Checking in with Jessica Saab (’22)

Jessica Saab is a Montserrat career success story

In May of 2022, she received her Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts, with a concentration in Graphic Design and a minor in Art History. By August, she landed a job as a production artist at Tufts University. 

“I like it here a lot and the future looks great,” she said. “I work on a strong team with good people. It’s a lot of fun projects in a wonderful community.”

To assist in her job search, she reached out for help from Montserrat’s Career Design Studio, which offers career advice, resume help, job listings and more to Montserrat alumni. The services Career Design Studio offers are free to Montserrat alumni for life, so if they decide to change jobs/careers after a number of years, they can receive help updating their resumes, preparing cover letters and more.

Beth Price Morgan, director of the studio said, “Today’s graduates might have up to 12 jobs in their lifetimes. Our role is to help our students, and later our alumni, find meaningful work that fulfills them, even as their jobs and the world around them change. Our internship program, required junior year, is a great first step in this process. The hands-on experience helps students learn what they do, and do not, like about a career path they want to pursue. Our mentorship program further helps students in their senior year with the transition from college to career. Mentors in various fields spend time helping seniors prepare for and understand what they will need to do when they land a job, and provide a lot of career advice.”

Jessica conducted her internship at HallSpace a gallery in Dorchester, owned and operated by Montserrat Graphic Design Professor John Colan. Their relationship has continued beyond graduation and Jessica still works at HallSpace part-time.

“John has also been a great mentor to me,” she said, “and even though I am working at Tufts, he still offers me advice on my personal art practice, and has connected me to the Boston art scene.”

Jessica now works for Greg Gonyea, new creative director at Tufts, who has since signed on to be a mentor to Montserrat students, as has she. She was hired by Margot Grisar, who recently retired and who she credits with bringing her onto the team at Tufts. 

Beside her work at Tufts, Jessica still continues her art practice, doing photography which she then turns into collages. Her work was part of an exhibition this summer at Kingston Gallery. 

Of her education, Jessica says “I started thinking I would be an animator, then I switched to printmaking and finally to graphic design, which I loved right away. Montserrat gave me the freedom to explore and continues to offer me a web of support. It’s a great community.”