Swinburne design alum Maddy Merzvinskis has a mantra.
"Be open to opportunities because you never know where they might lead."
And since the start of her Bachelor of Design (Communication Design) , that's exactly what Maddy has done.
Creativity as a career
It was in high school that Maddy realised her creativity could become a career.
"I was introduced to digital art and design software, and it opened up this whole new world…from then, I was pretty set on studying design," she says.
Growing up in regional Victoria, Maddy travelled to Melbourne to visit university open days and instantly felt a connection to Swinburne.
"I felt this real sense of community at Swinburne…it just felt right for me," she says.
The opportunity for a 12-month industry placement was also a big drawcard.
The placement that kickstarted it all
However, the industry placement that kickstarted Maddy's design career almost didn't happen.
Before her placement year, Maddy was given a list of Swinburne industry contacts to reach out to. She used a traffic light system to rate her preferences and instantly put advertising agency Clemenger, on her 'red list'.
"I didn't know anything about the advertising industry, but I remember one of my lecturers saying, 'If you can survive a year at Clemenger, you can work anywhere,'" she says.
Despite her hesitation, Maddy applied anyway, and it was the first interview she did.
"I got the offer for the placement the next day and thought 'Well, I can't say no to this opportunity.'"
Maddy is forever grateful she didn't.
"It was completely different to what I expected...I ended up being there for two and a half years," she says.
At Clemenger, Maddy was given the opportunity to work with brands that were part of her everyday life.
A standout moment was walking into Myer in Melbourne's CBD and seeing her design in real life.
"It was on posters, light installations, staff lanyards…to see it on that scale was crazy...to be able to see it and say, 'I did that!'" says Maddy.
Design on the global stage
A highlight of Maddy's career was competing in a design competition at the Cannes International Festival of Creativity with a colleague and friend.
Just five years after graduating Swinburne, Maddy has been recognised on the national and global stage for her innovative design.
She and a colleague won the national Young Lions competition for people in the advertising industry under 30 years old, which took them to the Cannes International Festival of Creativity to represent Australia.
"It was a crazy experience," says Maddy, reflecting on the 24-hour brief, ideation and presentation process.
She says it was a 'pivotal moment' for her and instrumental in earning her the title of Emerging Designer of the Year by the Australian Graphic Design Association.
"It was already an incredible year and winning that award was the sweetest way to cap it off."
By chance, it was at that award ceremony where Maddy met the creative director of branding and experience agency, Re, where she now works as a brand designer.
Maddy was awarded Emerging Designer of the Year by the Australian Graphic Design Association in 2023.
Pursuing her passions
Maddy doesn't have a five-year plan, but that doesn't bother her.
"Everything that's happened up until this point has been totally unexpected," she says.
For now, she wants to broaden her design experience and pursue projects she's passionate about.
"The things that have energised me have been the jobs that are meaningful and have a strong story to them," she says.
One such experience was designing an online training course for The Aunties, a not-for-profit mentoring organisation founded by women in advertising, to empower their mentors in handling disclosures of discrimination or violence.
She also recently spoke at a Swinburne graduation ceremony, sharing her journey and philosophy with hundreds of fresh graduates.
So, what is Maddy's top piece of advice for those just starting out?
"Have an idea of the kind of work that you want to do, but don't let that limit you when something comes up that is a bit of a different shape to what you expected."
