Going to college can be daunting, especially if that college is more than 4,000 miles away from your home country. That is the case for Feixue Mei, a graphic design student from Wuhan City in the Hubel province of China, currently in the process of spending two years studying graphic design right here in Fort Collins.

Feixue was selected as one of the top five students in her school to attend a transfer program that allows students to study in a foreign country, and when the opportunity arose she jumped at it. “I want to be a great graphic designer,” Feixue said. “I want to make beautiful designs and use my work to positively influence people’s opinion of social issues.”

Social issues are one of the greatest influences for Feixue, and one of the most appealing factors of studying abroad for two years. In the course of her time at CSU, she hopes that the diverse perspectives on life and culture she now has access to will allow her to improve her work and expand the horizons of her art.

Feixue has worked on a range of graphic design projects, including designs for CD covers, logos, and even menus. Her designs feature bright colors and whimsical patterns, much of which she says are inspired by other forms of fine art. Feixue cites the preforming arts, photography, social discourse, and animation as some of her greatest sources of inspiration. Animation is not only an inspiration for Feixue, but an entire practice unto itself. A whole section of her portfolio is dedicated to illustrations she has created through both graphic and drawn means.

Spending two years away from your home country to study and learn can be challenging, but Feixue says is also very rewarding. “The biggest challenge I faced coming to CSU was speaking English, but that’s not really a problem now,” she says. There are many new experiences Feixue has been enjoying Colorado, but the greatest benefit of coming to CSU has been the influence on her artwork: having the chance to communicate with people from different cultures, receive their feedback, and improve her graphic design practice.

Story by Jane Thompson

Below: Feixue Mei exploring the Colorado scenery