The comic studies minor started at the UO, and since, our students have gone on to successful careers in animation, digital comics creation, editing, and pop0culture journalism at companies such as Disney and Marvel. We are incredibly proud of our students’ success, and we hope you find inspiration from our current students and alumni’s stories.
Current Student Career Testimonial
“Since joining the Comics and Cartoon Studies program, I have taken an assortment of classes with varying approaches to reading, analyzing, creating, and overall storytelling using the comics medium. From historical and political uses of cartoons to modern graphic memoirs and digital comics, the range of media I have encountered has not only helped expand my general knowledge of art, writing, and culture but has challenged me to rethink what effective, inclusive, communicative language and art mean in such a visually oriented and attentive age. The program has really helped me feel confident in my writing, communication, and critical thinking skills I know will aid me in whatever my future career requires of me.”
—Bella Cherise Gorichar, BA in English and Psychology, Minor in Comics Studies
Alumni Testimonials
“The experience I had with the Comics and Cartoon Studies program was not only fun but exceptionally valuable for my future career. A few years after graduating with the minor, I’m now a senior staff writer for a large pop culture journalism site — having published over 3,000 articles. Many of those are focused on comic news/analysis, as well as comics adaptations for film and television.”
—Kevin Erdmann, Pop Culture Journalist at Screen Rant, BA '18
“The Comic Studies minor at UO has provided me with a valuable skill set in a type of literature most people in traditional publishing are not familiar with, enhancing my professional marketability. It has given me a perspective on illustrations that my colleagues in publishing don’t have, I can provide valuable insight on creative decisions beyond the text, and it opens doors to explore first-hand the expansion of graphic novel and illustrated elements in academic publishing.”
—Olivia Atmore, Assistant Editor at W.W. Norton, BA '20