Film and business grad to use both passions in the animation industry


April 25, 2022

Editor's note: This story is part of a series of profiles of notable spring 2022 graduates.

Valeria Valdes Cosillion’s first recollection of falling in love with the arts was at age 3 when she attended her uncle’s performance in “Cats” for his local university in Guadalajara, Mexico. Download Full Image

“I enjoyed what you could do with the medium transporting you into an entire new world and what that kind of entailed, but I knew I couldn’t be an actress because I had very bad stage fright growing up,” she said. “Then I started looking at the behind the scenes of film, and I just really love how you can pull multiple things together into something really magical and the unlimited possibilities.”

Her long-term goal is to work in production management for animated features. 

When she graduates this spring, she will be earning a bachelor’s degree in film and media production from The Sidney Poitier New American Film School and a degree in business management from the W. P. Carey School of Business. 

“My mom was a business administration major,” she said. “She would always tell me about her experiences and how it was like the mysterious side of human resources, and I always enjoyed it somehow. I thought I could do both, so I did.”

She also is a Barrett, The Honors College student and is minoring in international business studies. She received the New American University Scholarship for being a National Hispanic Scholar and has earned a couple of different scholarships from the W. P. Carey School.

Here she answers some questions about her time at ASU.

Question: What’s something you learned while at ASU — in the classroom or otherwise — that surprised you or changed your perspective?

Answer: You feel like you’re going in one direction, but then you encounter things and pivot, and I feel that’s what I enjoy the most about my time at ASU — having all these different possibilities and having the freedom to try new things out. As I go with my cohort and other ASU alumni who learned from their experiences, I’m keeping that open road mindset of being OK with the unexpected, because you might not know where you’re going and that’s OK. There’s a pressure to know, right at graduation, where you’re going and what job you’re getting, but I feel OK not knowing, because I’ve done so many things, and the takeaway from college is to make it a meaningful experience. As long as you keep moving forward, keep learning, you’ll be where you want to be. 

Q: Which professor taught you the most important lesson while at ASU?

A: Definitely Dr. Jason Scott has been the biggest influence and has impacted me the most. TheyScott prefers the use of gender neutral pronouns. are very eloquent and have really showed care for the students. They make sure the film school lives up to its mission statement, making the school a more diverse place where anyone can create what they want to, not limiting people’s creativity. I’ve had the chance to work with them in multiple opportunities, and every time that we spoke they always had deeper insight into how I could broaden my perspective on things.

I feel like it’s hard to pinpoint one thing because there were multiple things. It’s just really inspiring to see how they cultivate a good environment to not only have the students be comfortable but also to work well with other professors. I feel like they really shaped my idea of what a good leader is and how to care for the people around you. I know I’ve had a hard time taking care of myself and having work-life balance, and seeing other people in leadership roles and thinking how they might be going through it has really taught me how to care about that. Those are some of the good lessons I’ve learned from them. I really admire them.

Q: What’s the best piece of advice you’d give to those still in school?

A: Get involved on campus, take those leadership roles and attend club meetings. I feel that’s the biggest reason why my college experience was more meaningful than my high school experience. In high school I was always just attending class, focusing on grades, hanging with friends occasionally, but in college I made an effort. I was like “OK, I’m going to get involved, I’m going to have these leadership positions,” and I feel that is what made this experience the most meaningful, because I was able to meet people. Getting involved with clubs was the way I got connected. I was able to get on set and learn earlier on what it was like working in film. 

Q: What was your favorite spot on campus, whether for studying, meeting friends or just thinking about life? 

A: Since I am also in Barrett, we have a Leader’s Academy lounge in McCord Hall. It’s nice and private. That’s one of the spots I really like to go to. 

Q: What are your plans after graduation?

A: My ultimate, long-term career goal is to work in production management for animated features. I realized that I like the lifestyle and what it’s like making an animated feature vs. live action, and also I’ve been a big animation fan for a long time, first with Disney animated features growing up, and I was big on anime. I also noticed it was easier to dub into Spanish – you wouldn’t have the weird lip disjunction, so it didn’t really take you out of the moment, like it did sometimes with live action. My mom wasn’t fluent in English, so it was always nice watching those movies with her and we got to watch them in Spanish. Because of that I feel I gravitated towards animation, and I was part of two leadership programs involving animation where I got to learn what production management was like, so I realized it really does align with what I want to do.

Q: If someone gave you $40 million to solve one problem on our planet, what would you tackle?

