These are the words that Professor Shannon Doronio shares with her students whenever the going gets tough. In the world of design, where creativity and confidence are the foundation of success, each student is talented in their way -- but Doronio's job is to instill within them the importance of working hard, too. 

Doronio herself first attended Otis College of Art and Design to complete a certificate program for Design, Print and Production and loved it so much she enrolled full-time and received her BFA. She joined COC as a full-time faculty member in 2017, and in her time as a professor, she's become well acquainted with what it takes to motivate her design students to be their best selves. 

“The best part of what I do is watching students realize that they’ve understood the design process this whole time -- they just didn’t know it.” she shares.

Early in her professional career, Doronio and her husband started up a small design agency, and it was this decision that gradually led her to COC through a recommendation of a friend. After participating in lectures and workshops, she ended up at our campus and realized that teaching was where she truly felt she belonged.

Doronio has made it a  goal to act as a resource for her students as well as a motivator. As a first-generation college student herself, she places a heavy emphasis on standing in the gap that can often be left between her students and their parents to help the whole family be successful. 

"Mentoring my students throughout their design education is just an amazing part of my job," she shares. "I love helping each student figure out what part of the design industry they want to be a part of, and I make it a point to be there for every one of them."

Doronio's personal life is filled with equal parts hard work and play -- when the weather permits, she spends much of her time outdoors with her kids or working her way through all of the rides at Disneyland with her family. 

For her, creativity doesn’t stop when she steps outside of her classroom -- she loves drawing, painting, and teaching her kids how to be their most imaginative selves at home, too.

“I’m fortunate that my job is also something I love to do, so the work feels like a fun.” she says.