit. It was interesting “to see how historical art influences modern design and advertising,” Badeen said. “I particularly enjoyed learning about international perspectives and experiencing advertising in a culture where consumerism does not reign supreme. [They] put more effort into their craft. For me, it was proof of a different kind of existence than the throw-away culture we live in,” Badeen continued.

After returning from her adventures abroad and kicking off the school year, Badeen is working with the Industrial Design Student Association to help teach students about the importance of building a viable portfolio of work. She is currently examining how her engineering and design degrees might dovetail in her future career.

“What I’m doing now is not the ‘be all, end all,’” Badeen said, “I have a passion for design and that’s why I’m in the program. I am absolutely not on the path I thought I’d follow when I started college.”

Frankly, we are thrilled that Dana Badeen did not become an astronaut. With all her talent and skill, we need her here on Earth!

— Written by Cara MacMillan

For more information about the UW programs discussed above, please visit these links:

• The UW Design Program in Rome
• The UW Exploration Seminars