A: There’s so many things, but I feel the current thing, just through what I’ve been involved with, is feeding those countries that need a lot of support. I’ve been involved with Feed My Starving Children, and just seeing the small impact in making sure that someone has enough nutrition and nourishment to go about their day and bring forward new change I feel is one of the most useful things. So I feel like, if I do have that amount of money, that’s what I want to focus on — being able to bring support to these organizations that already have connections to continue doing their operations. 

Communications Program Coordinator, The Sidney Poitier New American Film School

On behalf of our animal neighbors: Printmaking grad looks to the natural world


April 25, 2022

Editor's note: This story is part of a series of profiles of notable spring 2022 graduates.

Daniella Napolitano compares her creative practice to that of a natural historian informed by ecology, biology and natural history research.  Daniella Napolitano Download Full Image

“One of my favorite projects I’ve worked on is a set of field guides I made for common Phoenix flora and fauna,” said Napolitano, who graduates this spring with an MFA in printmaking. “It stands out to me because it was my very first experience with using the letterpress and I was determined to try every new technique. It also helped me familiarize myself with a new environment after moving here from out of state.”

Napolitano said she “observes animals and plants, translating information into a ‘popular’ rather than ‘scientific’ form: visual narratives that incorporate observation-based information with a whimsical approach to animal behavior.”

Her thesis exhibition, “Have You Seen Me?: A Guide to Noticing and Understanding,” is a call to action for people to notice their animal neighbors and take the time to understand and appreciate them. The exhibition will be on view May 3 through 12 at Harry Wood Gallery.  

Napolitano was working in graphic design when a friend teaching a printmaking class encouraged her to sign up for it. 

“I had some experience with printmaking from undergrad and thought it would be a fun thing to do after work,” Napolitano said. 

Following that class, she continued to print during open studio sessions—she enjoyed the communal aspect of the print studio as well as working in a process-based, physical medium — and eventually she decided to pursue her master’s in printmaking. While getting her degree, she also worked as a graduate teaching assistant in the School of Art.

In addition to her upcoming thesis exhibition, her large, eye-catching prints have been recently featured in the “BIG PRINTS,” “Marked” and Galbut Prize exhibitions in the Harry Wood Gallery. She won MFA Professional Development Funding in 2022 and the Nathan Cummings Graduate Summer Travel Award in 2021. 

One of Napolitano's prints.

Question: What’s something you learned while at ASU — in the classroom or otherwise — that surprised you or changed your perspective?

Answer: Having a global pandemic hit while I was in the middle of my first year of graduate school changed my perspective about how I approach my artistic practice. During lockdown I had to think about my concepts first before the technique, because I was limited to what I was able to do outside of the printmaking studio. It also changed my perspective on teaching, and I think made me a more compassionate instructor. 

Q: Why did you choose ASU?

A: ASU has a highly respected printmaking program. I was impressed with the print facilities, especially with the fact that there were dedicated studios for each type of printmaking. I also knew I wanted to go to a larger university that would have more resources for interdisciplinary research.

Q: Which professor taught you the most important lesson while at ASU?

A: Both Heather Green and Mary Hood have been wonderful printmaking mentors. With their support I feel that I have become a better printmaker technically and conceptually. I’m glad to have them both on my thesis committee along with Nancy Serwint and Heidi Hogden. My committee has helped me learn how to challenge myself but also to prioritize and not spread myself too thin. 

Q: What’s the best piece of advice you’d give to those still in school?

A: Taking time to rest is just as important as spending time in the studio. You can’t do your best work when you are tired. Also, don’t get discouraged when things don’t work out the first time. Failure is a part of the learning process.

Q: What was your favorite spot on campus, whether for studying, meeting friends or just thinking about life?

A: The “secret garden” is one of my favorite places on campus. I really enjoy any place where I can relax outside after spending all day in the studio. I love that the whole campus is an arboretum. I even enjoy birdwatching on my walk from the art building to my car.

Q: What are your plans after graduation?

A: After graduation I plan to stay in the area for a little bit and teach. I’d also like to try to set up my own home studio for printmaking. 

Q: If someone gave you $40 million to solve one problem on our planet, what would you tackle?

A: I’m probably way overthinking this because, globally, $40 million isn’t that much to try to solve a problem, so I would probably start locally. Studies show that Phoenix has significant environmental inequality, and I would use the money to improve green spaces in lower income areas to help alleviate the effects of pollution and reduce the heat-island effect. I would also replace as many palm trees with native trees as I can because they are more drought tolerant, better at trapping carbon and provide shade from the sun.

Laurel Streed

Office and Communications Specialist, School of Art

480-965-8521