Designing Destiny: Eoin’s NYC Journey on the J-1 Visa
Eoin Cantwell is an Institute of Art, Design & Technology (IADT) Dún Laoghaire graduate who utilized the J-1 visa to aid the transition of being a college student to full time employment in his chosen field—graphic design. Eoin chose to live in NYC, as this is a huge epicenter for the graphic design industry where he would be able to try a little bit of everything. Not only did Eoin gain immeasurable experience in graphic design, but he gained a whole new sense of independence.
Eoin loved living in New York City over the past year. He was working in person at the office for much of his internship. Because he lived in Ridgewood, Eoin’s commute turned out to be a thirty minute bike ride. He noted that this was not bad for the city and provided a bit of exercise into his day as well. The most difficult aspect of living in NYC was finding housing, as there are many subletters, but not a lot of new leases to be signed. Also, some landlords asked for a credit check, which as a recent graduate and exchange visitor, Eoin could not provide. Therefore, Eoin recommends that any J-1 who wants to live in New York to look for housing before traveling to the States if possible. He says that preparation will save a lot of time and stress on their side.
Eoin’s J-1 internship experience in graphic design allowed him to further explore potential career paths and help him learn more about where his interests lie. He saw firsthand how his major could turn into a full time job. He also acquired a sense of independence that he had not had before. In Ireland, many stay at home for college, and consequently this experience of being alone in a different country gave him great autonomy to find himself. In fact, Eoin realized that he might want to pursue a Masters in graphic design after this program. He is now more open to the possibility of working at a company abroad or remotely too! Overall, Eoin explained that there would not have been a lot of opportunities similar to this one in Dublin. Therefore, this J-1 experience gave him the confidence to take the next step in his career and life.
As for support throughout this entire process, Eoin backs the Rian Immigrant Center’s J-1 Visa program wholeheartedly. Not only is Rian less expensive than other programs, the help he received from them showed that they were actually invested in his experience. For instance, after having a slight issue at the embassy in Ireland, Rian was quick to give feedback and support Eoin. Everyone in the organization seemed ready to help and be there—even before he had arrived in the states he received a list of potential employers to apply to.
We wish Eoin the very best and cannot wait to see where he takes himself from here! Connect with us on social media to see more of Eoin’s pictures from his time in NYC! @rianj_1 on Instagram and Rian