When Haley Cobb (Graphic Design ’14, M.A. ’16) graduated with her Master of Arts in Graphic Design, she had a strong desire to work for a Christian company. She did not know, however, that her prayers would lead her across the country to work for a popular arts and crafts retail chain.
“Just two weeks after graduation, the Lord opened the door for me to work for Hobby Lobby, a company that is committed to honoring the Lord by operating in a manner consistent with biblical principles,” Haley said. “While it took a leap of faith to move halfway across the country, I am so glad the Lord led me to Hobby Lobby.”
Haley made the move from her hometown in Pennsylvania to Hobby Lobby’s corporate headquarters in Oklahoma City to start her new job. “PCC’s training gave me the confidence to tackle any project that comes across my desk,” she said. “The variety of projects combined with the different timelines allowed me to establish a strong work ethic and good time management skills while I was a student. Those skills made the transition from student to professional very easy.”
As a top fabric designer at Hobby Lobby, Haley continues to use the lessons taught in her freshman-level classes. “Whether I am working on a packaging design or designing apparel fabric, the principles of design I learned as a freshman are still the key to creating any successful design.”
As a student, Haley worked diligently in and out of class to make creative and memorable designs. In fact, as she was completing the master’s graphic design program, her work earned three gold awards at the annual Pensacola Advertising Federation ADDY Awards in 2016. Then her work went on to earn awards at the district level, also. These experiences proved to be a precursor of more recognition to come.
Each year, Hobby Lobby places full-page ads celebrating the real meaning of Christmas, Easter, and Independence Day in newspapers across the country. In 2017, Haley was selected as one of ten designers to submit a Christmas message ad. After weeks of brainstorming, sketching, and refining her ideas, Haley’s design was chosen to be the 2017 Christmas ad as well as the design of the Hobby Lobby Christmas card. “Not only did my design appear in newspapers across the country on Christmas Day, but it was also featured on Hobby Lobby’s website and social media platforms,” Haley said.
Now just two years after taking her leap of faith, Haley Cobb can walk into any Hobby Lobby store across the country and see her designs on the shelves. “It’s very rewarding,” she says. “My favorite part about working as a designer is the ability to create something new every day. I enjoy being able to take a project from just an idea to a finished product I can hold in my hand.”
Read more about how God is directing and working through PCC faculty and alumni.