We spoke to Julie Vander Herberg the Creative Director/Founder of creative agency Vanderbrand. Julie is well-versed in building solid foundations and aligning her agency with progressive ideas and products. In our chat with Julie, she introduces the team and gives some exceptional advice on qualities and skills she looks for in graduates.

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Graphic Designer Aaron Rinas takes us back to his younger years where he preferred cross-stitching over sightseeing on family vacations; he talks us through his move across the country and how the suggestion was some of the best advice he's ever received, plus we get a sneak peek into some upcoming passion projects and he leaves us with some great tips for those graduating this year

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We chat with Masters of Design candidate, Aala Sharfi about the impact her first design internship had on her life; her aim to explore language and place-making and their relationship to design, and how she applies the Marie Kondo method to life & social media.

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We recently caught up with Co-Founders & Creative Directors of Underline Studio, Claire Dawson and Fidel Peña, and discuss the painful process that was naming the studio; their take on internships, and how they believe curiosity is a huge asset to have.

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We love the stories from Founding Partner and Chief Creative Officer of Concrete, Diti Katona. She jumped into graphic design feeling so inspired after volunteering at a conference; worked in Budapest for 6 months with a poster designer; and found inspiration for the studio name on a polka-dotted concrete truck while vacationing in Italy. We delve into the power of enthusiasm and underbaked ideas, Toronto's diversity, and their year-round internship program.

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We chat with Founder & Creative Director of Believe in, Blair Thomson, about the odd jobs he did before settling on a career in design (which includes scanning washed raisins on a conveyer belt and removing any stalks before being added to cakes — a very odd job); their 10-acre-maple-forest studio north of Toronto; the Bob Dylan song lyrics to live by, and the handful of side projects he's got running — Canada Modern, Graphic Stamps & @graphilately

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We had a lovely ol' chat with the tiny Toronto trio, Equal Parts Studio, about the pros of a healthy debate when collaborating, how we can all contribute to the advancement of design, and shock horror - guess what!? Nobody has ever looked at their grades. ;) 

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Ben Johnston is a multi-disciplinary artist & designer who, after doing the agency thing in Cape Town, hopped over to Toronto to try life as a full-time freelancer. We chat with Ben about his murals for charities, the opportunities you encounter when collaborating (e.g. 3D Printed magazine covers - WHAAA?), and spending less time on the internet!

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We had a lovely ol' chat with Josh Layton and Ryan Felix, Co-Founders of Loop: Design for Social Good. They tell us about how working at Starbucks led them to launching the business; their love for Netflix's Abstract (who doesn't - amiright?) and the importance of practicing empathy and humility as part of their design process. 

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Pursuing his passion to it's fullest,  fostering typographic education, Christopher Rouleau co-founded Ligatures YYZ with Leslie Harrod, sharing creative resources and creations through workshops. Doodling and watching his Gran writing inspired Chris to discover the world of typography.

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