It’s always bittersweet when our grads leave town. While I share their excitement—new job, new challenges, new city, a real paycheck—I know I’ll miss having them around. Claire Courtade, for instance, with her sweet yet caustic humor. Here’s a note I recently received from her:

Dear Hank, Claire, Tania, PC-ers,

Hi y’all! Hope everyone is doing well and that the quarter is starting off swimmingly…just wanted to give you a little update before my first day of work tomorrow. And by the way, I am still gaping at the thought that someone wants to pay me money to do package design. I made it …more

Check out Step Inside Design’s January/February Emerging Talent Issue, featuring TWO Portfolio Center alumni. Our own Sam Potts and Brennan Boblett were named among “the 25 freshest minds in design.”

The list was curated by Terry Lee Stone, who consulted with the country’s leading creatives, academics, and recruiters to select the individuals who best represent today’s design industry, who are “doing intriguing work with a strong voice,” and who are “doing new work in new ways for new audiences.” No small order.