Distinguished graduate Zoë Camp will graduate with a B.EnvD in product design. During her time at CU, she raced downhill for CU’s Cycling Team, participated in ENVD’s six week design-build studio in Medellín, Colombia, worked as a graphic designer at the CU’s Environmental Center and stayed heavily involved in Boulder’s cycling community.
Where are you from?
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Tell us about your involvement and/or student leadership roles in and/or outside of ENVD.
Throughout college, I raced downhill for CU’s Cycling Team; a community where I met many of my best friends and got to see new parts of the state when traveling to different races each weekend. Over my sophomore summer I participated in ENVD’s six week design-build studio in Medellín, Colombia. It was an incredible experience getting to work with Colombian students and the local community. I also worked as a graphic designer at the CU’s Environmental Center, a part of a student-led outreach team. Outside of school, I try to stay involved in Boulder’s cycling community. I worked at Community Cycles, Boulder’s non-profit bike shop, and volunteer with adaptive mountain bikers.
What inspired you to come to ENVD when choosing your school?
Growing up in a family of athletes and creatives, I was looking for a hands-on learning environment to pursue a creative degree in a place where I could continue racing my bike and immerse myself in mountain sports.
What is one of the greatest experiences or lessons from your time at CU Boulder that you'll carry with you into the next chapter of your life?
Throughout my four years, I’ve learned not to be afraid to take risks and fail sometimes. I often choose ambitious problems to tackle, and at times feel discouraged because I “fail” so many times before arriving at any kind of solution. But every time something doesn’t go to plan, I often learn a new and valuable lesson. I hope to take this mindset into the next chapter of my life, looking at setbacks not as failures, but as opportunities to grow.
Based on what you know now, what is your best piece of advice for other students?
Enjoy the process! Don’t forget to celebrate all the little wins along the way, whether it's a new prototype, your classmates' success, or a final project on pin-up day. Also take advantage of all the resources you have. Don’t be afraid to bring a project to another professor, use the shops for personal projects, and ask the CINC staff to show you that machine you’ve been wondering about!
Describe one of your favorite memories.
The most fun project I’ve worked on was a group project with Geroge Davis and Fletcher Spear for the Epod market-led studio. I have so many great memories ideating, sand-casting, and joking around with these two talented designers. Everyone in this studio showed so much camaraderie towards each other's projects, and it made bringing our products to the EPOP Shop a special experience.
What does graduating from college represent for you?
Graduating from college is bittersweet. While I’m excited for a new chapter, I’ll miss my Epod family, the long days and late nights spent at the CINC working on cool projects with classmates who have become my closest friends.
What are your plans beyond graduation?
After graduation I'll be looking for a job in the design industry, working on the personal projects I finally have time for, and riding my bike. You can find me at Boulder’s Thursday Cruiser Rides!