One of the two that live near me got a job because of my recommendation as the designer at the design studio where I am the developer.

I quickly befriended the people in the student group. I met 2 people who live within 10 minutes of my house that I did not even know went to my school, and many others from across the country.

As a senior, and President of the Johnson & Wales University student group, there are many people that I know through AIGA that have graduated whom I still keep in touch with, and many that are not as far along in their education with whom I will keep in touch with after I graduate.

Many people say that the friendships you make while playing adolescent sports are the friendships you will have for the rest of your life. While having played sports, I can say that is true. However, I can say the exact same thing about AIGA. I have made as many, if not more friendships through my AIGA JWU and AIGA RI membership than I did while playing sports.

i joined in 1994 because, as a fresh graduate living in the suburbs of new york city, i wanted to be a part of something greater than myself. i didn’t know anyone in the field, so i went to a few NY chapter events. i found immediately that connecting with others who are doing what i’m doing is helpful when our job is essentially to communicate.

i had my sights set on boston, and moved in 1995 for a job at houghton mifflin. it was only a month before i volunteered for the boston chapter because i had an idea for augmenting their events that i expressed to fritz klaetke, an event producer at that time. that one phone call has opened a thousand doors (and led to freelance work from fritz). a few months later, i joined the boston board because i wanted to network more concertedly, and they needed someone outgoing to run membership. over the next two years, because of the contacts i had made, i decided to start my own studio, shifting away from maintaining a full-time job plus freelancing nights and weekends. during that time, i had also grown the membership base so successfully that i was invited to go to my first leadership retreat.

at that retreat in 1997, i met ric, denise, george, other members of the national staff, and quickly realized how accessible they are – there is no us/them, and there is no boundary for sharing ideas or casual conversation. over years of retreats i’ve met luminaries from around the country who have mentored and inspired me, and in time, have become my friends: sam shelton, sean adams, noreen morioka, marc english, debbie millman, kenna kay, michael bierut, terry marks, kathy fredrickson, matt pashko. matt interviewed me for a book about what inspires designers, called inspirability, and i’m in the table of contents across from milton glaser, a genius of the profession. kenna (and her staff at tvland) produced a video about AIGA, and i’m in it talking about being inspired.

so when i relocated to providence, rhode island in 2004, needless to say i was inspired to start a chapter – mostly because there wasn’t one. it was thrilling to have collected the necessary 20 signatures to galvanize the efforts. five years in, we have 200 members, so obviously there was a need for a hub around which everyone can coalesce. i see how the chapter has shaped the community by starting and sustaining both individual and group relationships, and sparking the dialogue with other relevant design organizations. now my goal is to coordinate efforts and events on a regional level among 5 new england chapters.

along the way, i’ve met stefan sagmeister – one of my heroes – because i volunteered to help bring him to lecture in boston; we went record shopping, and he talked about designing for music at a radio station where i knew the dj. years later he came to rhode island and i invited one of his students, my friend and collaborator randy hunt, to introduce him. i met maira kalman when she was talking in boston, and after a two-minute conversation, she invited me to her home for dinner. sean adams recommended i jury the charlotte chapter’s regional design competition (my first), and has recently nominated me to be on the board nominating committee.

i used to feel nervous to approach people, let alone anyone perceived to be famous. i’ve come to realize that AIGA levels the playing field: designers are people too. i’ve made friends across the country, clustered around where there are chapters. as chapters continue to form, i look forward to the opportunities of meeting new people. with 24,000 members internationally, you’re bound to connect with someone who shares your experience – or wants to. and there’s no limit to the value of making connections.