TEAM SPOTLIGHT: MEET HOLLAWAY’S CREATIVE Services ASSISTANT, Alina Velasquez

This month, we are thrilled to shine the spotlight on one of Hollaway's newest team member, Alina Velasquez. Born and raised around the greater Houston area, Alina has developed a strong sense of pride for our city’s diverse culture. As a first-generation student, Alina also works part-time to pay for her education.

While obtaining her Associate Degree in General Studies, Alina took on several roles with children as a preschool teacher, camp counselor, caretaker, and art instructor. During these years, Alina studied traditional and digital photography, as well as a few other art foundation classes such as painting, drawing, and design. After discovering a passion for design, Alina decided to pursue a new career path in art, an interest of hers since she was very young. Alina then transferred to the University of Houston, where she is currently working towards a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design.

Soon after transferring, Alina successfully passed the design block test to become a full Graphic Design major. In this program, Alina works closely with her professors to cover several topics of graphic design, analog and digital, while she builds a professional portfolio. Some of the topics she has and will study include advanced typography, web design, UI/UX design, branding/identity, book/print design, exhibition design, motion graphics, and many more. Alina is known for her love of all mediums. In addition to her major, Alina has studied several other areas of art such as videography, sculpture, advanced drawing/painting classes, art and music history, journalism, creative writing, and photography. Alina combines all of her interests and knowledge in her work and hobbies.

To get a full college experience, Alina joined several organizations at the University of Houston, looking for leadership roles. Alina leads the Photography team as the Photo Editor for Coog Radio, the campus’s radio station. Alina recently spent a semester as the Graphic Design officer for the Blaffer Art Museum Student Association (BAMSA), where she created flyers, visual graphics, and other collateral for the organization. She also designed a catalog for the Biannual Student Show by BAMSA, an exhibition showcasing student artwork. Next semester, Alina will be promoted to Social Media Officer of her class in the University of Houston Graphic Design Program. Lastly, Alina participates in several volunteer events for the Challenger Program, where she mentors other first-generation college students who, like her, are figuring out the college path all on their own.

To further her expertise, Alina continued to push her career forward by pursuing a design internship. In just her sophomore year, Alina joined the Hollaway team as the very first Creative Services intern with the company. Less than a year after joining Hollaway, Alina was officially welcomed to the team permanently as a part-time Creative Services Assistant. In this role, Alina assists the creative team with the creation of graphics, design tools, video production marketing, social media content, development of Hollaway marketing materials, and any other internal needs under the direction of the Art Director and the rest of the Creative Services Team. Alina is truly grateful to be able to share her education and experience with the Houston community through Hollaway. Alina celebrates her first anniversary with Hollaway this month.

In her spare time, Alina enjoys attending and writing about Houston’s various music and art events for Coog Radio. Alina’s deeply rooted passion for Houston and it’s culture inspires her every day. Alina aspires to make her mark on Houston by creating her own music and arts publication, showcasing her love for Houston and its culture.

We are thrilled to welcome Alina to our team! Her skills and enthusiasm make her a valuable addition to our dynamic group. To discover more about Alina and the rest of the talented individuals on our team, we invite you to visit our website.