As a professor in the graphic and multimedia design department for two decades, Professor Mark Daybell has learned a thing or two about what it means to grow and become the best designer you can -- and now it’s his mission to make sure his students can do the same.

Daybell received his B.S. in Applied Art and Design from California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo, and later went on to earn his M.F.A. from Cal State Fullerton. After his graduation, it was just a short leap to the next stage in his career: teaching design to students of his own. This year marks Daybell’s 20th year as a full time faculty member, and in that time, he’s learned much about the world of design. 

“It’s so creative, collaborative, and challenging -- the need for better designers has increased tremendously, but so has the desire for speedier designers,” he says. “Design itself gives us a professional outlet to be creative, as all humans are built to be.”

Over all else, Daybell has prioritized the importance of hard work and determination to his students. He’s also immersed himself in the world of art experiences -- whether it be attending a museum, gallery, or spending time with his own artistic acquaintances, he’s never not working his creative muscle.

“Design takes up most of my time, but I’m okay with it because I enjoy what I do,” he says.

Daybell is a man of culture through and through -- when he’s not enjoying an art exhibit or working on his next project, he’s playing guitar or tagging along with his wife to different culinary experiences (of which there are many in L.A., as he’s happy to share). They’ve also got plans to continue traveling the world together, which Daybell sees as not only an opportunity to enjoy the world, but also learn from it, too.

Exercise plays a pretty important role in Daybell’s life, too -- though he’s more interested in “boring” exercises (according to him) like jogging, walking and yoga, you might be surprised to learn that he’s recently decided to pick up surfing again after a 20-year-long break -- he’s quite literally a man of dedication. 

Much of Daybell’s professional and personal lives intersect -- literally. One of his current projects is that of “Intersect L.A.”, an idea that involves having students working on professional design projects on campus, which would allow them to develop the experience regarding the more professional side of the design world. In addition to that, he wants to continue working on a project called “Unequal Measure”, which involves interviewing creative professionals to learn more about their own processes in hopes of inspiring his students to see just how many doors design can open for them.

“I tell my students that it’s all about practicing, and believing that if you want something, you can do it with enough hard work,” Daybell shares. “I want my students to learn how to get the ball rolling on their own and be successful from beginning to end, because that’s what matters most.”