Advice from alumni: Marie Poncin
Marie Poncin from France graduated from EF Academy New York in 2015 and went on to study Communication Design at Parsons The New School for Design. She decided to pursue her passion after an internship at Publicis, a creative marketing agency, sparked her interest in advertising. Learn more about what inspired her most at EF Academy New York:
How did you hear about EF Academy and why did you choose to attend?
My father actually got a promotional email from EF the summer before I started attending. He thought it would be an amazing opportunity for me.
What university did you go to afterwards? What do you study and why?
I went to Parsons The New School for Design and am now currently studying communication design. A few years ago, I was pushed to study business but I was not totally into it. After an internship at Publicis, I realized that advertising was a world that I was really interested in. During my last year at EF Academy, I had an amazing art teacher who encouraged me to do my best and made me enjoy art more than ever. Communication design is art with business insight and that’s what I like about it. Parsons is the top choice I could get for my major so I went for it.
What is the most interesting project that you have done so far?
I think my favorite project so far has been my final in my photography class because I got to try different things that were not at all related to my major. The project is called “d/humanization.” I body-painted two nude models with thick layers of acrylic, mostly blue tones and touches of bright yellow. Their bodies were completely covered this way. I photographed them and had them pose alone at first, doing really graceful movements. I then had them pose together in what we can call sexual positions. I edited all of them and made a series of eight photographs in which you could not really tell what was going on or find anything provocative despite the lack of clothing. The bodies seemed more like waves of colors beautifully connected to each other, instead of intimate parts and so on.
What is your dream for the future?
To be happy! I guess professionally, being a creative director in a good firm and maybe even open my own advertising company would be what I am aiming for.
Do you have any tips for EF Academy students who want to pursue studies or careers in Arts & Design?
Don’t go to your art class thinking it will be easy or that art is the easy way. It really isn’t, and it’s a lot about doing things on your own: go to galleries and museums, meet interesting people and always look out for things that could inspire you. Then, get ready to stay up a good 11 hours to finish your project. Find what you really like and give everything for it. It’s hard but definitely worth it.
Do you keep in touch with your EF Academy classmates?
I do. I still see some of my friends from my first year at EF Academy even though we live pretty far apart now. One of my roommates in New York is actually one of my classmates from my last year at EF Academy. And I actually just came back from Moscow where I met one of my friends, and another I hadn’t seen in three years. Those friendships are forever.
What’s your favorite memory from EF Academy?
I have so many, I can’t pick just one. The people are my favorite memories. I met people that I could never forget, people who taught me a different way of seeing things, people who I could admire and trust.
What do you miss the most?
I miss waking up and already being around a family. I miss not being bored one second of the day.
What is one thing that you learned from EF Academy that you found valuable for university? For work life? For your personal life?
Being able to stay up for 24 hours at a time is a helpful skill. Think positive even though everything goes wrong, and don’t overthink things.
What final tips would you give to current students?
Enjoy yourselves, those years are the best of your life!
Who is the most successful alumni that you know of?
Daniel Lengyel, I’m sure he is doing and will do great things.
Any advice for fellow alumni at universities or who are starting their careers?
I would say that the most important thing is to find ways to keep it interesting. Dig deeper, push yourself, have more ambition and do better, be better.
Short questions:
Name: Marie Poncin
Age: 19
Nationality: French
How many languages do you speak? 2, and some basic German
EF Academy campuses: New York and Torbay
Graduation years: EF Academy New York, 2015
Program: IB Diploma
Residence or host family: residence in New York and host family in Torbay
Favorite subject: ART!!
Favorite teacher: Jessica Eddis, no doubt!
Which is the next country you want to visit? I want to go to Russia again!
Who to interview next:
Vitoria Fiore
Shouts outs to:
My current roommate Vitoria, my Russian host family from my first year at EF Academy and my favorite Korean, Rim.