Cuc Mauldin
Mom, wife, and graphic designer in both private and public sectors for more than 10 years. Besides, I love doodling, and painting. When I'm not at my desk or chasing my kids around, I love picking up a paintbrush and painting flowers. Nice to meet y'all.
When I talk about my career as a graphic designer, I describe it like a roller coaster. After graduating from Texas Christian University in 2017, I set off on the ever-stressful journey of finding work despite my foreign student status. To talk about my experiences at the start of my journey, we have to go to 2010. I came to the U.S. after passing my first interview in 2010, and at that time, I had just returned to Vietnam from France after two years of education in Europe.
After two years in France, I thought I was quite a well-traveled young lady, and traveling to the United States to continue my advanced education would be easy. I was so wrong. Life in American is much tougher. I started Community College as a Nursing major because I depended on the advice of others to decide what was a good career path for me.
Like many foreign students, I sought a job after school, and I assumed nursing would provide that opportunity. So I studied nursing. And studied, and studied. After two years of studying nursing, I found myself struggling. I didn’t struggle with the material, but I struggled with motivation. I wasn’t excited to go to class and labs. I didn’t care to keep up with the industry or explore nursing outside of class hours.
My study was a chore, and I needed to get rid of my heartache. So I took a risk, I changed my major to a general Associate of Arts degree and then enrolled in the Graphic Communications major. If I was going to make a major change in my life, I should change to something I love. So what did I love? I have always loved to create.
Whether it was on pen and paper or something crafted with my hands, bringing something new into the world from my heart was a romantic idea I could never forget. The next two years flew by with joy and every morning I woke up eager to learn more about how I can turn my passion into a professional career. As my GPA continued to rise, I earned a full scholarship to Texas Christian University as a Strategic Communication (“STCO”) major.
When comparing STCO to the Graphic Design major, I chose the former because of the teachers. My STCO teachers became my family in the United States, and at this point, I was about four or five years away from seeing my old family, so being around people who loved me felt wonderful. I didn’t feel alone anymore.
The mentorship, both academic and professional, the teachers in the STCO program shared with me will be something I carry forever, and I really feel my experience at Texas Christian University shaped the woman I am more than any other four years in my life. In 2017, I graduated with Cum Laude honors, secured two internships, and now I am seeking a new company to call home where I can build my career.
Like they say success is like an iceberg. You’ll know that only a small fraction of an iceberg is visible above the water line, whereas the larger part of an iceberg is hidden beneath the water.
Obstacles make me stronger. Every day I seek improvement. I always try to exceed expectations, because whether people mean to or not, many people I meet have racial prejudices. I’ve felt that some people do not take my skills seriously when English is not my native language.
Some racial stereotypes persist even in 2019, and when I share that my cultural background is Vietnamese, I can expect the common “nail salon”-themed joke soon after.
I have nothing against people who work in a nail salon, but it has nothing to do with me. I have worked hard, and my family has made so many sacrifices to allow me to be a successful woman. I really am insulted when all of my efforts have been laughed away, and all people are curious about is whether I can paint their toenails.
When I first came to the United States, I found this kind of humor hurtful, and I felt alienated in a country where my history can be a punchline. Sometimes I would cry at night, but the next day, I would always strive to perform at such a high level so that effort would become the topic of conversation, not the country where I was born.
In the past, I resented the struggle of feeling alone in a foreign country, but it was a powerful crucible. I am a stronger woman today because of the resilience I developed.