During the summer, Graphic Design graduate Karin Kerotova secured a highly competitive place on the Society of Young Publishers’ Mentorship Scheme, where she was matched with Charlie Moyler, Art Director at children’s publisher Little Tiger. The six-month mentorship will provide Karin with one-to-one professional development, industry insights, and personalised creative feedback.

Alongside this, Karin’s work continues to be noticed in the industry, with Penguin Books naming her Creative of the Month in September and showcasing her portfolio across their professional platforms, including LinkedIn.

Karin said: “It means a lot to be selected for the Mentorship Scheme and named Penguin's Creative of the Month. The mentorship in particular has been extremely helpful as working in publishing is exactly where I want to be and it’s helping me achieve this goal. I was able to keep my design practice going but also further develop my publishing portfolio to a professional standard with the help from the Art Director.”

This recognition comes after Karin’s achievement last year – while she was still a student at Bedfordshire – when she achieved third place in the prestigious Penguin Cover Design Award, impressing judges among hundreds of entries nationwide. Competing in the Children’s Book category, her design for Nazneen Ahmed Pathak’s City of Stolen Magic was praised as a ‘bold design with an engaging illustration’.

Karin’s exciting accomplishments reflect the University of Bedfordshire’s Career-Powered Education approach, which ensures students graduate not only with a degree, but also the skills, professional experience, and industry connections to thrive in their careers.

Noel Douglas, Senior Lecturer in Graphic Design, added: “We’re so pleased that, since graduating, Karin has gone from strength to strength with her career. She graduated as the top student in the School because she makes fantastic work and to see this recognised by major publishers like Penguin is a confirmation of her talent. I’m looking forward to seeing what she does next!”

To find out more about creative courses at the University of Bedfordshire, visit the School of Computing, Engineering and Creative Industries: https://www.beds.ac.uk/howtoapply/departments/school-of-computing-engineering-and-creative-industries/ 

Images: Karin Kerotova