Alisha Bowden used to think being a creative jack-of-all-trades wasn't a good thing – until her media studies helped her find a position with Humber’s Centre for Creative Business Innovation.  

Bowden has a diverse educational background. In 2008, Bowden enrolled in Humber's Interior Decorating diploma program and returned to Humber in 2015 to enrol in the Cosmetic Management diploma program.  

After working in the cosmetics industry for six years, Bowden decided that media studies would be a better way to express her creativity, so she enrolled in the Media Communications diploma program offered by the Faculty of Media and Creative Arts. 

"I decided that makeup and freelancing forever wasn’t for me. I thought I might as well go back to school, and when I applied to the Media Communications program, I got accepted. I ended up on the honour roll for every semester, which was a big deal for me," said Bowden. 

After completing three semesters of classes, Bowden began looking for a work-integrated learning placement for her final semester in the Media Communications diploma program. When she found the listing for a placement with Humber's Centre for Creative Business Innovation (CCBI), she felt the position perfectly aligned with her skill set. 

"I noticed a lot of internships didn't really line up with what I was looking for. When I stumbled onto Humber's career portal, the CCBI position was looking for someone with a general set of skills rather than a specific title. It seemed like something I could do," said Bowden. 

The CCBI is part of Humber’s Centres of Innovation (COI) Network, which brings together interdisciplinary teams of students, faculty and industry or community partners to solve complex, real-world problems. The CCBI offers a suite of fellowships to students, providing them with creative projects to work on with industry partners and creative professionals. These projects give students real-world opportunities to hone their creativity and problem-solving skills while completing their studies at Humber. 

As soon as Bowden started her new position, she realized being a jack-of-all-trades made her a valuable team member. Between her web development and design courses at Humber, Bowden felt well-equipped for her new role. 

"They just wanted to know if you could design, if you were creative, if you were innovative and could lead projects. They put me in a place where I fit perfectly. I was so grateful," said Bowden. 

With the skills she gained from the Media Communication diploma program's diverse curriculum, Bowden became an integral part of her team.  

"In every other job I've had, it's okay to miss a day because someone else can do your job, but here, it's not the best idea. You're needed and wanted here," said Bowden. 

For her placement, Bowden helped the CCBI plan and develop its annual online arts conference called Culture’s Compass. Culture’s Compass is an online two-day event that highlights and discusses major trends in the arts industry. This year's showcase featured talks from several art industry veterans specializing in writing, art direction, film and more. Bowden spent most of her time creating the website and branding for the event. 

"I was building the face of this year's Culture’s Compass and had the opportunity to create the logo as well, which meant a lot," said Bowden. 

Aside from making important contributions to the showcase, Bowden gained a lot of confidence from the support and mentorship she found in the CCBI.  

“Alicia personified what we hoped to develop through these Fellowships”, said Hana Glaser, a project coordinator with the CCBI. “Being in a creative environment often means collaborating with people in different fields and with different backgrounds. This can be challenging and requires a lot of adaptability. Alisha was able to do just that in a short period of time, making the experience that much more enjoyable and easier for everyone involved.”  

“It's been amazing making the connections with the mentors. They've been so giving and have given me the freedom to be super creative,” she said.  

Now that she has graduated, Bowden wants to use what she learned at the CCBI to continue to grow as a creative professional. 

"Being an art director and a creative director would interest me, and I don't mind helping guide a team and being a leader," said Bowden.  

Learn more about the Centre for Creative Business Innovation.