Professor Nicole Bent
Meet Professor's Nicole Bent: Making the Most of Her Time, and of Her Students
Degrees:
- M.F.A., Design & Technology, Parsons School of Design, 2001
- B.A., Studio Art, University of Texas, Austin, 1996
Out of the Classroom:
Prof. Bent recently donated a piece of her own artwork to the American Cancer Society for a charity benefit auction.
It wasn't all that long ago Professor Nicole Bent was a student herself, earning her M.F.A. at the prestigious Parsons School of Design in New York City and studying painting in Paris with NY-based Bulgarian artist Dimitar Yukanov. But since then she has amassed an impressive amount of real-world experience to pass along to her students.
"After graduation, I worked in the industry for awhile and decided that I missed being around students and a learning environment. Within my own Master's program, I saw so many different learning styles and I got to thinking about how I would communicate with all these different learners. It seemed challenging, but I really thought it was something I could succeed at: I knew I was a creative communicator and that I could make students' lives easier. I love it."
While Bent has all her own academic knowledge to share with students, she believes her real-world experience is just as important. Since earning her Bachelor's degree, she has worked in a variety of visual communication careers: multimedia illustrator, graphic designer, and fine artist. As Chair of AIU Houston's Visual Communication Department, Bent only hires faculty who also bring real-world experience into the classroom. "Not only does this put faculty in a position to know industry trends and keep students current but also to help students with contacts after they have graduated."
Bent's teaching experience isn't limited to AIU Houston. She has taught in other Houston-area visual communication departments. "I like AIU for several reasons: first, the faculty really does practice what it preaches; we're out in the trenches. I also like that students get a well-rounded education. Students don't graduate unless they know about both web and print. That makes them more interesting and better sets them up for success in the field."
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