Yasmina Taher

Deciding to pursue the Bachelor in Design at IE University was an easy decision for Yasmina. Coming from a non-design background, she didn’t know what type of design she preferred or where her passions lay—she just knew she wanted to be a designer. For this reason, she was drawn to the breadth of content on the Bachelor in Design, which features graphic design, strategic design and user experience (to name a few). In addition, the bachelor’s introduces students to the commercial side of design, something that other art schools did not offer.

Looking back at her four years at IE University, Yasmina can see a clear change in herself as a person, specifically when it comes to her skill set and interests. Other than the fact she fell in love with the Spanish language, her interest in design changed completely after she was able to dive into every corner of the design world. She arrived at the bachelor’s thinking she wanted to be a graphic designer but, after four years of studies, she now knows that she enjoys service design the most. The idea of using design to provide elegant solutions to service-based venues such as hospitals and schools excites Yasmina, and she is passionate about pursuing this area of design.

During the second semester of her third year, Yasmina was able to go on exchange to the American University of Beirut (AUB) in Lebanon. The decision was not easy for Yasmina to make, since the situation in Lebanon back then was not reassuring. However, she ultimately decided to go there in order to experience university life in her home country alongside her friends from school.

Once at AUB, Yasmina immediately realized the cultural differences between Spain and Lebanon when it comes to living as a student. She reflects that it was a fun and challenging experience, up to the moment when the COVID-19 pandemic hit and they had to go into a long lockdown. At that point, she was grateful that she was at home with her family, rather than being stuck in a foreign country.

There was a quick transition to online classes, and, at first, Yasmina found it challenging to adapt to this new way of working. However, this was also a period for Yasmina to reflect and advance her personal growth, and she slowly became more autonomous when it came to learning new things. To anyone who wants to study abroad, Yasmina would advise them to take any opportunity that comes their way, as it could be a life-changing and eye-opening experience.

With graduation in less than a month, Yasmina is still uncertain about what she wants to do next. She is debating whether to complete a master’s degree, or find a job or internship. While Yasmina is conscious of the negative impact of COVID-19 and the situation in Lebanon on the job market, we’re confident that this passionate and outgoing design professional will choose the right path.