By Megan Freeman, Mar. 15, 2022
Following the opening of the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, there have already been some meaningful events in the city’s backyard. Some events were the 2022 Super Bowl and one of CPP’s very own tackling creative jobs within the stadium.
Emma Wahlstrom, a 2021 graduate of CPP and a Yorba Linda native, is a creative designer at SoFi Stadium where she did various creative jobs which consists of creating new employee uniforms and taking photos.
She has found great success within her career, and she looks up to her the people around her to help her reach for the stars.
Wahlstrom looks up to her grandpa as well as some professors she has met along the way during her time at CPP for inspiration and guidance. A professor in the Department of Art and specifically a graphic design professor David Kaul, was a mentor to her.
“I really got to pick his brain quite a bit,” said Wahlstrom. “Even now, when I get a new job or something exciting happens, he’s one of the first people I tell. Also, I knew that when I graduated college, and I could not find a job, he was going to help me out.”
During her first day at CPP, she knew she wanted to switch her major but couldn’t right away due to the quarter system this campus was formerly on, so she decided to minor in marketing since she was already taking the required classes.
“I applied as a marketing major to Cal Poly Pomona,” said Wahlstrom, “But I knew before I even started at CPP that I wanted to try graphic design at the very least, but my dad was always like ‘you are not going to make a lot of money, like are you sure?’ but after convincing, he came around to the idea.”
Wahlstrom obtained her Bachelor of Fine Arts in visual communication design and a minor in marketing management in 2021. Her work includes labels for Horsehill Vineyards, the vineyard on campus, and various infographics for local businesses.
“I went to career day, and a graphic designer presented, and I was like ‘this is what I want,’” said Wahlstrom.
Her mother saw an opening gig for an assistant photographer and Wahlstrom jumped on the opportunity to begin working at weddings and various photoshoots.
Wahlstrom’s experience at her former job has helped her so much and has allowed her to have the opportunity of
She had great enjoyment with it and acquire knowledge about photography and graphic design, which jump-started her interest in her current career and gave her the idea of going to school for the arts.
Before working at the SoFi Stadium, her last hindered her creativity; she would be doing grunt work where she would take already completed art pieces in Photoshop and edit them.
She also felt the job was not for her because it was essentially a day job, and they were rude to her when she wanted to quit.
“I didn’t get to be creative, and it was very discouraging,” said Wahlstrom. “When I left, my boss ended up telling me in an email, he was like ‘We were worried about your capabilities,’ and that got stuck in my head and really messed with me.”
She feels that she is working her dream job as she loves live events such as concerts. Her passion for the arts and events fuels her to do the best in her career.
“One of the things I always had in the back of my mind was like ‘I am not good enough, I am not as good as all the other people around me, I am never going to get a job, I am not going to apply to that internship, I am not going to apply for that scholarship or competition or contest or whatever because I am not going to get it’” said Wahlstrom. “And then immediately getting out of college and basically immediately getting a job, and then getting another better job, I realized I was perfectly capable the whole time, I do not know where those intrusive thoughts came from.”
To find out more about Wahlstrom, check out her portfolio here.