Akshay Manjunath
AFor students from India who are considering SCAD, I would say whether you are new to design or an experienced designer, if you get an opportunity to attend SCAD, go for it.
kshay Manjunath from Bangalore is a SCAD alum and alumni mentor. Akshay earned his bachelor’s degree from Sri Venkateswara College in 2014, and decided to study internationally to create his ideal future. He arrived at SCAD Savannah in 2017 to work towards his master’s degree in industrial engineering. He soon saw the power of the SCAD design management program — and decided to earn both master’s degrees simultaneously.
Akshay Manjunath says, “I saw the potential in design management to develop strategies in problemsolving. In simple terms, design management is the management of the design process through wellinformed decisions that define the direction of the outcome. SCAD’s emphasis on collaboration means that as a design management student, I worked with textile designers, themed entertainment designers, actors, UX designers, and animators all together on a single project. To reflect on my projects at SCAD says a lot about the work I do professionally today.” At SCAD, Akshay worked on a SCADpro project conducting research and providing design recommendations for the design of a low-cost modular firepit for Walmart. In 2019, he completed his industrial design M.A. and his Design Management M.A. degrees simultaneously. After working for Ford Credit, Akshay now works as Design Researcher for Walmart, helping create a better work experience for the global giant’s 2.3 million employees.
Akshay says, “For students from India who are considering SCAD, I would say whether you are new to design or an experienced designer, if you get an opportunity to attend SCAD, go for it. When you put in the effort, there is every opportunity to shine. SCAD offers all the resources you need. Even after graduation when you enter the job market, SCAD offers essential assistance and support. SCAD is more like a family — always there to help.”