I WANT TO BE AN
AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER
I’m Abu-Bakr, a brand designer and Graphic Design student at the University of Westminster.
Over the past few years, I’ve used university projects, passion projects, client work, award submissions, and online platforms to build my creative voice beyond the classroom. As an Adobe NEXT Campus Leader, I’d want to help more students do the same.
The first thing I’d do
The first thing I’d do is focus on launching a campus session that uses my knowledge and experience of building my freelance business to help students learn how to build theirs earlier. My current working name I had for this program is Beyond the Deadline.
It would be a practical, creative workshop that helps students turn their university projects into stronger portfolio pieces, case studies, social content, Behance projects, and award-ready submissions.
WHAT WESTMINSTER LOOKS LIKE RIGHT NOW……..
Westminster has a talented creative scene. There are students creating thoughtful, experimental, expressive work across design, film, fashion, photography, media, and visual culture.
But I think a lot of students still need more confidence in presenting their ideas, sharing their process, and understanding how far their creative skills can actually take them.
…..AND HOW i fit into it all!
That’s where I feel I fit in.
I’ve built my own creative reputation by taking my work seriously beyond the scope, like with my Max Roster concept work, developing brand identity projects, entering for design awards, sharing work online, building case studies, and learning how to make projects feel more visible and professional.
HOW DO I CHOOSE TO LOOK AT AND USE AI?
I’d say that I’m excited by tools like Adobe Firefly and ChatGPT because they can help creatives move faster in the early stages of a project. For students, that could mean quicker visual exploration, stronger moodboards, more room for experimentation, and less friction when trying to bring an idea to life inside Creative Cloud.
At the same time, I’m cautious about AI being used as a shortcut before students develop their own taste, thinking, and craft. I don’t believe AI should replace strategy, storytelling, originality, or human decision-making. I see it as a tool that should support creative thinking, not flatten it.
As a Campus Leader, I’d want to create open conversations around AI. I’d show students how AI can enhance their workflow while still encouraging them to lead with their own ideas, judgement, and creative voice.
Also yes, the picture on the left is an ai photgraphy experiment I’ve been recently playing with on ChatGPT. It has definitely delivered some quality and accurate results that clearly perform better than the earlier age of AI, but to be constructive, it still cant compare to the high quality resolution from human photography.
WHY SHOULD YOU WORK WITH ME?
I believe I’d be a strong representative for Adobe on campus because I already care deeply about creative growth, student ambition, and helping people see more potential in their work. I already make an active effort with my class to share my creative knowlege, opportunties for networking events such as the D&Ad New Blood Festival, as well as a handful of strong Adobe Student Opportunties to help them get a strong foot in the door as young creatives like the Adobe Student Insider Program.
My experience as a brand designer, my creative reputation at Westminster, my recognition through awards, and my passion for sharing what I’ve learned all put me in a strong position to make a real impact.
I want to help build a campus culture where students feel excited to create, confident enough to share, and ambitious enough to take their work further.