Around SCAD, Profile, SCAD
Around SCAD, Profile, SCAD

Fresh Outta College: Laura Beckerdite

Fresh Outta College is a weekly District column that documents the post-grad life of SCAD alumni pursuing creative careers. If you ever doubted your ability to get a job post-SCAD, tune in and let these alumni ease your worries.

With a little help from photography professor, Craig Stevens, Laura Beckerdite found herself interning at Maine Media Workshops + College during the summer of her junior year.

Now a graduate of the photography program at SCAD, Beckerdite is back again at Maine Media working as their studio coordinator.

Beckerdite has been working this summer as a teaching assistant for Maine Media instructors, and photography heavy weights, Lee Anne White, Traer Scott, David Turner, M.D. Welch, Amy Arbus, Joyce Tenneson, Matt Cosby, and Bobbi Lane. 

“It isn’t my “dream company” per say, but it’s exactly where I want to be at this point in my career,” said Beckerdite. 

Fresh out of college and back in Maine, Beckerdite is happy to be getting paid to work in her field, especially after having gotten the opportunity to work with Amy Arbus during her internship last year, and getting to work with her in class this year.

“I was humbled to be photographed by the outstanding Amy Arbus for her Goddesses series,” said Beckerdite. “And this year I had the honor of assisting her with her class.”

With a summer staff of about 30 people, Beckerdite is responsible for meeting with the professors she’s assisting every week, working with them in their classes on photo shoots and demonstrations and then every Friday  presenting a slideshow of every students work.

Mondays and Tuesday nights are reserved for lectures. Wednesday’s are her chance to work on her own work, with staff critiques happening Wednesday nights and a fancy dinner on Thursday, for staff and professors.
“You can usually find me relaxing by a body of water on my off day, Saturday.”
The only rough patch for this SCAD grad has been getting used to being on her own.

“While it’s not directly part of my job, it’s certainly a big part of my life and affects me everyday. SCAD has just overall prepared me for “real life.”

Her advice for students current considering/applying for future internships:

“DO IT. It gets your name out in your field, allows you to meet INCREDIBLE artists, and you will learn so so so much. It may be a little scary to apply for something in your field, but it’s well worth the risk.”

To view more of Beckerdite’s work, visit her website. 

 Written by Asli Shebe.
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Asli Shebe is a senior writing major from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. She began working for District in 2014 as a staff writer, then copy editor, A&E editor, Chief Assignment editor and finally, Editor-in-Chief in 2017. Asli currently holds the record for obtaining the most job titles during her time at District. When she’s not writing for District you can find her biking around the Historic District of Savannah at odd hours of the day.

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