Stefanos Dardanos

Graduate Profile

About me: I was born in Athens, Greece, in 1966. I got my first computer in the early 90s and spent months learning DOS commands by destroying and formatting floppy disks. Over the years I became a Mac guru, an Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop expert, which led me to being a studio manager for some multinational advertising firms, (McCann Erickson Athens, TBWA Athens, Amirati Puris Lintas, MullenLowe Athens).

Favorite projects: In graphic design, my inspiration comes from a mix of storytelling, problem-solving, and creative experimentation. For me, designs that use less to make a bigger impact are fascinating. Clever use of type can also really take a design to the next level. 

Why study online: The 100% online nature of Sessions College meant I could study at my own pace and continue working. I always stayed two weeks ahead with my classes, so honestly it was easy for me to function under a different time zone, living in Greece. 

Why Sessions? As an ex US military veteran, my wife had earned GI bill benefits that she was not planning on using, and she gave the education benefits to me as a present. I found out about Sessions College by searching the Internet and after reading multiple students reviews, I discovered that it was the most prestigious institution of its kind for what I wanted to do.

Thoughts on your international student experience? Design is no different in Athens than it would be in New York or any big city in the States. The working “code” in multinational advertising is the same regardless of country, so I don’t think there is a difference in working in an Athens branch vs a US branch. Plus, the Greek culture is very close to the US one. 

Creative and/or professional goals after graduation? Becoming more creative has been a long pursuit, one that I will first put to the test in the agency I am working for now, with the longer-term plan being opening my own creative smaller office down the road, and work with my own clients plus freelancing.