Scholarship Helps Designer Advance Her Skills

Bea Smith is an experienced designer working to advance her skills. Smith, who recently started a freelance design firm called RevWorxZ Designs (RWZ), enrolled at EWU to inspire her partner to complete a computer science degree and support her own goals as a business owner.

“I was starting a freelance company and noticed that a lot of the skills I had were outdated from being Adobe Associate Certified in 2016—might as well learn some new skills while I’m at it,” she says. Part of Smith’s entrepreneurial drive includes combining her passion for racing with design. She races a Camaro RS in the local AutoSports Northwest Club and developed a custom Arizona Iced Tea livery for her Camaro.

Smith, age 25, has found her greatest design success in building cohesive brand identities and liveries. Liveries, a style of marketing that carries across uniforms, auto decals and signage to show ownership, sponsorship and affiliation, work well for marketing companies within the autocross and automotive industries.

Smith developed her initial design skills while attending a technical charter high school in her hometown of Boise, Idaho.

She went on to serve in the U.S. Coast Guard, start her own business, and, years later, enroll at EWU. Now in her senior year in the design program, the hardworking Smith, who is on her own to pay for college, juggles hours working as a freelancer/independent contractor with coursework and program demands.

Several months ago, Smith received an email from the EWU Retirees Association offering her a scholarship award. “I had no idea that the scholarship was a thing prior to getting that email. It was a very pleasant surprise,” says Smith.

Receiving the scholarship is allowing Smith to decrease her work hours and spend more time increasing and modernizing her skills – and positioning herself for future success.

You can help build a future for Eastern’s hardworking students by visiting EWU / Give and selecting the area of support or fund you are most passionate about.