Not everyone graduates and finds their dream job right off the bat. But for Kalvan Sears, a double major in art and film and a part-time employee in the library’s Book Arts Program, this is a reality. Kalvan will be starting his first job out of college at a company called Zeit, where he will work as a print technician, overseeing the printing of acrylic awards.

Kalvan first became acquainted with the Book Arts Program as a student in the letterpress class. He learned how to set type the old fashion way, and then went on to enroll in a book arts class in which he learned all of the skills necessary to create his own artist book.

“I became enamored with the art of bookmaking,” explains Kalvan. “So I decided to apply for an internship in the Book Arts Program. Things took off from there.”

One thing led to another. Kalvan went on to complete three semesters of internships. He was assigned the monumental task of organizing and printing each piece of “dingbat” type (see description below) available in the book arts studio. The process provided for a cataloguing of the type, so that students would know what was available and then could use the type in their works.

After the third internship, Kalvan was hired part-time in the studio, helping with the maintenance such as cleaning the presses, organizing type, inks, and other items used in hand printing, and ensuring everything was in workable order for students using the studio.

According to Studio Manager and Instructor Crane Giamo, “Kalvan has a rare and specific skillset that made him a perfect fit in the Book Arts Program: a skilled video game designer, a talented visual artist, an alert letterpress printer, and a fiercely creative thinker. Over the past few years he helped out immensely with the programmatic needs of our program. It was a pleasure to work with Kalvan. I’ll miss his industriousness and quirky presence.”

Kalvan went on to complete three semesters of internships funded by the MUSE (My “U” Signature Experience) Project.