At the start of the fall semester PNW welcomed Krista Thompson to the Communication and Creative Arts department to teach courses in graphic design, advertising, art and photography.

Thompson, visiting lecturer, earned all three of her degrees from PNW. In 2009 she earned her bachelor’s in visual communication and graphic design. In 2010 she earned her associate’s in computer graphics technology and in 2014 she earned her master’s in communication.

Thompson enjoyed the courses she took at PNW and decided to take the opportunity to work with Mary Beth O’Connor, associate professor of Communication and Creative Arts, and Tom Roach, department head of Communication and Creative Arts.

“I had such great memories attending here. I decided to go into teaching to share my enthusiasm about the different programs we offer,” Thompson said.

Thompson enjoys the different Adobe programs and teaching her students about the benefits of their work in class.

In Thompson’s spare time, she enjoys watching YouTube videos, drawing on her Cintiq tablet and adding to her rock collection.

“I love thinking about the process of rock formation. The time scale and circumstances needed to produce them is incredibly fascinating,” Thompson said. “I enjoy attempting to identify specimens. It’s like playing detective. You gather evidence to solve this puzzle that’s been in the works for millions of years.”

Jack Kiger, an undergraduate broadcasting major, said he enjoys Thompson’s down-to-earth teaching style.

“She explains everything and makes things easy to comprehend and digest. She has helped me better utilize Photoshop and Illustrator in Adobe with a focus on 3D,” Kiger said.

Thompson shared that networking and getting conversations started with professors are helpful for pursuing a career in the communications field.

“Definitely volunteer and do internships. I wish I would have done them a lot sooner.”