Adjunct Professor, Graphic Design

Noah Herman ’18 earned a BFA in graphic design with a minor in philosophy and religion from Daemen. He was hired right out of school by Gelia, one of the area’s leading advertising agencies, where he worked for clients such as Independent Health, Trico, and Caterpillar. Just a few months after graduation, he was back at Daemen to teach in the university’s graphic design program. Since then, Noah has been teaching a variety of graphic design classes, as well as taking on special projects. We recently spoke with Noah for an update.

How did being a Daemen student influence your career?

Without Daemen, I wouldn’t have a career. I believe Daemen’s liberal arts nature makes it truly different than other schools in the area and prepares students to be more thoughtful and uniquely creative. That’s something that really resonated with me — I could explore more of what I was interested in, and I find those topics popping up in my day-to-day life all the time.

What inspired you to pursue your career with both graphic design and teaching?

Ever since I was little, I knew I wanted to do something in the arts. In high school, I became involved with yearbook clubs and portrait photography, and it became obvious that graphic design was the path for me. Teaching was something I always wanted to do because my parents are teachers, my aunts are teachers, my cousins are teachers, even my grandma was a substitute teacher. I think I always knew I’d go in this direction at some point.

What does it feel like to be teaching now in the program you attended?

It’s great to teach at Daemen because I think I truly understand why each class in the program has value and how it fits into the student’s progression as a designer. I love making each class interactive, taking more time to expand on the why, and connecting them to Buffalo.

What are your passions outside of work?

I love making music, getting out into nature, reading graphic novels, and playing video games — I really haven’t changed much since I was 16. I volunteer with American Advertising Federation of Buffalo where I’m the education chair, a very rewarding experience to connect students to the real world of advertising in Buffalo.