The SUNY Old Westbury community got to see a visual arts degree in “action” – literally – when Stephen Fiore ’17, a designer for Marvel Entertainment, came to campus this month for a discussion with students, and faculty.
Fiore earned a Visual Arts: Electronic Media degree from the University before going on to get an internship at a creative agency in New York City. He credits this experience with improving his preparation for his role at Marvel, which has now held for five years.
“Thanks to Professor Harris, I got an internship working on real-world projects, and learning career experiences like revision protocols and working on tight deadlines,” “It was also a good boost for the portfolio as we were working on projects for HBO and Showtime.”
After graduation, Fiore focused on fan art and networking, especially on LinkedIn. “I would connect with places and people I wanted to work for, and then share mock-ups for real projects that might interest the people and companies I was tagging in the materials.”
One of those companies was Marvel, and it wasn’t long until they saw his strengths and creativity. Since his hiring, he has climbed the ranks from Jr. Interactive Designer to his current position as Senior Digital Designer. He is proud to have worked on several projects including the recently released Marvel Multiverse Role Playing Game book and designing the kits sent to those who subscribe to Marvel Unlimited Plus.
“The Visual Arts Department was excited to showcase the talent that is out in the field sharing the word on the national and global stage about our academic programs,” said Frederick Fleisher, chair of the department. “Stephen is a good example of what following your passions could lead to in the industry, and we’re impressed with all that he has achieved.”