Dakota Hendren
Current Title: Designer and Photographer
Organization: Freelance
Country: United States
Candidate for: Director
My vision for the Society for News Design is to see it grow in membership, including fostering the next generation of members through workshops and engagement. Many students don’t realize that visual communication design is a career path they can pursue, and I believe SND has the opportunity to introduce the field to a younger audience through workshops, engagement and social-first content.
I personally went into my freshman year of college envisioning a career in broadcast journalism. I took Professor Richard Epps’ Design and Layout class to complete one of my journalism requirements outside of broadcasting. I enjoyed the assignments, and Professor Rick encouraged me to attend the MSU student chapter of SND, so I decided to give it a shot. Without my first-hand experience being exposed to the Society for News Design and visual communication design, I would not be where I am today and connected with this community.
I would also like to help SND expand its value further beyond the annual competition by developing and updating resources that support members. This could include more networking opportunities. This could be done by utilizing our network of volunteers or by charging minimal attendance fees for these events to keep them within our budget.
As SND looks toward the future and embraces evolving technology, I also believe there is value in revisiting the organization’s history and traditions. The “Best of News Design” books helped shape the field and set a standard for news design. Exploring ways to revive or reimagine this resource would help inspire a new generation of designers while preserving our organization’s legacy.
Ultimately, my vision is for Society for News Design to foster a community for talent of all ages through and beyond the competition.