Photograph by Kavya Kataria.
Nikita Singh (BFA 2022, Photography)
Where are you from?
I was born in Piscataway, New Jersey. Now I live in South Brunswick.
Why did you choose SAIC?
I was stuck between two colleges, and SAIC seemed more fitting for me for its cohesive nature and the fact that here you can just be what you want to be.
Who is your favorite music artist?
I have a couple of favorite artists — One Direction, BTS, Troye Sivan. I don’t have a specific genre I stick to, I just listen to whatever might catch my attention.
What is the most recent TV show or movie you watched that you loved / hated?
“Gully Boy” is this Bollywood movie I recently watched, and that was one I loved. I also really like “Peaky Blinders” and “Man in The High Castle.”
Do you believe there is such a thing as luck?
Yes, kind of. I mean there’s always a balance, with good things that will happen and bad things. That means that every day I feel like something bad is going to happen and then something good is going to happen. I think it’s just by chance that some people are luckier than others.
Photograph by Kavya Kataria.
Ella Fainaru-Wada (BFA 2022, Undeclared)
Where are you from?
I am from Petaluma, California.
Why did you choose SAIC?
So, I was originally going to go to a liberal arts school and double major in computer science and art. But at the last minute, I applied to five art schools and I got into all of them, so I just thought to myself that maybe there’s something here and I ended up coming here.
Who is your favorite music artist?
God, can you even ask that? I listen to a lot of indie music and alt rock. My favorite song at the moment would have to be “Priestess” by Pumarosa.
What is the most recent TV show or movie you watched that you loved / hated?
My friends and I got like halfway through “Get Out” but we were interrupted, so we couldn’t finish that, but I would definitely love to.
Do you believe there is such a thing as luck?
I feel like luck is pretty equivalent to chance. I guess some people are luckier than others because things line up better for them. I don’t necessarily think that’s because of anything.
Photograph by Kavya Kataria.
Gini Lee (BFA 2022, Photography)
Where are you from?
I was born and brought up in Taiwan.
Why did you choose SAIC?
I want to become a photographer and SAIC’s ranking in photography is really high, so this seemed like the perfect option for me.
Who is your favorite music artist?
I would have to say that my favorite is Lauv. I am generally into the genre of pop music.
What is the most recent TV show or movie you watched that you loved / hated?
I recently watched the new episode for Black Mirror, “Bandersnatch,” and I loved it. I also watched “Maniac” which is terrible.
Do you believe there is such a thing as luck?
Yeah, I believe in luck. I think every type of luck is real, and some people are luckier than others.
Photograph by Kavya Kataria.
Meenal Rahatkar (BFA 2021, Visual Communication Design)
Where are you from?
I am from Aurangabad, Maharashtra but now I live in Pune, India.
Why did you choose SAIC?
I want to do production design for the screen, which needs knowledge of a lot of things. And I wanted to go to an art school and learn that aspect of it, instead of going to a film school. No other school I found was as well-known as SAIC that would offer me six different things I could learn and where I could explore different majors.
Who is your favorite music artist?
I have phases, so I had a phase with Swedish House Mafia until they split, then I liked the Chainsmokers, and now I’m just listening to anything in the pop music genre. I am also obsessed with A.R. Rahman and the fact that his music is so original.
What is the most recent TV show or movie you watched that you loved / hated?
I just watched “Wild Child” for the first time and I have to say it’s a perfect early 2000’s movie. I also really love “Jane the Virgin” and “Peaky Blinders.”
Do you believe there is such a thing as luck?
I do believe in luck. I believe in vibes. I read this huge book about the science of your subconscious mind which sort of made me believe in luck because it’s basically how the world around you is what you have created and sometimes it’s just the things that are deeply rooted in your mind that sort of work for you in a way that seems miraculous but is really not. This is luck. I kind of believe in it but with a practical approach.
Photograph by Kavya Kataria.
Bryce Civiello (BFA 2022, Architecture, Interior Design, and Designed Objects)
Where are you from?
I was born and brought up in Colorado.
Why did you choose SAIC?
I chose SAIC for the studio environment and the open critique environment as well.
Who is your favorite music artist?
I’d have to go with … well I don’t really have an absolute favorite artist. I love indie punk rock and right now my favorite song is “Kay’s Choice.”
What is the most recent TV show or movie you watched that you loved / hated?
It’s a guilty pleasure, but “Not Another Teen Movie.” I hate it so much that I love it. Chris Evans is a doll. I also love the BBC masterpiece version of “Jane Eyre.”
Do you believe there is such a thing as luck?
I don’t think that luck is some godlike power. I think it’s more like the butterfly effect. Just that people are in the right place at the right time. It’s like a combination of working hard and right time and right place.
